Managing Generations in the Modern Business
Introduction
The degree of change that the planet has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace at which a lot of these changes have come about is no less striking.
One part of life which has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it started, but many of the traits of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena would seem alien to businesses of the past.
An interesting problem that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their staff. This challenge has been around for a long time, but as the needs of companies change and the skills required have evolved, the differences among workers have become more obvious.
This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world nations, 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 sometimes as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working age group.
Problems
One of the most typical problems that face a modern business that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in each of our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run well, but they are only as capable as the individuals who operate them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are being created 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 worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is critical to make use of high quality industrial shelving from an assured supplier to keep the workforce secure.
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The Generations
The requirement to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worthwhile taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, employees 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 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 company 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, when there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary company.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grasp on modern developments in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well in teams, although it is often observed that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , 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 tiers of management within a modern company.
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 young age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses.
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 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 rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older generations and contemporary technological equipment. Whether it is a parent only just coping 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 newer organisation, problems involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the technologies being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business.
The same principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with emerging technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the organisation. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological skills and understanding.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical aspects that may influence 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 require physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, but as a generalisation it’s true.
Luckily, 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 understanding 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 personal computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular workstation are not great. 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 damage. Studies are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the body.
Far too frequently, business employees believe desk chairs hardly impact their health in any negative way which is not always true.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at developing 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 use members of that generation to carry out the job. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational management.
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 useful advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of great 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 situations. Every business has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management approach for your organisation.
If setting your own managers the task of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find that it is hard to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been constantly changing.
Each generation is also motivated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also important to make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.
Modern businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied 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- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through educated and empathetic management.