Managing Different 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 pace at which a lot of these changes have come about is no less impressive.
One area of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it started, but many of the traits of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena would seem alien to businesses of the past.
An interesting issue that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their staff. This challenge has been around for a long time, but as the needs of organisations change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences among workers have become more obvious.
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. Since people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same organisation into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and often as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting on the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse set of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most common challenges that face a modern enterprise that is operating 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 pivotal piece of the business puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and important business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business. This can be said of sales as well as promotional options that have come forth with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of different needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy.
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The Generations
The requirement 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 worthwhile taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in today’s business can be separated into the following four groups:
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 individual sacrifices for the greater good, and while this belief was nurtured under the shadow of an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior positions within a company their views and opinions 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 organisation. This disparity between modern thinking and business control requires management.
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 are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern company.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous 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 advances 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 comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at giving 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 presently 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 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 worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two companies. They are expected to work long and hard hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
As such, 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 monetary benefits rather than a sense of duty since they feel they have paid their dues through a life of learning and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective contribution to the company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born after 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 relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly 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 is made very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the newer business, issues involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route for marketing. 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 corporation.
The same principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still perform many of the important functions of the organisation. Internal business practices are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological abilities and knowledge.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical factors that may affect 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 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.
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 knowledge and experience rather than physical ability. It is however important to make sure that proper support is given to any worker who struggles with the physical side of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread launch and use of 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 intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the human body.
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Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned several 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 are.
If there are particular jobs within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use 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 company can learn about managing different 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 many resources available on the web that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various situations. Every business has individual 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 workplace does not seem suitable there are many business gurus that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult 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 language used for communication, but issues of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also motivated by different factors, 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 the 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 discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through informed and empathetic management.
