Managing Generations in the Workforce
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 a lot of these changes have come about is no less impressive.
One part of life that 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 started, but many of the characteristics of a successful company trading in the modern world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting issue that modern companies face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their workforce. This challenge has been around for a long time, but as the requirements of companies change and the skills necessary have evolved, the differences between workers have become more obvious.
This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world nations, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since people work to a later point in their lives, they may remain with the same company into their late 60′s or early 70′s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than merely sitting at the board.
There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a new way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most typical challenges that face a modern enterprise that is operating 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 corporate puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales and promotional channels that have come forth with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse setting it is critical to make use of high quality industrial shelving from a quality supplier to keep the workforce safe.
When considering buying units for industrial shelving choices regarding robustness and flexibility will drive your choice.
The Generations
The need 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 industry and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make individual sacrifices for the greater good, and whilst this belief was nurtured under the shadow of an international conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior ranks within a company their views and beliefs 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 business.
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 are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary company.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational group of people that are very family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grasp on modern developments in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well in teams, although it is often observed that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving 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 presently aged between 30 and 45 and will be distributed amongst the various tiers 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 made clear to Generation X from a very early age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses.
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 learning and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their efficient contribution to the organisation.
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 climate where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
A modern business needs to consider things beyond a company capacity, like interior refurbishments to maintain modern premises that reflect their corporate image.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older 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 modern business, problems involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from managing payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for marketing. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many areas of the corporation.
The same principle can 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 carry out many of the critical functions of the organisation.
Physical limitations
There are obvious 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 involve physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in many companies, however as a generalisation it is true.
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 understanding and experience rather than physical ability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that proper support is given to any employee who battles with the physical aspect of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.
The desk environment itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular 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 damage. Studies are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the human body.
Fashion and enterprise seldom combine though office furniture frequently creates informal battles between businesses to determine who is most fashionable.
Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they are.
If there are specific jobs 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 when your workforce ages.
There are a number of ways in which your business 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 helpful 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 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 job of learning about generations within the office does not seem suitable there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult 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 things, 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 different age groups working for it.
Contemporary businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so often the case, the route to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.