Bright Notion

Introduction

The degree of change that the planet 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 world. Modern companies may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it began, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the contemporary world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.

An interesting issue that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their workforce. This challenge has been about for a long time, but as the requirements of organisations change and the skills required have evolved, the differences among workers have become more pronounced.

This is partly due to the 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 remain 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 need for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a new way of thinking. These modern ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.

Problems

One of the most common challenges that face a modern business that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle.

There are also generational problems when it comes to outward business factors 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.

Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of different needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied. In a warehouse environment it is critical to utilise premium industrial shelving by a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.

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The Generations

The need to manage 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 worth taking note of.

Traditionals

Mature, or “traditional”, employees 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 industry and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, and whilst this belief was nurtured beneath the shadow of an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.

Since many of the mature generation will hold senior ranks within a company their views and opinions will generally carry greater weight than those of younger generations. Their decisions will often be fundamental to the business and shape the future success or failure of the business. This difference between modern thinking and business influence 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 down turn 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 contemporary company.

This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are highly family- oriented.

When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while 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 noted that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , 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 currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various levels of management within a contemporary business.

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 worked up through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two companies.

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 since 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 organisation.

Generation NeXt

This generation were born after 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 concepts 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 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 newer organisation, issues involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from operating 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 an organisation is likely to find difficulties 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 older systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the business.

Physical limitations

There are clear physical factors 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 consequently 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’s true.

Luckily, most of the older generations of employee 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 capability.

Modern ailments

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

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

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Solutions

The management of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many more businesses 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 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 carry out the task. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational management.

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 advice 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 more 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 find the correct management method for your organisation.

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

Conclusion

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

Each generation is also motivated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be used across numerous generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.

Contemporary organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.

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