Business Management for Multiple Generations of Workers

Introduction

The extent of change that the world has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace 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 effect on how we live our everyday lives.

One part of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern businesses 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 contemporary arena would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.

An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of people who make up their staff. This problem has been around for a long time, but as the needs of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences among workers have become more pronounced.

This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently 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 sometimes as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting at the board.

There is also a demand for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a new way of thinking.

Problems

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

There are also generational issues 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. This can be said of sales as well as promotional options that have emerged with the rise of the Internet.

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 needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is crucial to utilise high quality industrial shelving by an assured maker to keep the workforce secure.

Many businesses find that they have a demand of racking products over many departments of their organisation.

The Generations

The need to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unnecessary task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worthwhile taking note of. The generations of worker that may be found in a modern business can be separated into the following four groups:

Traditionals

Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern corporate 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 beneath the shadow of a global 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 greater weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt the future success or failure of the organisation.

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 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern business.

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 very family- oriented.

When it comes to the work environment, 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 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 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 currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various tiers of management within a contemporary 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 progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.

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 learning 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 climate where being an extravert is seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.

Older generations of workers could think interior refurbishments needless plus bothersome towards the working environment of a business.

The Working Environment

Technology

We are all 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 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 business, issues involving technology can have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route for marketing. 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 corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the work environment.

A similar principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still perform many of the critical functions of the business. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological skills and knowledge.

Physical limitations

There are obvious physical aspects that may affect 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 consequently they will be less suited to roles that involve physical exertions.

Luckily, most of the older generations of worker 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 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 damage. Tests are on- going to investigate 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 obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of 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 may be.

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 carry out the job. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational control. 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 useful advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of great benefit to your organisation.

There are also many resources available on the web that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of different 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 incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services may be the most recommended way to address your own 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 motivated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be true 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. The company must do what is best for its own success.

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

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