2. INTRODUCING THE GENERATIONS

INTRODUCING THE Generations

We can identify main five unique ages in our working environment as follow,

01.  Silent Generation – Born in 145 and before

Characteristics	Dependable, straightforward, tactful, loyal
Shaped by	The Great Depression, World War II, radio and movies
Motivated by	Respect, recognition, providing long-term value to the company
Communication style	Personal touch, handwritten notes instead of email
Worldview	Obedience over individualism; age equals seniority; advancing through the hierarchy
Employers should	Provide satisfying work and opportunities to contribute; emphasize stability

 

02.  Baby Boomers – Born 1946 to 1964

Characteristics	Optimistic, competitive, workaholic, team-oriented
Shaped by	The Vietnam War, civil rights movement, Watergate
Motivated by	Company loyalty, teamwork, duty
Communication style	Whatever is most efficient, including phone calls and face to face
Worldview	Achievement comes after paying one’s dues; sacrifice for success
Employers should	Provide them with specific goals and deadlines; put them in mentor roles; offer coaching-style feedback

 

03.  Generation X – Born 1965 to 1980

Characteristics	Flexible, informal, skeptical, independent
Shaped by	The AIDs epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dot-com boom
Motivated by	Diversity, work-life balance, their personal-professional interests rather than the company's interests
Communication style	Whatever is most efficient, including phone calls and face to face
Worldview	Favoring diversity; quick to move on if their employer fails to meet their needs; resistant to change at work if it affects their personal lives
Employers should	Give them immediate feedback; provide flexible work arrangements and work-life balance; extend opportunities for personal development

 

04.  Millennials – Born 1981 to 2000

Characteristics	Competitive, civic-minded, open-minded on diversity, achievement-oriented
Shaped by	Columbine, 9/11, the internet
Motivated by	Responsibility, the quality of their manager, unique work experiences
Communication style	IMs, texts, and email
Worldview	Seeking challenge, growth, and development; a fun work life and work-life balance; likely to leave an organization if they don't like change
Employers should	Get to know them personally; manage by results; be flexible on their schedule and work assignments; provide immediate feedback

 

05.  Generation Z – Born 2001 to 2020

Characteristics	Global, entrepreneurial, progressive, less focused
Shaped by	Life after 9/11, the Great Recession, access to technology from a young age
Motivated by	Diversity, personalization, individuality, creativity
Communication style	IMs, texts, social media
Worldview	Self-identifying as digital device addicts; valuing independence and individuality; preferring to work with millennial managers, innovative coworkers, and new technologies
Employers should	Offer opportunities to work on multiple projects at the same time; provide work-life balance; allow them to be self-directed and independent

 

 

 

Reference

1.Bea Bourne, “Phenomenological Study of Generational Response to Organizational Change” (doctoral dissertation, University of Phoenix, 2009).

2.“Labor Force Composition by Generation” infographic, Pew Research Center.

3. “Different Motivations for Different Generations of Workers: Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z,” Inc.

4.“Millennials projected to overtake Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation,” Pew Research Center.