Introduction
The extent of change that the world has experienced 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 impressive. These changes have affected almost every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our everyday lives.
One part of life which 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 started, but many of the characteristics of a successful company trading in the modern arena would seem alien to businesses of the past.
An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of people who make up their workforce. This problem has been about for a long time, but as the requirements of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences among workers have become more pronounced.
This is partially due to the ever 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 often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a new way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most common challenges 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 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 people who work them.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external 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 business.
Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of different needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content. In a warehouse setting it is crucial to use good industrial shelving by a quality supplier to keep the workforce safe.
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The Generations
The requirement to manage generations in the work environment 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. The generations of worker that may be found in a modern business can be split into the following four groups:
Traditionals
Mature, or “traditional”, employees 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 individual sacrifices for the greater good, and while this belief was nurtured beneath the shadow of a global conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior positions within a company their views and opinions will generally carry more weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and shape 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 decline in the birth rate around the globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary business.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are very 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 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 comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other workers. These communication problems 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 presently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various tiers of management within a modern business.
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 young age. Many will have progressed 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 achieving short- term objectives but can 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 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 climate where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly 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 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 promotion. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the corporation.
The same principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still perform many of the important functions of the business. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological abilities and understanding.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical aspects that may affect 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. There will be exceptions to this in many 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 understanding and experience rather than physical capability.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as 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 durations of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye damage. Studies are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace 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 a number of new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working rapport between the business and its workforce, 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 perform the task. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational control. 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 several generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the subject have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of useful information that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to your organisation.
There are also a lot of resources available on the web that discuss the problem 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 workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services may be the most prudent way to address your own business circumstances.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been constantly changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different things, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be the case that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also important to make sure that your business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
Modern businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through informed and empathetic direction.