Business Management for Multiple Generations of Workers

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Introduction

The extent 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 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 world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.

An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their workforce.

This is partly due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same company 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 demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the quick development and wide reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to 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. Computers are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle. This computing power can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as able as the people who work them.

There are also generational problems when it comes to external business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and critical business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their business.

Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of employee, psychological limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied. In a warehouse setting it is crucial to utilise premium industrial shelving by an assured supplier to keep the workforce safe.

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The Generations

The requirement to manage generations in the work environment 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

Mature, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern corporate 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 an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.

Since many of the senior generation will hold senior ranks within a company their views and beliefs will generally carry more weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and shape 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 are likely to form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.

This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational group 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 whilst 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 observed 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 problems can become very disruptive in a corporate setting.

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 perhaps two companies.

As such, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can struggle to grasp how their contribution affects 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 management to ensure their effective contribution to the organisation.

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 ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.

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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 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 managing 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 problems in many areas of the corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations in the work environment.

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 older systems that still perform many of the important functions of the business.

Physical limitations

There are obvious physical aspects that may influence 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 require physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, but as a generalisation it’s true.

Fortunately, 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 knowledge and experience rather than physical capability.

Modern ailments

Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more common since the widespread introduction and use of personal computer keyboards.

The desk environment itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not great. 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 modern place of work on the body.

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Solutions

The management of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and routines 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 particular jobs 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 several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of practical information that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to your organisation.

There are also a lot of resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of different ideas for tackling various scenarios.

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 incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services may be the most prudent method to address your corporate circumstances.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find that it is hard to work collectively. 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 terminology used for communication, but issues of manners as well as etiquette.

Each generation is also motivated by different things, and have come from different 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 business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.

Contemporary businesses 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 often the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic direction.