Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace at which many of these changes have come about is no less impressive. These shifts have touched nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our day to day lives.
One part of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern companies may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful company trading in the contemporary world would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of individuals who make up their staff. This challenge has been about for a long time, but as the requirements of organisations change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences between workers have become more pronounced.
This is partly due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same organisation into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most common problems that face a modern business that is operating with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the corporate puzzle.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and critical business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional channels that have emerged with the rise of the World Wide Web.
Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content.
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The Generations
The requirement to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worthwhile taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern corporate environment. They are the people who were born before the Second World War, and will be in their late 60’s or early 70’s.
Their approach to industry and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, and whilst this belief was nurtured beneath the shadow of an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior positions within a business their views and opinions will generally carry more weight than those of younger generations. Their decisions will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt the future success or failure of the business. This disparity between modern thinking and business control requires management.
Baby Boomers
The Baby Boomer generation includes those born between the end of the war and the mid- 60’s, while there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a modern business.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are highly family- oriented.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grip on modern advances in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working effectively in teams, although it is often observed that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other employees.
Generation X
Members of Generation X were born between the mid- 60’s and the late- 70’s. They will be presently aged between 30 and 45 and will be distributed amongst the various tiers of management within a modern business.
Socially they grew up in very stressful times. Careers were an ever more important and defining part of people’s lives and this was pointed out to Generation X from a very young age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have professions.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can struggle to grasp how their contribution affects the big picture. They will be motivated by financial benefits rather than a sense of duty since they feel they have paid their dues through a life of study and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective contribution to the organisation.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 1980 and are the youngest group of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social climate where being an extravert is seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and modern technological equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being truly confused about what the Internet is, the void between the old and the new is made very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the newer organisation, problems involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the workplace.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still perform many of the important functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical aspects that may influence how a successful company manages its workforce in regard to age. Older generations will by and large by physically inferior to their younger counterparts, and consequently they will be less suited to roles that involve physical exertions.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of employee will have advanced to senior levels of management within the organisation they work for, and these roles reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not great. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the human body.
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Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working relationship between the business and its workforce, no matter how old they are.
If there are particular roles within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to perform the task. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational management. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation when your workforce ages.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing different generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of practical advice that can be obtained from these events can be of special benefit to an organisation.
There are also many resources available on the web that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management method for your company.
If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem suitable there are many business consultants that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services may be the most recommended method to address your own business circumstances.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply concerns when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but matters of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.
Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the path to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through educated and empathetic management.