Managing Generations in the Workplace

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 many of these changes have come about is no less striking.

One area of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it started, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the modern world would seem alien 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 staff. This challenge has been around for a long time, but as the needs of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences between workers have become more pronounced.

This is partly due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As 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 often 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 modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking.

Problems

One of the most common problems that face a modern enterprise that is operating 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 pivotal piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run well, but they are only as able as the people who work them.

There are also generational problems when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and critical business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business.

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 fulfil a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse setting it is vital to utilise professional industrial shelving from a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.

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The Generations

The requirement to manage generations in the work environment may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worth taking note of. The generations of worker that may be found in today’s 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’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 personal sacrifices for the greater good, and while this belief was nurtured under the shadow of an international conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.

Since many of the senior generation will hold senior ranks within a business their views and beliefs 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 decline in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.

This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst previous 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 while still maintaining a grip on modern developments in terms of technologies and business procedures. 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 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 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 early 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 can struggle to grasp how their contribution affects 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 study and work. Generation X need close management to ensure their effective 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 environment 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 elderly generations and contemporary technical equipment. Whether it is a parent only just coping 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, problems involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations in the work environment.

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

Physical limitations

There are clear physical aspects 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 involve physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, however as a generalisation it is correct.

Luckily, 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 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 frequent since the widespread launch and use of computer keyboards.

The desk setting itself can 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 impairment. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the contemporary workplace on the human body.

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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 improving the working rapport between the business and its workforce, no matter how old they are.

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 perform the task. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational management. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation as your workforce ages.

There are a number of ways in which your business can learn about managing several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the topic 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 special benefit to an organisation.

There are also a lot of resources available on the web that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management approach for your company.

If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services could be the most recommended method to address your business situation.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work together. 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 different social upbringings. It will rarely be the case that one solution can be used across numerous generations but it is also important to make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The company must do what is optimum for its own good results.

Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so often 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 direction.

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