Introduction

The extent of change that the planet has experienced 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 striking. These changes have affected nearly every aspect of our existence beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our day to day lives.

One area of life which has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern companies may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed business since it began, but many of the traits of a successful organisation trading in the contemporary arena would seem alien to businesses of the past.

An interesting problem 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 companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences among workers have become more pronounced.

This is partly 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 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 demand for a more diverse set of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a new way of thinking. These modern ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working age group.

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. Computer systems 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 outward business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers need to 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.

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 satisfy a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content.

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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 worth taking note of.

Traditionals

Senior, or “traditional”, employees 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 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 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 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, when there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably 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 group of people that are highly 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 processes. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working effectively 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 providing feedback to other employees. These communication problems can become very disruptive in a business environment.

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 levels of management within a contemporary business.

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 perhaps two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have professions.

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 learning and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective contribution to the company.

Generation NeXt

This generation were born since 1980 and are the youngest group 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 concepts 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 technical equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling 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 modern organisation, problems 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 channel for marketing. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the technologies being used by a company is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business. This presents the challenge of managing generations within the workplace.

A similar principle can also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the organisation.

Physical limitations

There are clear physical factors 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 employee will have advanced to senior levels of management within the organisation 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 face. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.

The desk environment itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long periods 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.

A modern office environment can have desk chairs and sundries littered precariously around the walkways between working spaces.

Solutions

The control of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many additional businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good 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 are.

If there are specific roles within your business that are most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use 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 ages.

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 special benefit to your organisation.

There are also a lot of resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every business has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management method for your organisation.

If setting your own managers the job 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. Using their services may be the most recommended way to address your business circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of employee 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 issues when it comes to the language used for communication, but issues 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 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 business must do what is best for its own good results.

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 route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.

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