With the rise in awareness regarding the significance of cultural diversity, a range of modern organizations seems to have embraced the idea of creating multi-generational workplaces. Although the alterations in the workplace dynamics that the described change entails are admittedly positive, the conflicts between members of various institutions belonging to different generations will be inevitable (Collins & Halverson, 2018). In order to address the issue of the generation gap in the workplace of any institution, one needs to explore the subject matter as a product of sociocultural misconceptions and study it through the lens of history and humanities.
To analyze the problem in question, one will need a profound analysis based on different perspectives. The principle of the four lenses as the foundation for a profound evaluation of the problem of the generation gap suggests considering the issue through the lens of social sciences first. Studying the factors that contribute to the problem of confrontations in multi-generational environments, one should mention historical, specifically, sociocultural and socioeconomic ones as the key issues that pressure groups of people operating in different institutions into workplace confrontations. Viewing the issue from the perspective of the Conflict Theory, one will need to view the representatives of different generations as members of different classes, each being driven by a unique set of philosophies and values (Kendall, 2016). The described approach allows viewing the nature of the confrontations occurring between members of institutions belonging to different generations as a result of the differences in the social classes to which they belong.
Another viewpoint that the application of the lens analysis invites implies scrutinizing the issue of the generation gap in the workplace from the lens of the humanities. For this purpose, the reconsideration of the sociocultural factors that define the generation gap and the resulting confrontations in the workplace setting will need to be reviewed. Applying the sociocultural standpoint, one will envision the problem of the generation gap as the direct outcome of the differences in the target group’s cultural perception of the world (Stafford, 2018). Based on the proposed viewpoint, one may concede that the generation gap occurs as a result of differences in values and goals of stakeholders within various institutions (Stafford, 2018). Being unable to come to a conclusion when initiating a decision-making process, the groups in question inevitably ignite a confrontation that leads to further misunderstandings and the aggravation of relationships in the workplace.
The historical perspective also invites one to consider the economical aspects of conflicts occurring in a particular workplace between the representatives of different generations. Since people of different ages have been affected by various historical factors that defined the economic development of the state, understanding their concerns and their perception of specific economic issues affecting their decision-making is critical. In addition, the historical framework invites one to consider the role that technology has played in shaping the values and behaviors of each generation.
The introduction of cross-cultural communication and the focus on the corporate philosophy as the set of principles that unify the target groups should be deemed as legitimate solutions to the problem when approaching it from the perspective of humanities. The suggested standpoint involves the application of the Culture Conflict Theory, which posits that changes in different groups’ understanding of socially acceptable actions and behaviors determine the outcome of creating a generation gap in the workplace environment (Williams & McShane, 2015). Assuming that the target groups will immediately resolve their issues and reconcile their differences would be naïve, yet the introduction of a multicultural perspective and the promotion of a dialogue between the staff members are expected to have a positive impact on the situation.
The issue of technology should be brought up once again when discussing the phenomenon of the generation gap through the lens of the humanities. With the advent of IT and ICT, the role of communication as one of the crucial elements of the humanities has risen exponentially, thus determining the differences between generations and the nature of the confrontations between them. Herein lies the significance of applying the Critical Theory to the assessment of the nature and factors behind the generation gap and the conflicts that it entails in different institutions. Allowing integrating the two perspectives mentioned above, the Critical Theory helps to view the phenomenon of the generation gap and the ensuing conflicts between corresponding groups in the context of various institutions from the standpoint of both history and humanities (Collins & Halverson, 2018). The described theoretical framework implies that people belonging to different generations have different ideas of what constitutes sociocultural normativity.
Thus, when considering the impact of the generation gap on institutions functioning in the business, educational, and other types of areas from the standpoint of the humanities, one will have to concede that the identified issue has led to a drop in the speed of decision-making within a range of institutions. The observed problem has had particularly devastating effects on business due to the drop in employees’ performance rates caused by misunderstandings and confrontations. In addition, when exploring the implications of the generation gap as it is applied to workplace settings in various institutions, one should keep in mind that the problem has caused a reduction in the levels of motivation among employees, as well as a drop in companies’ performance.
Furthermore, the problem of understanding and data management, in general, also rises with the increase in the generation gap. Created by the differences in perception of specific information, misinterpretation of facts and errors in transferring data are likely to cause multiple issues in the workplace, slackening down the process of production and the provision of services and affecting a company negatively, overall. Errors in information management will entail a series of failures in the corporate setting, involving not only its organizational issues but also the processes such as quality management, public relationships, and other areas of a company’s performance. For instance, the mismanagement of essential data is likely to cause delays in the processes performed across the supply chain, leading to reduced product quality and customers dissatisfaction. The resulting changes in the dexterity of decision-making and efficacy of the located solutions cause a vastly negative impact on organizations.
Therefore, applying different strategies aimed at reconciling the participants and ensuring that the representatives of different age groups can understand each other’s perception of reality properly has to be recognized as a necessity. Without the ability to integrate the perspective of the other generation into the analysis of the available options, a company will fail to create a workplace in which staff members will be inclined to cooperate. Thus, the process of managing information and increasing the quality of a firm’s performance will be severely impaired. For this reason, a detailed analysis of the generation gap as a sociocultural phenomenon needs to be scrutinized from the tenets of humanities and social sciences as a complex and intricate process.
References
Collins, A., & Halverson, R. (2018). Rethinking education in the age of technology: The digital revolution and schooling in America (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Kendall, D. (2016). Sociology in our times. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Stafford, P. B. (2018). The global age-friendly community movement: A critical appraisal. New York, NY: Berghahn Books.
Williams, F. P., & McShane, M. D. (2015). Criminology theory: Selected classic readings. New York, NY: Routledge.