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 many of these changes have come about is no less striking. These shifts have affected nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our everyday lives.
One area of life which 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 started, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the modern arena would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern companies 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 consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since 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 set of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most typical challenges that face a modern business that is operating 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. This computing power can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as capable as the people who operate them.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional channels that have come forth with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse setting it is critical to utilise high quality industrial shelving from a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce secure.
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The Generations
The need to handle generations in the work environment 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. The generations of employee 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 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 individual sacrifices for the greater good, and whilst this belief was nurtured under the shadow of a global conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior positions within a company their views and beliefs will generally carry more 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.
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 down turn in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary company.
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 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 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 noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other employees. These communication problems can become very disruptive in a business 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 levels 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 made clear to Generation X from a very young age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can 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 study and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective contribution to the company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born after 1980 and are the youngest collection 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 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 Internet is, the void between the old and the new becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the modern business, issues involving technology can have very far reaching implications. 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 is not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the organisation. Internal business practices are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological skills and understanding.
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 as such they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions.
Fortunately, 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 knowledge and experience rather than physical ability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that adequate support is given to any employee who struggles with the physical aspect of their job.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems 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 environment itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary workplace on the human body.
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Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several 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 jobs within your business that are most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use members of that generation to perform the task. This kind of specialisation demands 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 business 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 useful advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of great benefit to an organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management approach for your organisation.
If setting your own administrators the task of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in distinct 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 matters of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be used across numerous generations but it is also important to make sure that your company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.
Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently 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.