Managing Multiple Generations in Business

Introduction

The degree of change that the world has seasoned 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 changes have affected nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our day to day lives.

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

An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of individuals who make up their workforce. This problem has been around for a long time, but as the needs of organisations change and the skills required have evolved, the differences between workers have become more pronounced.

This is partially due to the ever 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 company into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than merely 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. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have been subject to 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 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 these days and they form a vital piece of the business puzzle.

There are also generational issues when it comes to outward 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. 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 diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content. In a warehouse setting it is vital to use professional industrial shelving from an assured maker to keep the workforce safe.

Racking solutions can be a complex business but by engaging a specialist in this area you can be sure that you are buying the right solution and are adhering to the various legislations and best practices. One such specialist can be found at the following website.

The Generations

The requirement to handle generations in the work environment may seem like an unnecessary task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worthwhile taking note of.

Traditionals

Senior, or “traditional”, workers 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 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 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 shape the future success or failure of the organisation. 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, when there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.

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 highly family- oriented.

When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grip on modern developments in terms of technologies and business processes. 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 employees.

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 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 companies. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have jobs.

Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and achieving short- term objectives but may 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 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 climate where being an extravert is seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.

When embarking on superficial modifications, an office refurbishment task force helps design as well as carry out the steps needed for a successful office overhaul.

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 Internet is, the void between the old and the new is made very apparent when it comes to technology.

In regards to the modern organisation, issues involving technology can have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical 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 systems being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business.

A similar principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might be very comfortable with emerging technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the organisation.

Physical limitations

There are obvious physical aspects that may affect 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 lots of companies, however as a generalisation it is true.

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 understanding and experience rather than physical ability.

Modern ailments

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

The desk environment itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the contemporary place of work on the human body.

Far too often, office employees think desk chairs barely impact their health in a negative way which is not always true.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working rapport 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 carry out the job. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational management. 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 business can learn about managing different 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 events can be of great benefit to an organisation.

There are also many resources available on the web that discuss the problem in more detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you uncover the correct management method for your company.

If setting your own managers the task of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services may be the most prudent way to address your own corporate circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been continually changing.

Each generation is also motivated 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 best for its own good results.

Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.

Filed Under: 1Unity Authors