Introduction

The degree of change that the planet has seasoned 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. These shifts have touched nearly every aspect of our existence beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our everyday lives.

One area of life which has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it started, but many of the traits of a successful company trading in the contemporary 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 individuals who make up their workforce. This challenge has been about for a long time, but as the needs of organisations change and the skills required have evolved, the differences between workers have become more obvious.

This is partially due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world nations, 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 range of skills in the modern business climate, 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 business that is working 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 business puzzle.

There are also generational problems 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 key 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 worker, 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.

It is unfortunate to hear of office accidents however pallet racking mishaps in factories are not a very common complaint.

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 often found in business are worthwhile taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in a modern 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 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 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 beneath 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 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.

Baby Boomers

The Baby Boomer generation includes those born between the end of the war and the mid- 60’s, when 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 modern 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 highly family- oriented. They would be the parents of the classic “nuclear family”.

When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grasp on modern developments 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 at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other employees.

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 spread amongst the various levels of management within a modern business.

Socially they grew up in very demanding 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 early age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.

Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but may struggle to grasp how their contribution influences 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 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 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 concepts and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.

Projecting an expert impression is important, hence interior refurbishment for an office environment may help lift the profile of your company.

The Working Environment

Technology

We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and modern 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 is made very apparent when it comes to technology.

In regards to the newer organisation, problems involving technology can have very far reaching consequences. 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’s not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many areas of the business.

The same 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 important functions of the business. Internal business practices are rarely black and white so workers ideally need a range of technological abilities and knowledge.

Physical limitations

There are clear physical aspects that may influence how a successful company manages its workforce 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 is true.

Luckily, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these roles reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability.

Modern ailments

Modern businesses 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 much more common since the widespread introduction and use of personal computer keyboards.

The desk environment itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not great. 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 impairment. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the human body.

The quantity of workplace accidents including office furniture rises gradually when longer is spent by employees at work.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater 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 practices that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.

If there are specific 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 requires good organisational management. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation as 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 practical advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of special benefit to your organisation.

There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in more detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you uncover the correct management method for your company.

If setting your own managers the task 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. Utilising their services could be the most prudent method to address your business circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been continually 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 motivated by different factors, 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 important to make sure that your company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.

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