Managing Generations in the Workplace
Introduction
The degree of change that the world has seasoned 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 striking.
One area of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the modern arena would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their staff.
This is partly due to the 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 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 swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most typical 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 corporate puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as capable as the individuals who operate them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business.
Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of different needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is vital to make use of good industrial shelving off of a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.
It is unfortunate to hear about workplace accidents although pallet racking accidents inside factories are not a very common problem.
The Generations
The requirement to handle 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
Mature, or “traditional”, workers 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 whilst 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 mature generation will hold senior ranks within a company their views and beliefs will generally carry more 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.
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 are likely to 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 earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the work environment, 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 procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well in teams, although it is often observed that they are not comfortable 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 distributed amongst the various tiers of management within a contemporary business.
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 maybe two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have jobs.
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 financial 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 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 rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion to be second nature.
There is no limit to the number of capacity errands storage bins could carry out in an office setting.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older generations and contemporary technological equipment. Whether it is a parent only just coping 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 newer organisation, problems involving technology might 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 promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the technologies being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business.
A similar principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with emerging technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical factors that may affect how a successful company manages its workforce 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. There will be exceptions to this in many companies, but as a generalisation it is true.
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 confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread launch and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can 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 durations 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 place of work on the body.
There have been several experiments regarding desk chairs which state seats important in terms of worker health and happiness.
Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of 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 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 use 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 several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the subject have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of practical advice that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to your organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios.
If setting your own managers the task of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but issues of manners and etiquette.
Each generation is also motivated by different things, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be the case that one solution can be used across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your company does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it. The company must do what is optimum for its own good results.
Contemporary organisations 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 finding a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through educated and empathetic direction.
