For the first time in history, three very disparate generations are working together which is leading to unheard of challenges in the workplace. But who belongs to which generation? What makes each generation special? And is there really that much of a difference between them?
Before managers can begin tackling the thorny issue of how to get the generations to work together, or to create programs to encourage communication between them, they must first learn a bit about how each generation is defined and how they see themselves. Only after learning the basics of what makes them different can a manager begin to find ways to help them work together.
Baby Boomers
The 76 million members of the Baby Boomer generation are those born between 1947 and 1963. This was by far the largest generation ever born in America, and as a result they had a significant impact on society as they came of age. For Baby Boomers, events such as the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and the assassination of JFK led to soul searching on moral and ethical topics.
Baby Boomers drove a rapid societal change that brought entirely new ways of thinking to America. They were the first to believe they controlled their own lives, rather than assuming they would follow in the footsteps of their parents. Change such as civil rights and women’s causes became the rallying cry for this group. In addition, Baby Boomers are driven to succeed which can cause issues between them and their Gen X children.
Gen X
The members of Gen X, the children of the Baby Boomers, are those born between 1964 and 1984. Possibly as a result of Baby Boomers tendency to postpone marriage and family life for the corporate racetrack, this is a small generation with only 44 million members. While often accused of being the "slacker generation" by their Boomer parents, members of Gen X are, in reality, extremely entrepreneurial.
Gen X was raised in an environment that was much different from that of the Baby Boomers. While their society was much more diverse, due to the civil rights moments, it was also more violent. Drug wars and school shootings, unheard of prior to 1980, became lead stories on the nightly news, while absent parents and an unstable work world created uncertainty at home. As a result, this generation became self-sufficient, independent and skeptical.
Gen Y
The newest generation, Gen Y, is made up of those born between 1985 and 2005. Again, this group is growing up in an environment that is completely different than those who came before. Possibly as a result of their own upbringing Gen X became parents who were characterized as being overprotective, as they generally refused to let their children out of their sight. As a result, Gen Y is the most supervised generation in history.
Since birth, Gen Y has been rewarded for just showing up and has been raised with the mantra that “there is no score, everyone is a winner.” They are extremely team-oriented, social and altruistic. At this point the defining moment for Gen Y is based in rapid increases in technology. They have never lived without a cell phone or computer, and are entirely comfortable communicating solely via text message or email.
It is important to realize that the study of generations is not an exact science but rather an overview of societal changes. It is possible for a 20-year-old to identify with the Baby Boomers or for a Baby Boomer to feels he shares more of an affinity with Gen X. The idea of separating the generations is to understand the values and history that created the psyche of each.
Many are still stuck in the mind frame that generational issues are not real, and that people will simply “grow out of it.” However, the reality is that understanding even a small bit about where those of each generation come from, and what makes their way of thinking different, can go a long way towards easing communication and preventing small issues from becoming large challenges.
Kelly Sharp - Kelly Sharp holds a Master's degree in Education and a Bachelor's degree in Communication, and has been involved in training in a variety ...
Join the Conversation