Meaning of work through different generations

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The conditions in which each group of people grows and is educated, condition the way they face work and how they relate in the world of work

Undoubtedly, the work and the surrounding ideas has changed over the years due to the way in which workers grew, were educated and adapted into their environment. A person’s perspective and vision of a situation or experience, in this case, work, can be influenced by social and historical circumstances. For example, loyalty, employment, and authority don’t mean the same things they did 50 years ago.

That is why it is vital that companies understand the differences of these generations in order to adapt and meet job expectations and understand how people have changed their way of thinking about work. According to Rajiv Talreja, expert business advisor, there are three great revolutions that have marked the path of working generations

1. Industrial Revolution

In this time we find people who see work as a way of survival, because they need money to bring food home and sustenance for the future.

Here the role of loyalty plays a fundamental factor, because jobs were scarce, and it was vital to have an economic income to survive. An ostentatious life was not expected, people simply wanted to have enough to get ahead.

 That is why our grandparents lasted so many years in companies, regardless of the mistreatment or bad conditions, since the authority was absolute if it came from the bosses, and there was no option to debate or give opinions.

2. Information Revolution

In this generation we find all the children of those people who gave their lives for work to stay in a company. In this revolution, it appears the mentality in people that they should not work to survive, but to improve their living standards: a better education, house, car, travel, etc.

 Here we see that loyalty to a company falters whenever a stronger economic opportunity presents itself elsewhere. This generation no longer worked to live with enough, but to have more and better things and also to fulfill a higher model of life.

3. Social Revolution

In this last revolution we find today’s young people, who already saw their grandparents tied to a company and their parents looking for better options for a life with high standards.

Although this is not the common denominator, young people look for jobs in which they can live in peace, with health, that adapt to their beliefs and needs and always put quality of life above money and material things.

Now it is common to see that young people leave a position if they experience a mistreatment, bad work environment and lack of empathy, because it becomes a priority to feel good before the economic obligations that their parents and grandparents already supplied throughout their lives. Loyalty and authority take on another meaning, because they will give it to people or companies that give them what they ask for: quality in their work, roles, opportunity, ways of learning, rewards, good work environment, etc.

These are some of the characteristics that involve three different generations, and although it is not dominant in all cases, without a doubt when companies do not have mechanisms to meet the needs of their employers, there will be high turnover of workers. Now the concept of retaining talent has been modified, because it is not about maintaining something that has a mentality of freedom, it’s about understanding and caring for the people and build a community.

Consequently, TCA Staffing offers spaces where our collaborators are our number one priority; we offer them benefits in order to allow them to maintain a balance between their work and personal lives, because we recognize that work is not everything, and we must create space for the things that matter to each individual.

If you are looking to implement this type of strategy in your company, in which your team feels comfortable, with excellent benefits and quality of life, at TCA Staffing we can help you! 

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