Business Management for Multiple Generations of Workers
Mar 30
Posted: under Uncategorized.
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 impressive. These changes have touched nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic 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 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 organisation trading in the modern 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 individuals who make up their staff. This challenge has been about for a long time, but as the needs of companies 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 stay 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 need for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a new way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most common problems that face a modern enterprise that is working with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing power can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as able as the people who operate them.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are being created all of the time and critical business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales and promotional channels that have come forth with the rise of the Web.
Beyond 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 wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content.
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The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the workplace 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
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 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 beneath the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.
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 shape 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, while there was a general decline 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 roles within a contemporary company.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are very family- oriented.
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 observed that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other employees. These communication issues can become very disruptive in a business setting.
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 spread amongst the various levels of management within a contemporary company.
Socially they grew up in extremely 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 young age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two companies.
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 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 company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 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 seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and contemporary technical equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling 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 implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from managing payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for marketing. 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 corporation.
The same principle can also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might 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 organisation. Internal business practices are rarely black and white so workers ideally need a range of technological abilities and understanding.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical factors that may affect how a successful company manages its workers 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 jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical capability. It is however important to make sure that adequate support is given to any worker who struggles with the physical aspect of their job.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more common since the widespread launch 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 periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Studies are on- going to look into 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 received more exposure over recent years and many more businesses 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 developing the working relationship between the business and its workers, 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 get members of that generation to perform the task. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing different generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the subject 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 special benefit to your organisation.
There are also many resources available on the web that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations.
If setting your own administrators the task of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services could be the most prudent way to address your 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 planet that has been constantly changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different things, and have come from various 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 company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The business must do what is optimum for its own good results.
Contemporary businesses 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 route to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through educated and empathetic direction.
