Modern Management of Generations at Work
Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has seasoned 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.
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 traits of a successful company trading in the contemporary arena would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their staff.
This is partially due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same company into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting at the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business climate, 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.
Problems
One of the most common 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 nowadays and they form a pivotal piece of the corporate puzzle.
There are also generational issues when it comes to external business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and critical business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their business.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, psychological 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 satisfied.
It is commonplace for the younger generation to perform alongside industrial shelving merchandise since they’re suited to physical labour.
The Generations
The need to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences 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’re 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 personal sacrifices for the greater good, and while 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 organisation.
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 globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and are likely to form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.
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. They would be the parents of the classic “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grasp on modern developments 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 employees. These communication issues 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 currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be distributed amongst the various tiers of management within a contemporary business.
Socially they grew up in very 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 early age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
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 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 management to ensure their efficient contribution to the company.
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 processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
Office supplies are a necessity for a clean running enterprise so storage bins commonly carry out a role to manage these assets.
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 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 organisation, issues involving technology can 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 marketing. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the workplace.
A similar principle can also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are obvious 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.
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 proper support is given to any employee who battles with the physical aspect of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical conditions that businesses of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more common since the widespread introduction 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 periods of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the contemporary place of work on the human body.
Younger generations of workers are getting used to trendy office furniture within modern companies whereas older generations seem less bothered.
Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many more companies 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 relationship 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 use members of that generation to carry out the task. 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 a lot of resources available on the web that discuss the problem in more detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios.
If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem suitable there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Using their services could be the most recommended way to address your own corporate circumstances.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a world that has been constantly changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be the case 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 the different age groups working for it.
Modern organisations 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 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 informed and empathetic direction.
