Introduction
The extent of change that the world 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 impressive.
One area of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern businesses may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena would seem foreign to businesses of the past.
An interesting problem that modern companies face is how to handle the different generations of individuals who make up their workforce.
This is partially due to the ever increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since 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 demand for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to radical changes which require a new way of thinking. These modern ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working age group.
Problems
One of the most common problems that face a modern enterprise that is operating with a number of different 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.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business. This can be said of sales as well as promotional options that have emerged with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of 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 wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse setting it is vital to use professional industrial shelving off of a quality manufacturer to keep the workforce secure.
It is commonplace for the younger demographic to perform alongside industrial shelving merchandise since they are suitable for physical labour.
The Generations
The need to handle generations in the workplace may seem like an unnecessary task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worthwhile taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, 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 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 an international 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 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 sculpt the future success or failure of the business. This disparity between modern thinking and business control requires direction.
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 roughly speaking and probably 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 previous generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are highly family- oriented.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grip on modern developments in terms of technologies and business procedures. 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 workers. These communication problems 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 company.
Socially they grew up in very stressful 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 progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies.
As such, they are often very good at problem solving and achieving short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution influences the big picture. They will be motivated by monetary 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 management to ensure their efficient contribution to the organisation.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 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 seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion to be second nature.
Projecting a professional persona is significant, so interior refurbishment to an office setting may help lift the profile of your business.
The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the older generations and contemporary 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 newer business, problems involving technology can 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 promotion. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the corporation.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still perform many of the critical 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 obvious physical factors 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 as such they will be less suited to roles that involve physical exertions.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of employee 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 ability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies 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 common since the widespread launch and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting 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 periods 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 contemporary place of work on the body.
A modern office setting may have some desk chairs and briefcases scattered precariously around the walkways between working spaces.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.
If there are particular 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 perform the job. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational management. 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 several generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of helpful information that can be obtained from these events can be of special benefit to an organisation.
There are also many resources available on the web that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every business has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management method for your organisation.
If setting your own administrators the task 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 employee can find that it is hard to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but issues of manners and etiquette.
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 crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
Modern businesses have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so often the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- employing the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.