Business Management for Multiple Generations of Employees
Introduction
The degree of change that the world has experienced 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 striking.
One part of life which has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern businesses 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 contemporary arena would seem foreign 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 challenge has been about for a long time, but as the needs of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences among workers have become more obvious.
This is partly due to the increasing life expectancy of people, 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 stay with the same organisation into their late 60's or early 70's, and sometimes 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 swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a fresh 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 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 vital piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as able as the individuals who work them.
There are also generational issues 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 important business decision makers need to 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 World Wide Web.
Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, 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 happy.
Whilst an office workspace should be smart they can additionally accommodate industrial shelving within particular conditions in office storage needs.
The Generations
The need to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worth taking note of.
Traditionals
Mature, 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 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, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior positions within a company their views and opinions will generally carry more weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt 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 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern company.
This generation grew up without a lot 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 mother and father of the traditional "nuclear family".
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 noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at providing 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 presently 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 made clear 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.
As such, 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 effective 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 processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
One of the largest change management challenges facing modern businesses are office refurbishments given that many computers need to be moved.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and modern technical equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being truly 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 organisation, issues involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route 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 parts of the corporation.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new 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 employees ideally need a range of technological skills and knowledge.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical factors that may influence how a successful company manages its workforce 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.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the organisation they work for, and these roles reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability. It is however important to make sure that adequate support is given to any worker who battles with the physical aspect of their job.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical problems 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 personal computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific 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 modern workplace on the human body.
Younger generations of workers are getting used to fashionable office furniture within modern organisations but older generations seem less bothered.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.
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 task. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational management. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation when your workforce grows old.
There are a number of ways in which your business 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 occasions can be of special benefit to your organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every business 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 administrators the task of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem suitable there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
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 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 business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
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 discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through educated and empathetic direction.