Managing Generations in the Workplace
Introduction
The degree of change that the planet has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which many of these changes have come about is no less striking. These changes have touched nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our everyday lives.
One area of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful company trading in the modern world would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their staff. This problem has been about for a long time, but as the needs of organisations change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences between workers have become more obvious.
This is partly due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world nations, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since 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 simply sitting at the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business climate, 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 business 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 vital piece of the business puzzle.
There are also generational issues when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and business best practices are being created all of the time and critical business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales and promotional options that have emerged with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy.
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The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the work environment may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worth taking note of.
Traditionals
Mature, 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 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, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature 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 shape the future success or failure of the business. This disparity between modern thinking and business influence requires direction.
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 approximately and are likely to form the vast majority of management roles within a modern business.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father 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 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 observed that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving 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 levels of management within a modern 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 early age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution influences the big picture. They will be motivated by financial 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 effective contribution to the organisation.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 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 ideas and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the older generations and modern technical 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 modern business, problems involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from managing payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the workplace.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are clear 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 consequently they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these roles reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical capability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that proper support is given to any employee who battles with the physical side of their job.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can 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 impairment. Studies are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the body.
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Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working rapport between the business and its workforce, no matter how old they may be.
If there are specific jobs within your business that are most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to carry out the job. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your business 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 great benefit to your organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you uncover the correct management approach for your organisation.
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 incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Using their services may be the most recommended way to address your own corporate situation.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the language used for communication, but matters of manners and etiquette.
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 crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.
Modern organisations have a varied range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so often the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.