Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which many of these changes have come about is no less impressive.
One area of life which has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the contemporary arena would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting issue that modern companies face is how to handle the different generations of individuals who make up their staff.
This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world nations, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same company into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting at the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse set of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a new way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most typical problems that face a modern enterprise that is operating with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as able as the people who work them.
There are also generational problems when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and important business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company.
Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content.
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The Generations
The need to handle generations in the workplace may seem like an unnecessary task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worth taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern business 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 business and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make individual sacrifices for the greater good, and while 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 ranks within a business their views and beliefs will generally carry greater weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt the future success or failure of the organisation. This difference 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 world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and are likely to form the vast majority of management roles within a modern company.
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. They would be the mother and father of the classic “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grasp on modern advances in terms of technologies and business processes. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well in teams, although it is often noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other workers.
Generation X
Members of Generation X were born between the mid- 60’s and the late- 70’s. They will be currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various levels of management within a contemporary company.
Socially they grew up in extremely demanding 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 early age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and hard hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have professions.
As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution affects the big picture. They will be motivated by monetary benefits rather than a sense of duty since they feel they have paid their dues through a life of learning and work. Generation X need close management to ensure their efficient contribution to the organisation.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born after 1980 and are the youngest collection of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older generations and modern technical equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being genuinely confused about what the world wide web is, the void between the old and the new becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the modern organisation, problems involving technology can 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 a company is likely to find problems in many areas of the business.
The same principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the organisation.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical factors that may affect how a successful company manages its workers in regard to age. Elderly generations will by and large by physically inferior to their younger counterparts, and as such they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, but as a generalisation it is correct.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of worker 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 capability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that proper support is given to any worker who struggles with the physical aspect of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread launch and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Studies are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the human body.
The number of workplace mishaps involving office furniture rises steadily when longer is spent by employees at work.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many additional companies 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 workers, no matter how old they may be.
If there are specific 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 demands good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing different generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the subject have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of useful advice that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to your 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 scenarios. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management method for your organisation.
If setting your own administrators the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem suitable there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice. Using their services may be the most prudent method to address your business situation.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing.
Each generation is also motivated by different things, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be the case 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.
Contemporary businesses 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 route to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- employing the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through educated and empathetic direction.