Introduction
The degree of change that the planet has experienced 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 striking. These shifts have affected nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our everyday lives.
One part of life which has not escaped these vast 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 foreign to businesses of the past.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage 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. Since people work to a later point in their lives, they may remain with the same organisation into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting at the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant 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. Computer systems are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run well, but they are only as capable as the individuals who work them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and business best practices are being created all of the time and critical business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, 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.
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The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the work environment may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worth taking note of.
Traditionals
Mature, or “traditional”, employees 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 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 under the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior positions within a company their views and beliefs 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 organisation.
Baby Boomers
The Baby Boomer generation includes those born between the end of the war and the mid- 60’s, when 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 are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern company.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are very 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 whilst still maintaining a grip on modern developments in terms of technologies and business processes. 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 constructive) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other employees. These communication issues can become very disruptive in a corporate environment.
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 distributed amongst the various tiers 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 made clear to Generation X from a very young age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two companies.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and achieving short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution affects 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 learning and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective contribution to the company.
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 seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the older generations and contemporary technological equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being genuinely 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 modern organisation, problems involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for marketing. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations in the workplace.
A similar principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations may be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still perform many of the important functions of the organisation.
Physical limitations
There are obvious 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 require physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, however as a generalisation it’s correct.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical capability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that proper support is given to any employee who struggles with the physical aspect of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread launch and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk environment 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 intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long durations 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 contemporary place of work on the human body.
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Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they are.
If there are specific roles within your business that are most appropriate for 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 grows old.
There are a number of ways in which your business can learn about managing several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the subject have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of practical information that can be obtained from these occasions can be of special benefit to your organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios.
If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been continually changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the language used for communication, but matters of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also stimulated by different things, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be used 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.
Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so often the case, the route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.
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