Managing Generations in the Modern Business

Introduction

The extent of change that the planet has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace at which a lot of these changes have come about is no less striking. These shifts have affected almost every aspect of our existence 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 vast changes is the business world. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the modern world would seem foreign to businesses of the past.

An interesting problem that modern companies face is how to handle the different generations of people who make up their staff.

This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same organisation into their late 60′s or early 70′s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.

There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide 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 typical problems that face a modern business that is operating with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle.

There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business factors 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 business. This can be said of sales and promotional options that have come forth with the rise of the World Wide Web.

Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is crucial to make use of premium industrial shelving by a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.

Whilst aesthetics are always one desired attribute, pallet racking that’s durable plus dependable should be the first choice for businesses.

The Generations

The need to manage 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 worth taking note of.

Traditionals

Mature, or “traditional”, employees are the oldest that would be found in a modern business 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 under the shadow of a global 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 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 difference 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, while there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking 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 very 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 while still maintaining a grasp on modern advances in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working effectively 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 spread amongst the various levels of management within a modern business.

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 worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two businesses.

As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting 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 because 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 group of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social climate where being an extravert is seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.

The smooth day to day running of a company can often rely on boring elements like storage bins which might be overlooked too often because they are mundane.

The Working Environment

Technology

We are all familiar with the gap between the older generations and contemporary technical equipment. Whether it is a parent only just coping 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 can have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from managing 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 an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations in the workplace.

The same principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the organisation.

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 consequently 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 organisation they work for, and these jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability.

Modern ailments

Modern companies are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more common since the widespread launch and use of personal computer keyboards.

The desk environment 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 intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the body.

The quantity of workplace accidents including office furniture rises gradually when more time is spent by employees at work.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater 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 developing 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 best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use members of that generation to perform the task. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational management.

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 great benefit to an 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 business has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management method for your organisation.

If setting your own managers the task of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services could be the most prudent method to address your corporate circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work collectively. 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 true that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own good results.

Modern 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 often the case, the path to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- employing the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly – through educated and empathetic direction.