Introduction

The degree of change that the planet has seasoned 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.

One part of life which has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the contemporary arena would seem alien to businesses of the past.

An interesting problem that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their staff. This challenge has been around for a long time, but as the needs of companies change and the skills required have evolved, the differences between workers have become more obvious.

This is partly due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world nations, which in turn 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 merely sitting at the board.

There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a new way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working age group.

Problems

One of the most common 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 each of our lives nowadays and they form a pivotal piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as able as the individuals who operate them.

There are also generational problems when it comes to outward business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional options that have come forth with the rise of the Internet.

Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, psychological limitations of the older staff 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 need to manage generations in the work environment may seem like an unnecessary task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worth taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in a modern business can be split into the following four groups:

Traditionals

Senior, or “traditional”, employees 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 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 beneath the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.

Since many of the senior generation will hold senior ranks 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 shape the future success or failure of the organisation. 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 world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately 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 previous generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are very family- oriented. They would be the parents of the traditional “nuclear family”.

When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grasp 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 at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , 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 currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be distributed amongst the various tiers of management within a modern company.

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 progressed 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 achieving 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 efficient 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 climate where being an extravert is seldom 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 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, problems involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from operating 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 a company is likely to find problems in many areas of the corporation.

The same 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 important functions of the business. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological abilities and knowledge.

Physical limitations

There are obvious 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 as such they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions.

Luckily, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the organisation they work for, and these jobs reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical ability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that adequate support is given to any worker who struggles 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 much more common 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 good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer monitors 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 human body.

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Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.

If there are specific jobs within your business that are most appropriate for 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 useful information that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to your organisation.

There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every business has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you discover the correct management method 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 consultants that now incorporate 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 different times and learnt about a world that has been constantly 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 used across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own good results.

Contemporary organisations have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so often the case, the route to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic direction.