All Ages Need Focus to Bridge Technology Gap (Commentary)

“The old order changeth, yielding place to the new.”

So said Lord Alfred Tennyson in his poem, “Idylls of the King: The Passing Arthur.”

From a historical perspective we live in unusual times. Four generations – the “Silent,” “Baby Boomers,” along with both “Gen X” and “Gen Y” all exist in the same work-a-day world. To say the least, these generations have been informed by different experiences. In some cases people that grew up without plumbing work with people that grew up with video games.

The common denominator the generations have experienced is technology change. Each generation is currently being challenged to adapt to an ever-increasing pace of technology innovation.

Think about the trends that we see today.

Digital is becoming the new normal. The notion of “going paperless” has gone from a practical cost savings measure to what some view as necessary for an individual or company to have operational legitimacy and environmental credibility.

U.S. Mail gave way to faxes and overnight delivery, which then gave way to e-mail. E-mail is giving way to other forms of availability of digital information. Text messages are taking the place of e-mail and phone calls. Social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are used to publish information and develop branding. Companies use information portals rather than paper for delivery of management information. “Go to Meeting” sessions and YouTube videos are taking the place of face-to-face meetings and training sessions.

It no longer seems necessary for all workers to stay tied to their desk in the same office space in order to stay connected. Forget returning phone calls by the end of the day. Everyone is connected all the time just by carrying around smart phones. Full-time rapid response is the expectation, not the exception.

Unfortunately, these trends expose several differences between the generations.

From the perspective of the “Silent” and “Boomer” generations, The X and Y generations lack structure and work ethic. The notions of “paying your dues,” “working your way up in the organization” and loyalty to an organization seems lost on the young folks. The desire to make an important contribution and being rewarded today is seen as an unhealthy desire for “instant gratification.”

To the X and Y generations, the older generations seem overly caught up in hierarchy and structure versus task accomplishment. The X and Y’ers are more informal and collaborative. They thrive when task-focused, enjoy working on teams and are comfortable being specialists rather than generalists. When the organization cannot clearly define plans and roles, the X and Y’ers are apt to move on to an organization that can.

While all generations see technology as providing a tool set, views on the extent of the usefulness of the tools tends to be different.

Information technology once played a role in business similar to a punctuation point in writing. Business processes, or work, would take place and then the computer would be updated. Business processes based on paper forms, phone calls and faxes were the norm.

Today, business processes can be enabled by information technology. Paper can be eliminated. Quality can be enhanced. Pace quickened. Information can be available at your fingertips.

Generations X and Y expect that world. Many in the older generations have issues and concerns about adapting to that world.

To reconcile the generational differences, strong business alignment is key. Business decisions must be driven by clear goals, objectives and return on investment criteria, not individual preference or history. Organizational models must be flexible with roles, responsibilities, training and compensation structures clearly identified up-front. Focus must be placed on how to best structure and enable business processes with technology. All must realize that multiple communication mediums are required, both internally and externally, to successfully reach the various constituent groups.

By emphasizing solid management practices and business alignment, companies can turn generational differences into assets rather than arguments. 

Steve Hankins is CEO and co-founder of Accio.US, a technology company providing advisory and management services for small- to medium-sized businesses. He may be reached at [email protected].