Whaputte!

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 nearly every aspect of our existence beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our day to day lives.

One area of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business world. Modern companies may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the contemporary 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 partly due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world nations, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As 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 demand for a more diverse set of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working age group.

Problems

One of the most typical challenges that face a modern enterprise that is operating with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives these days 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 work them.

There are also generational problems 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 company.

Beyond this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content.

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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 worthwhile taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in today’s business can be split into the following four groups:

Traditionals

Senior, 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 personal 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 senior 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 organisation.

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 globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern business.

This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.

When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while 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 helpful) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other workers. 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 presently aged between 30 and 45 and will be distributed amongst the various levels of management within a contemporary business.

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 early age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses.

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 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 efficient 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 environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion 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 technological 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 becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.

In regards to the newer business, problems 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 route for marketing. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business.

A similar principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with emerging technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still perform many of the critical functions of the business. Internal business practices are rarely black and white so workers ideally need a range of technological skills and knowledge.

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 jobs reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical ability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that proper support is given to any worker who battles with the physical side of their role.

Modern ailments

Modern businesses 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 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 particular workstation are not great. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Tests are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the body.

A modern office setting may have some desk chairs and sundries littered dangerously around the walkways between working spaces.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many additional 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 developing the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they are.

If there are particular roles 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 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 different generations of employee. 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 occasions can be of special benefit to your organisation.

There are also a lot of resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios.

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 include the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services may be the most prudent method to address your own business situation.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been constantly changing. There are not simply concerns when it comes to the language used for communication, but issues of manners and etiquette.

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 crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The business must do what is optimum for its own success.

Modern businesses have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so frequently the case, the path to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.