Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has seasoned 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 changes have affected nearly 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 which has not escaped these vast changes is the business world. 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 organisation trading in the contemporary world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to handle 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. As 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 sometimes as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting on the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business surroundings, 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 new way of thinking. These modern 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 working with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in our lives nowadays and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle.
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 critical business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business.
Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied.
It is unfortunate to hear about office accidents but pallet racking incidents inside offices aren’t a very common problem.
The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the workplace 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.
Traditionals
Mature, 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 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 ranks within a company their views and opinions will generally carry greater 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. This difference 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 world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary company.
This generation grew up without much 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 workplace, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grasp on modern advances 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 comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at providing 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 presently 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 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.
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 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 supervision to ensure their efficient contribution to the organisation.
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 concepts and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.
Older generations of employees could consider interior refurbishments pointless or disruptive to the working environment of a business.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly 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 Internet is, the void between the old and the new is made very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the newer business, issues involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical 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 problems in many parts of the business.
The same 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 older systems that still perform many of the important functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical factors that may affect how a successful company manages its workforce in regard to age. Elderly 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. There will be exceptions to this in many 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 business they work for, and these jobs reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical capability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like 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 specific workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Studies are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary workplace on the human body.
It is a surprising fact that the style or layout for office furniture can have a role in the efficiency and happiness of your workforce.
Solutions
The control 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 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 particular jobs within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to perform the task. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the topic 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 a lot of resources available on the web that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management approach for your company.
If setting your own managers the task 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.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a planet that has been continually 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 things, 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 company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The business must do what is best for its own success.
Contemporary organisations have a varied range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. 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 motivating accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.
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