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 shifts have touched almost every aspect of our lives beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our day to day lives.
One part of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. 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 contemporary world would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to manage 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 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 often as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting at the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
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. Computers are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the corporate puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to outward business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are being created all of the time and important business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional options that have emerged with the rise of the World Wide Web.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, physical 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 commonplace for the younger age bracket to perform alongside industrial shelving merchandise because they are suited to physical labour.
The Generations
The need to manage 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 worth taking note of. The generations of worker that may be found in a modern business can be separated into the following four groups:
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers 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 under the shadow of an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior positions within a business their views and beliefs 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. This disparity between modern thinking and business influence requires management.
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 decline in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a modern business.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the parents of the classic “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 grip 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 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 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 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. They are expected to work long and hard hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have jobs.
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 since 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 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 environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
A modern business needs to consider things beyond a business scope, like interior refurbishments to keep up-to-date property that reflect their corporate image.
The Working Environment
Technology
We are all 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 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, issues involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the technologies being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the business. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so workers ideally need a range of technological skills and knowledge.
Physical limitations
There are clear 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 as such they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions.
Luckily, most of the older generations of employee will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these roles reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical capability. It is however important to make sure that adequate 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 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 particular workstation are not great. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Studies are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the body.
Far too often, business employees believe desk chairs barely affect their health in a negative way which is not always true.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at improving 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 best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to carry out 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 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 useful information that can be obtained from these events can be of special benefit to an organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management approach for your company.
If setting your own administrators 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. Utilising their services may be the most prudent way to address your business circumstances.
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 planet 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 stimulated by different factors, 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 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 fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so often the case, the path to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic direction.