Business Management for Multiple Generations of Workers

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 a lot of these changes have come about is no less impressive.

One area of life which has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it began, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena would seem foreign to businesses of the past.

An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their staff.

This is partially due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As 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 need 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 undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking.

Problems

One of the most typical challenges that face a modern enterprise that is working with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle.

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

Beyond this, there can be problems with communication 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 happy. In a warehouse environment it is vital to make use of good industrial shelving from a reputable supplier to keep the workforce safe.

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The Generations

The need to manage 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 worth taking note of. The generations of worker that may be found in today’s business can be separated into the following four groups:

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 industry 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 a global 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 judgements will often be fundamental to the business and shape 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 decline 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 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 collection of people that are very family- oriented.

When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst 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 noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other employees. These communication problems can become very disruptive in a corporate setting.

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 distributed amongst the various tiers of management within a contemporary company.

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 young age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have jobs.

As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can 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 collection 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 processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.

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The Working Environment

Technology

Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older 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 modern organisation, problems involving technology might 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 technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the corporation.

A similar principle can also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, 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 aspects that may influence 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 involve physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in many companies, but 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 roles reward based upon understanding and experience rather than physical ability. It is however important to make sure that adequate support is given to any employee who battles with the physical side of their job.

Modern ailments

Modern businesses 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 launch and use of personal computer keyboards.

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

Far too frequently, business employees think desk chairs hardly affect their health in a negative way which is not always true.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.

If there are particular 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 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 grows old.

There are a number of ways in which your business 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 information that can be obtained from these occasions can be of special 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 different ideas for tackling various situations.

If setting your own managers 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. Using their services may be the most recommended method to address your corporate circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply concerns when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but matters of manners and etiquette.

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 company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own success.

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

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