Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which a lot of these changes have come about is no less striking. These changes have affected almost every aspect of our existence beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our everyday lives.
One area of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the contemporary world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting issue that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their staff.
This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, 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 remain with the same company into their late 60′s or early 70′s, and often as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting at the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a new way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most typical challenges that face a modern enterprise that is operating with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a vital piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run well, but they are only as capable as the people who work them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business aspects such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional channels that have come forth with the rise of the Web.
Beyond this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied.
It is unfortunate to hear of workplace injuries however pallet racking incidents inside factories aren’t a very common complaint.
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 worthwhile taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern business environment. They’re 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 individual sacrifices for the greater good, and while this belief was nurtured under the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior positions within a business their views and opinions 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 business.
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 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grip 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 comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other workers. These communication issues can become very disruptive in a corporate setting.
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 tiers of management within a contemporary business.
Socially they grew up in extremely 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 early age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two businesses. They are expected to work long and hard hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can struggle to grasp how their contribution influences the big picture. They will be motivated by financial benefits rather than a sense of duty because they feel they have paid their dues through a life of study and work. Generation X need close management to ensure their effective contribution to the company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born after 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 rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
The smooth day to day running of a company can often depend on boring components akin to storage bins which are ignored far too frequently because they are mundane.
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 truly 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 business, problems involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route for marketing. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the work environment.
A similar principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may 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 clear physical aspects that may affect how a successful company manages its workers 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. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, but as a generalisation it’s 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 jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread launch and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can 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 periods of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the body.
Businesses that wish to be successful frequently benefit from fresh office furniture because aesthetics promote a powerful image of the company.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they are.
If there are specific roles within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use members of that generation to carry out the task. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational control. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation as your workforce grows old.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing different generations of employee. 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 a lot of resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in more detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios.
If setting your own administrators the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem suitable there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Using their services may be the most prudent way to address your own corporate situation.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find that it is hard to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but matters of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also motivated by different factors, and have come from various 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 business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own success.
Contemporary organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so frequently the case, the route to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.
TheKnow | March 24, 2010
TheMassive | 
Comments Off