Business Management for Multiple Generations of Employees
Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which a lot of these changes have come about is no less impressive.
One part of life which has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. 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 organisation trading in the modern world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
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 about for a long time, but as the requirements of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences between workers have become more pronounced.
This is partly due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, 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 organisation into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting on the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most common problems that face a modern enterprise that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing power can help businesses to run well, 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 critical business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company.
Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied.
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The Generations
The requirement 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 worthwhile taking note of.
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern corporate 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 beneath the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature 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 sculpt the future success or failure of the business.
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 a lot of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are very family- oriented.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will often 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 providing feedback to other workers. These communication issues can become very disruptive in a corporate environment.
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 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 progressed through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution affects 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 study and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their efficient contribution to the company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 1980 and are the youngest collection 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 promotion to be second nature.
Older generations of workers could think interior refurbishments pointless or bothersome to the working environment of a business.
The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and contemporary technological 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 becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the modern business, problems involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from managing payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for marketing. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the business.
The same principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new 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 factors that may influence how a successful company manages its workers 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 organisation they work for, and these roles reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical capability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to face. 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 may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular 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 damage. Tests are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary place of work on the human body.
The number of office accidents including office furniture rises steadily when longer is spent by employees at work.
Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional companies 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 relationship between the business and its workforce, 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 use members of that generation to perform the job. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your company can learn about managing several generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of helpful advice that can be obtained from these events can be of special benefit to an organisation.
There are also many 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 company has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you uncover the correct management approach for your organisation.
If setting your own administrators the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now include the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services may be the most recommended way to address your own business circumstances.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work collectively. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but issues of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also motivated by different factors, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across a multitude of generations but it is also important to make sure that your company does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own good results.
Modern businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements 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 finding a balance between the generations- employing the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through educated and empathetic management.