The Generation Gap in Modern Business
Introduction
The degree of change that the world has experienced 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. These changes have touched 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 part of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business world. Modern companies 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 modern 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 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 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 need for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business climate, triggered largely due to the quick 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. These modern ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most typical problems that face a modern business that is operating with a number of distinct generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are being created all of the time and key business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their business.
Beyond this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse setting it is critical to utilise high quality industrial shelving by a quality manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.
Whilst aesthetics are always one desired characteristic, pallet racking which is durable and dependable should be the first choice for businesses.
The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the work environment 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 split into the following four groups:
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 business their views and opinions 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 business. This disparity between modern thinking and business influence 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 world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably form the vast majority of management jobs within a contemporary company.
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. They would be the parents of the classic “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grasp on modern advances in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well 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 giving feedback to other employees. 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 currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various tiers of management within a contemporary business.
Socially they grew up in very stressful 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 before 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 achieving short- term objectives but can 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 study 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 collection of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion to be second nature.
As a younger worker at another company I saw interior refurbishment first-hand and discovered this interesting and distracting at the same time.
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 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 organisation, issues involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route for promotion. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the technologies being used by a company is likely to find problems in many parts of the corporation.
The same principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still perform many of the important functions of the organisation.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical aspects 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 require physical exertions.
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 understanding and experience rather than physical ability.
Modern ailments
Modern companies are faced with physical problems that businesses of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more common since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting 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 intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the body.
A modern office environment may have some desk chairs plus sundries littered precariously around the walkways between working spaces.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many additional companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned many new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working relationship between the business and its workforce, no matter how old they are.
If there are specific roles 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 control.
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 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 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 find the correct management method for your organisation.
If setting your own managers the task 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. Employing their services could be the most prudent way to address your own corporate situation.
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 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 different social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you 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 success.
Modern businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through informed and empathetic direction.