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 impressive. These changes have touched nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our day to day lives.
One area of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same fundamental principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it started, but many of the traits of a successful organisation trading in the modern arena 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 workforce. This problem has been about for a long time, but as the requirements of companies change and the skills required have evolved, the differences between workers have become more pronounced.
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 often 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 modern business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive 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 typical challenges that face a modern business that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives nowadays and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle. This computing power can help businesses to run well, but they are only as able as the individuals who work them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business aspects 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 company. This can be said of sales as well as promotional channels that have emerged with the rise of the World Wide Web.
Outside of this, there can be problems with communication between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is critical to make use of professional industrial shelving from a reputable manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.
It is unfortunate to hear about office injuries however pallet racking mishaps inside factories are not a very common complaint.
The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worth 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?, employees are the oldest that would be found in a modern business 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 whilst this belief was nurtured beneath the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature 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 sculpt the future success or failure of the organisation. 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, when there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking 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 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 procedures. 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 providing feedback to other workers. These communication issues can become very disruptive in a corporate environment.
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 distributed amongst the various levels of management within a modern 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 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 companies.
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 learning and work. Generation X need close management to ensure their efficient contribution to the company.
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 environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical ideas and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive marketing to be second nature.
Older generations of employees could find interior refurbishments unnecessary plus bothersome towards the working environment of a business.
The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and modern technological equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being genuinely confused about what the Internet is, the void between the old and the new becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the newer business, issues involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for marketing. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find problems in many areas of the corporation.
A similar principle may also be applied in the opposite direction. The younger generations might be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the older systems that still carry out many of the important functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical aspects that may affect 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 as such 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 is true.
Luckily, 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 knowledge and experience rather than physical capability.
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 common since the widespread introduction and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk environment itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not good. 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 contemporary place of work on the body.
Fashion and enterprise seldom combine although office furniture often creates casual fights between businesses to determine who is most fashionable.
Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good 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 workforce, no matter how old they may be.
If there are particular jobs within your business that are best suited to 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 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 staff. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of useful information 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 problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every business has individual 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 workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice. Utilising their services may be the most prudent method to address your own business situation.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing. There are not simply issues when it comes to the language used for communication, but matters 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 true that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
Contemporary organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements 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 motivating accordingly ? through informed and empathetic direction.
Source: http://www.walkingcalories.org/?p=465
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