We are young professionals and we're the newest generation to enter the workforce. Generally, we prefer quick email communication, text messages, messenger services, multi-tasking, flexibility in our schedules, and we feel entitled to share our opinions and be heard. We've seen how divorce affected our parents' generation and now we put extra effort into finding work/family balance.
So, how can we learn to work more effectively with the generations we work with? We need to learn more about them:
Veterans:
Born between 1922-1943 (now ages 66-87)
They are called Traditionalists, The Silents, Loyalists, The War Generation
Their values include: dedication, sacrifice, hard work, law & order, and respect for authority
Their heroes were people like: James Dean, Jimmy Carter and Babe Ruth
Values they bring to work: stable, detail-oriented, loyal and hardworking
Challenges they might bring to work: Uneasy with change, don’t like conflict
Communication preference: face-to-face
The number of people age 65+ is expected to increase by 75% by 2025.
Baby Boomers:
Born between 1943-1960 (now ages 49-66)
They are called The Hippies and Yuppies (Harley Davidson motorcycle sales doubled in the early 90’s—and the majority of buyers were Boomers.)
They expect respect. They’ve put in their time and want to hear and see recognition of their performance—especially public recognition
Their Heroes were people like: Elvis, Oprah, JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Their behavior at work: Service-oriented, driven, willing to “go the extra mile” and good team players
Challenges they might bring to work: Overly sensitive to feedback, and may be judgemental of those who see things differently
Gen Xers:
Born between 1960-1980 (now ages 29-49)
Called: Slackers, Gold Collar Workers, and are products of divorced homes
Their Heroes were people like: Ronald Reagan, Princess Diana, and Elton John
Values they bring to the office: Diversity, thinking globally, fun and informality
Challenges they might bring to an office: Impatient, poor people skills, cynical
Finally, the Millenials or Gen Yers:
Born between 1980-2000 (now ages 9-29)
They are called the Entitlement Generation
They are MULTI-TASKERS—they believe they are the heroes for our nations ills.
Their Heroes were people like: Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and the guys who created companies like Amazon, Google and eBay. Because they too, are Gen Yers.
Values they bring to an office: Optimistic, civic duty, confident, sociable, technologically savvy, and have street smarts
Challenges they might bring to an office: Need for structure and supervision, inexperienced, want immediate results
Do any of these generations sound familiar in your company? Hopefully, learning more about each generation will help bridge the generation gap.
For example, dealing with generational differences has become more of an issue now that “The Milennials” have entered the work force:
- They are described as feeling entitled—like they earned it.
- They are young, bright, eager and tech-savvy
- They demand frequent validation (like they got when they were kids—when there was no winners or losers--and all the kids on the team got a trophy just for participating)
- They demand quick rewards.
- They demand permission to shape the rules to fit their lives.
- They have a vision and want their voices to be heard--they often EXPECT that their voices be heard.
- They have the philosophy that “Life is first—work second”
- They get bored fast—they are a consumers of multi-media and multi-tasking
The Veterans had life experiences like the Great Depression and World War II, the Boomers demand respect from younger workers, and the Gen Xers want structure and direction. It’s no wonder there is a generational gap among everyone in the office.
Although there are major differences among generations, what should young professionals keep in mind?
1. All generations have similar values
2. Everyone wants to be respected
3. Trust is important
4. People want leaders who are credible and trustworthy
5. Above all, everyone wants to learn
Young professionals today are not that different from past generations. They are generally idealistic and optimistic. They look for meaning in their lives. They look for meaning in their jobs. They too, want to work to take advantage of the generational gap.
by Renee Halgerson
Saturday, October 17, 2009 
