The Generation Gap in the Workplace

Introduction

The degree of change that the planet 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 striking. These shifts have touched nearly every aspect of our existence beyond our fundamental physical needs and have had a profound effect on how we live our everyday lives.

One part of life which has not escaped these broad changes is the business world. 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 organisation trading in the contemporary world would seem foreign to businesses of the past.

An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their staff. This challenge has been about 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 humans, particularly in first world nations, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As 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 set of skills in the modern business climate, 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 fresh way of thinking.

Problems

One of the most common 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 our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle.

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

Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce content. In a warehouse setting it is crucial to make use of high quality industrial shelving from an assured manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.

We are lucky to have some of the most dependable providers of pallet racking items within the uk and Europe.

The Generations

The need to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are commonly 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 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 under the shadow of a global conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.

Since many of the senior generation will hold senior positions within a business their views and opinions will generally carry greater 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.

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 company.

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

When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will frequently 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 well 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 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 extremely demanding 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 progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two businesses. They are expected to work long and hard hours and often 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 may 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 management 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 ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.

There are several useful applications for storage bins in any current organisation atmosphere or workplace.

The Working Environment

Technology

We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and contemporary technological equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling 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 becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.

In regards to the modern business, problems involving technology can have very far reaching consequences. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations within the work environment.

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

Physical limitations

There are obvious physical factors 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 involve physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, however as a generalisation it is correct.

Luckily, most of the older generations of employee 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 ability. It is nevertheless important to make sure that adequate support is given to any worker who struggles with the physical aspect of their role.

Modern ailments

Modern businesses 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 personal computer keyboards.

The desk setting 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 investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern place of work on the human body.

Fashion and enterprise rarely combine although office furniture frequently generates casual 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 businesses have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.

If there are specific roles within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get 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 business can learn about managing several generations of staff. 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 occasions can be of great benefit to an organisation.

There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various situations.

If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem suitable there are many business consultants that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice.

Conclusion

Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been continually changing. There are not simply concerns when it comes to the terminology used for communication, but matters of manners and etiquette.

Each generation is also stimulated 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 crucial that you make sure that your company does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own success.

Modern businesses have a varied range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.

Healthy House