Generation Hex:
 |
Can the young and restless Gen X and Ys find common ground with the Boomers? |
|---|
What happens when generations collide? That’s a question many of us face not only at home but in the workplace. If you think that your organization has effectively adjusted to accommodate this generation gap, think again—you’re likely in for years of headaches trying to orient the Boomer mentality with incoming staffers, managers, and yes, top management.
There are four generational groups, and each is distinct and has been shaped by events its members have grown up with.
The Traditionalists (64 years old-plus, born before 1946). Brought up during the Great Depression and World War II, they have lived through the development of America’s highway system and witnessed space travel. They are the most patriotic and highly-loyal generation of all. They’re fiscally conservative; have seen hard times and know first-hand the difficulty of living paycheck to paycheck, or even in poverty. Traditionalists feel the least connected to Generations X and Y. They also feel dismissed and unappreciated. Known as the Greatest Generation, these fine Americans should be appreciated and knowledge transfer should be explored so to preserve their virtues.
Baby Boomers Rule. For now anyway. Boomers were born from 1946 to 1964 and today are 45 to 63 years old. The Boomers lived through the Vietnam war, Rock and Roll and Woodstock. They witnessed the assassination of JFK and the Watergate scandal. This generation for the most part protests war and they know internal politics better than anyone. They are the most idealistic and opportunistic people and have amassed far more wealth than the other generations combined. Boomers have created the “cash cows” in business. Ironically they aren’t quick to rush off into retirement—they still want to make an impact. Many industry experts suggest that companies should not only hang on to their Boomers but exploit them for as much knowledge as possible and for as long as they’re willing to produce.
Generation Xers were born between 1965 and 1981. They’ve grown up with the internet, the coffee fad and have consumed on average 23,000 hours of (M)TV in addition to thousands of hours of video games. This is the drive-through generation where immediate expectations are the norm. 96% of GenXers are confident they can find a job yet they sport an astoundingly repetitive pattern of job-hopping. The number one reason for leaving a job is due to the lack of feedback and direction. This is a generation that embraces a more casual work ethic and is generally unsure as to when they need to be at work. What will pacify the average GenXer in the workplace will be clear and concise expectations and goals. GenXers generally are less loyal and tend to question and challenge authority and leadership. This is a generation of mavericks and ironically, though GenXers are independent, they too are the most entrepreneurial. It’s little surprise that Generation X and the Boomers collide—they generally don’t understand each other. This disconnect will not bode well for knowledge- and management-transfer and I’d bet most of Ingram’s “Boomer” readers may relate with this assessment.
Generation Y—the Millennials. Born since 1982, this is the first generation to buck the system of the “gen-something” label and have become known as the Millennials. Moreso than GenXers, this is the “immediacy generation,” people who have grown up using technology. They’ve experienced incidents that have shaped their lives such in Columbine and Sept. 11. As a result they generally feel the world is a scary place—safety and security remains their number one concern. They too are entering the workforce and not easily finding employment—like GenXers—they may live in the security of their parent’s home for the foreseeable future. Millennials tend not to count or keep score. An example is in the movie Meet the Fockers where Gaylord’s parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand) create a shrine in Gaylord’s bedroom where a 9th-place award typifies an environment of nurturing. What may be most unique about the Millennials is that they work in teams… or if you will, run in packs. They’ve grown up with Google and Yahoo and are the generation to support the social networks of Twitter, Facebook, etc. It’s anticipated, however, that the Millennials will rock the workplace. Given how they not only embrace but live the tech lifestyle, the true innovators of the next 50 years will most likely be among the GenYs.
Generational Disconnect. The biggest concern I see among these generations is the disparity between the size of their populations. Traditionalists presently accounts for 75 million people. Many of the 80 million Baby Boomers will remain active in business and leadership roles. Generation Xers represent only 46 million people—a little more than half the size of the Boomer population. The population of the Generation Y fortunately rebounds back to 76 million (and growing). While there will always be exceptions, the reality of the disconnect between the elders to the GenX and Yers can be vast. Success among today’s businesses may come down to two factors. How well organizations can adapt to accommodate X and Y and how effective their succession plan is to maintain the integrity of the products and services they now deliver. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.
Joe Sweeney
Editor-In-Chief & Publisher
Sweeney@IngramsOnLine.com