Modern Management of Generations at Work
Introduction
The degree of change that the world has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace at which many of these changes have come about is no less impressive. These changes have affected almost every aspect of our existence beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our everyday lives.
One part of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. 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 world would seem alien to businesses of the past.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of individuals who make up their staff.
This is partially due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world nations, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may remain with the same company 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 set of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate 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 enterprise that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as capable as the individuals who operate them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are being created all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business.
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 different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content. In a warehouse environment it is crucial to utilise good industrial shelving from an assured manufacturer to keep the workforce secure.
Many businesses find that they have a need for racking products over several sections of their business.
The Generations
The requirement to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are commonly 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 corporate 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 industry 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 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 difference between modern thinking and business control requires direction.
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 modern business.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection 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 frequently 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 noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other workers. 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 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 extremely stressful 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 businesses.
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 because 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 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.
Older generations of workers could consider interior refurbishments pointless and disruptive towards the working environment of a business.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is 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 modern business, issues 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 route for marketing. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the corporation. This introduces the challenge of managing generations in the work environment.
The same 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 other 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 skills and knowledge.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical aspects that may influence how a successful company manages its workers in regard to age. Elderly 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. There will be exceptions to this in many companies, however as a generalisation it is correct.
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 ability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical conditions that businesses of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk environment itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular 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 investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary workplace on the body.
As a solution to back pain and other office related physical conditions, any ergonomic office chair serves numerous employees nicely and is a popular choice for modern businesses.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned several 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 particular roles 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 demands good organisational control. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation when your workforce ages.
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 your organisation.
There are also a lot of resources available on the web that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various situations.
If setting your own administrators the task of learning about generations within the office does not seem suitable there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find that it is hard to work together. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your company 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 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 informed and empathetic direction.
http://www.polandedfoundation.org
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