Introduction

The extent of change that the planet has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which many of these changes have come about is no less striking.

One part of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. Modern businesses may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed business since it started, but many of the characteristics of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.

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

This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world nations, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since 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 often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.

There is also a demand for a more diverse range of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone radical changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These new 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. Computers are commonplace in each of our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the business puzzle. This computing ability can help businesses to run well, but they are only as capable as the individuals who work them.

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

Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of employee, physical 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 satisfied.

Whilst an office workspace should be smart they can additionally accommodate industrial shelving in particular circumstances for office storage needs.

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 often found in business are worthwhile taking note of.

Traditionals

Mature, or “traditional”, employees 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 a global conflict, lots 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 decisions will often be fundamental to the business and shape the future success or failure of the organisation. This difference between modern thinking and business control requires direction.

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 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 roles within a modern business.

This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.

When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grasp on modern advances 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 helpful) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other workers. These communication issues 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 spread amongst the various levels 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 progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two companies.

As such, 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 because they feel they have paid their dues through a life of study and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their effective 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 concepts and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive promotion to be second nature.

Office supplies are a necessity for a clean operating company therefore storage bins commonly accomplish a function to manage these assets.

The Working Environment

Technology

We are all familiar with the gap between the older generations and modern 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 modern business, issues involving technology can have very far reaching implications. 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’s not familiar with the systems being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the business. This presents the challenge of managing generations in the workplace.

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

Physical limitations

There are clear physical factors that may affect how a successful company manages its workers in regard to age. Older 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 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 organisation they work for, and these jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability.

Modern ailments

Modern companies are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more frequent since the widespread launch and use of computer keyboards.

The desk setting itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not great. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary workplace on the human body.

The number of workplace mishaps including office furniture increases gradually when more time is spent by employees at work.

Solutions

The management of generations in the workplace has received greater exposure over recent years and many more companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at developing 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 most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use members of that generation to perform the job. 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 staff. 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 many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios.

If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services could be the most recommended method to address your business situation.

Conclusion

Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing.

Each generation is also motivated by different factors, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across a multitude of generations but it is also important to make sure that your business does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The business must do what is best for its own success.

Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these needs simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so often the case, the path to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through informed and empathetic management.