Managing Employees from Different Generations - Essay Example

Managing Generation Diversity in the Workplace In the modern world, managers are faced with challenges posed by the nature of employees’ generation diversity. The workers are from mixed cohort with each category having demands which are from those of the other generations (Mathis & John 436). There is a need for managers to assess and classify workers according to generation in which they belong and devise means to handle each class of workers in the most efficient approach in order to maximize the organizations output and maintain the best workforce in the organization. The managers in any organization have members belonging to different age group. There are three noticeable generations in the modern society based on the year of birth (David, Kralj & Kandampully 4). These are "boomers, generation X and generation Y" also known as Millennials. Managers should be able to identify the needs of each generation of workers and satisfy their needs efficiently in order to increase employee retention. Baby boomers refer to those workers born between 1946 and 1965. This generation of employees is mainly focused on their job, and their main interest is to protection their jobs. They prefer to stick to the organization’s policies, and they follow the organizations procedures to achieve the organizational goals (Virginia 18). They are conservative hence they prefer in-person meeting and use of emails for communication. On the other hand, Generation X is the category of workers born 1965 and 1981. This generation fancies the equilibrium between the work-life and freedom. This generation is highly innovative, learned, resilient industrious and prefers using the latest techniques in communication (DelCampo, et.al 11). Finally, there are generation Y or Millennials which describes the workforce born between 1982 and 2001. This generation likes to have a balance between work and time off, and personal liberty. They look for autonomy and require to be considered equally with others irrespective of their experience in the organization. Unlike the other generations, generation Y has no panic for the senior, and they prefer working in challenging background (David, Kralj & Kandampully 7). They use the latest communication tools and prefer instant messaging and social media. Millennial Generation is the most experienced of all workers because they have acquired experience the other generations (Mathis & John 448). However, they have a dislike for the status quo and are yearning to achieve changes at all cost. This implies that managers should be prepared to handle this generation because it aims at changing the existing structures and protocols of the organizations in order to achieve change. The managers should create an environment that can accommodate the likes of the generation Y and ensure they appreciate and reward them for their efforts. Because generation Y like being respected and hates unfairness, managers should ensure they listen to their views and give them an opportunity to make proposals on what the processes they want the organization to implement (DelCampo, et.al 18). Managers can be able to attract and maintain millennials if they can be able to show respect for that generation by incorporating their views and creating an enabling environment for that generation. Generation Y is the most productive and the most complicated group to deal with. This generation was brought up in a multicultural environment full of technological innovations and global connections hence their main focus is mainly the social connectivity in the workplace and with the international community (David, Kralj & Kandampully 14). Their preferences and conducts may pose a great challenge to the managers both in hiring and retaining them in the organization. However the managers have to adopt particular techniques which they can apply in order to maintain and retain this generation y in the organization. The manager should be aware of what this generation require and ensure they provide the exact requirement in order to attract and maintain this generation (Johnson & Larry 44). However, since the needs of each generation are unique managers should be careful in order to avoid causing conflicts of interest among the workers from across generations. Generation Y is more concerned about their career progress in the organization, they prefer flexible working time, telecommunicating and a flexible atmosphere. The managers can ensure effective management of millennials by assisting them to understand the perimeter beyond which discussions cannot be permitted (Mathis & John 456). This will enable these workers to feel at ease and be prepared psychologically and emotionally to prepare for the outcome bargains with their employers. Furthermore, setting the boundaries within which negotiations can be allowed is of the essence because it will save the time that would have been spent in discussing unproductive issues (DelCampo, et.al 32). The management will be able to assist this group of workers in understanding the merits and demerits of different preferences they have about their career. For example, through discussions the managers can help generation Y to assess the importance of telecommuting before making a request be allowed to work from home. The managers may consider introducing mentorship program in order to enable different generations to interact and learn to appreciate each other (Virginia 23). This will help generation Y to appreciate the working environment and reduce preference for a flexible environment. One of preferences for generation Y is the flexibility of work. Mainly they prefer performing their official duties from the comforts of their homes. In the modern society, telecommuting is gaining momentum due to internet connectivity which allows employees to receive and send tasks from their homes (David, Kralj & Kandampully 19). This has emerged to be a significant approach for saving costs especially travel costs and office spaces. For example, secretaries can receive and make calls from their homes while accountants can perform most of tasks from anywhere and not necessarily in their offices. Although young generation prefer this method in order to lower the number of days they are required to be in the office, managers can discuss with them on the negative impact telecommuting will have on their career development in order to change their minds and be able to retain them at work. For example, telecommuting will hamper the career growth of a newly employed worker because by working from home one will lack networking hence limiting the potential for career advancement (Mathis & John 464). However, since most of the workers from generation Y are worried about their career progress in the organization, once the manager informs them of the eminent risks of working from home most of them may change their minds against telecommuting and prefer working from the office. In order to attract and maintain generation Y employees in a hospitality industry, treat them equally with employees from other generations. For example, the generation Y employees deserve respect, recognition, advancement, positive interactions with their supervisors and sense of identity with the organization (Virginia 27). In a hospitality industry, experience of workers does not bring many variations in terms of output. Therefore, treating the workers equally irrespective of experience will help attract and retain the employees in generation Y without affecting the performance of the organization. Generation Y employees have great preference for the latest technology. They prefer efficiency and modernity. Also, this industry receives visitors from different backgrounds and most of them require efficient services (Johnson & Larry 62). Managers in the hospitality industry should ensure their organizations have the latest technology especially in communication. This is because hospitality industry involves human interactions between the workers and clients. The use of modern technology in the hospitality industry will improve performance and human interactions hence this will attract and retain the millennial generation in this industry (DelCampo, et.al 59). For example, the managers should ensure internet connection and modern entertainment facilities are installed in the organization for efficient and effective performance. Most of the hospitality industries are unable to attract young generation because of poor pay, lack of career progress, working in odd hours and hard work among other things. The people regard such industries as preserves for the older generations (Mathis & John 473). Therefore, if the managers in the hospitality industry want to attract and maintain employees from generation Y they should change the working environment and start providing better pay, career advancement, and structure working periods to favor the young generation (Johnson & Larry 68). Also, the industry high rate of labor mobility hence young people keep moving from one place to another in search for better pay and work atmosphere. However, if the industry is improved by changing the working conditions and offering better pay the young people will not move to other industries, but they will continue to provide their services in the hospitality industry (Virginia 34). Furthermore, this will help to improve the performance of the industry because most visitors prefer young generation because of their creativity and sociability. In conclusion, the managers can be able to manage multigenerational workforce if they can be to assess individual needs and provide individuals with their requirements. One of the approaches to maintain different generations together is by creating an environment that promotes interactions. However, among generations Y, X and boomers, Generation Y is the toughest to attract and maintain yet it is the most productive and creative. In the hospitality industry, managers should modify the industry in favor of generation Y I order to increase productivity and efficiency of service delivery. Works Cited David, Solnet; Kralj, Anna; & Kandampully, Jay. The Generation Y Employees: An Examination of Work Attitude Differences 2012: Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 17(3): 1-27. DelCampo, Robert, G; Meredith, Jane, H.; Haggerty, Lauren, A.; Lauren, Ashley, K. Managing the Multi-Generational Workforce: From the GI Generation to the Millennials. Gower Publishing, Ltd., (2012): 5-76 Johnson, Meagan & Larry, Johnson. The Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters-- Managing the Friction between Generations at Work. AMACOM, (2010): 1-90 Mathis, Robert, L. & John, Jackson. Human Resource Management. Cengage Learning, (2010): 429-481 Virginia, Byrd, Work Life Values of Four Generations: The Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, Vol. 24(3), (2008): 16-39. Read More