Generational Differences in the Workplace

1
Generational Differences in the Workplace

• Jason Neal
• UTA Science and Engineering Library
• 24 May 2006

2
Works by Howe and Strauss

• Wrote influential books about different
  generations
• Generations The History of America's Future,
  1584 to 2069 (1992)
• The Fourth Turning An American Prophecy (1997)
• Millennials Rising The Next Great Generation
  (2000)
• Divide generations and historical periods into
  cycles
• Four archetypes Hero, Artist, Prophet, Nomad
• Four turnings High, Awakening, Unraveling,
  Crisis
• Undercurrent in materials about different
  generations at work

3
Birth Years of Generations

• Silents (1925-42)
• Baby Boomers (1943-60)
• Actual Baby Boom ranged from 1946-64
• Inclusion of 1943-45 refers to attitudes
• Generation X (1961-81)
• Actual Baby Boom continued through 1964
• Inclusion of 1961-64 refers to attitudes
• Millennials (1982-2000)

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Silent Generation (1925-42)Historical Context

• Childhood during Great Depression and World War
  II
• Importance of fiscal conservatism
• Formative years between World War II and
  Vietnam War
• Beginning of Cold War
• Some served in Korea, the forgotten war
  (1950-53)
• Conformity considered a key to success
• Safeguard the ideals of the previous generation
• Loyalty to work and family
• Visible patriotism

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Silent Generation (1925-42)Characteristics

• Maintaining social order important
• Loyalty to institutions, including place of
  employment
• Believe in top-down leadership and chains of
  command
• Hard work
• May continue working beyond retirement age
• Fears that savings may not be enough to support
  retirement
• No news is good news

6
Silent Generation (1925-42)Working with Them

• Understand their respect for chain of command
• Honor their years of experience
• Offer job security
• Encourage comfort with technology
• Speak about evolution, not revolution

7
Baby Boomers (1943-60)Historical Context

• Baby boom actually occurred between 1946-64
• Childhood during 1950s and 1960s
• Less austere than predecessors
• Formative years during turbulent times (1960s
  and 1970s)
• Challenging the status quo important
• Assassinations, push for personal and social
  freedoms, Vietnam War (1954-75), Watergate
  Scandal (1972-74)
• Looked up to rebels from the Silent Generation
  (politicians, activists, musicians, writers,
  actors)

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Baby Boomers (1943-60)Characteristics

• Idealism and optimism
• Turbulent times caused by this feeling?
• Self-centered
• Feeling of being special (due to indulgence by
  parents)
• Survival mechanism competition with other
  Boomers for jobs
• Strong career orientation
• Long hours at work strategy to get an edge
• Mastery of office politics and diplomacy
• Subsequent generations perceive them as stressed
• Balance dedication to career with family
  obligations
• Sandwich Generation (care for children and
  aging parents)

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Baby Boomers (1943-60)Working with Them

• Acknowledge their desire to make a difference
• Support career development and flexible schedules
• Dedication to career
• Family obligations
• Be aware of potential for burnout from stress
• May hide stress due to idealism and/or
  competitive drive
• Encourage life/work balance
• Encourage to delegate tasks, to leave early if
  needed, and to say no

10
Generation X (1961-81)Historical Context

• Baby Boom actually ended around 1965
• Childhood and formative years during 1970s
  through 1990s
• No major events, except for the End of
  History (1989-91)
• Less unilateral small wars Persian Gulf,
  Somalia, Balkans
• Defined by popular culture, not events (?)
• Peak of Alternative music
• Rude television and movies
• Fondness for TV shows, movies, music from youth
  (nostalgia and irony)
• Societal factors affecting Xers during youth
• More latchkey children due to more dual-income
  homes
• Higher costs of living, with diminishing incomes
• Higher divorce rates among parents
• Popularity of downsizing put parents (and early
  Xers) out of work
• Greater ubiquity of technology

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Generation X (1965-81)Characteristics

• Slacker stereotype
• Apparent indifference and apathy
• Caused by uncertainty derived from societal
  factors
• Skepticism
• Similar to Boomers questioning of institutions,
  value individualism
• Also skeptical of Boomers optimism and idealism
  (pragmatism)
• Grand dreams of previous generations shattered
  (cause for irony?)
• Independence
• Took care of themselves (latchkey kids)
• Downsizing made them question ideas of company
  loyalty
• Learned new technologies easily

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Generation X (1965-81)Attitudes towards Work

• Paying ones dues unimportant
• May desire fast track career
• Less concern about titles and long-term career
  goals
• Loyalty to employer unimportant
• Will leave if needs not met (pay, training,
  etc.)
• Comfortable with change and technology
• Survival mechanism
• Dislike bureaucracy
• Prefer action and focusing on essentials
• Individualistic
• Not as keen on working in groups
• Creative synthesize ideas from eclectic sources
• Life and Work Balance

13
Generation X (1965-81)Working with Them

• Focus on retention (fewer graduates from LIS
  schools)
• Work and career development
• Understand skepticism and survival attitude
• Train for transferable skills (make them less
  likely to leave)
• Should be fun, challenging, and relevant to
  essentials of the job
• Work should balance previous skills with learning
  new ones
• Supervising Xers
• Timely feedback, not micromanagement
• Mentoring, not lecturing
• Encourage patience and diplomacy
• Flexibility to achieve balance between work and
  having a life
• Value time for family, friends, and/or personal
  interests
• May view job as a tool to pay the bills

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Baby Boomers and Generation XHow to play nice
(CNN article)

• Xers working with Boomers
• Respect Boomers experience
• Learn organizations history it existed before
  you were hired
• Learn organizations politics think before
  giving opinions
• Boomers may prefer in-person interaction
• Give Boomers full attention
• Understand career and family pressures on
  Boomers
• Boomers working with Xers
• Avoid corporate jargon and buzzwords
• Clearly-written e-mails preferable to meetings
• Give Xers autonomy dont micromanage
• Ask Xers for input
• Try to be less intense about work

15
Millennials (1982-2000)Historical Context

• Seemingly peaceful during 1990s
• Rodney King verdict riots - Los Angeles, CA
  (1992)
• Branch Davidian Standoff - Waco, TX (1993)
• Federal building bombing - Oklahoma City, OK
  (1995)
• Columbine High School shootings - Littleton, CO
  (1999)
• Mass deaths on U.S. soil
• September 11th Terrorist Attacks (2001)
  approximately 3,000 deaths
• Hurricane season (2005) over 1,000 confirmed
  deaths, mainly from Katrina
• High-profile political and corporate scandals
• Clinton Administration (1993-2001) Whitewater,
  Lewinsky Scandal
• Bush Administration (2001-present)
  Investigations of Rove, Libby, DeLay, etc.
• Corporations Enron, Halliburton, Tyco, etc.
• War on Terror (2001-??)

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Millennials (1982-2000)Characteristics

• Caveats
• Havent been in the job market as long as other
  generations
• Some ideas may be speculations or wishful
  thinking
• Community-oriented, similar to Silents
• Respect for institutions and family, but still
  give opinions
• Follow rules, as long as they are consistent and
  reasonable
• Sense of personal responsibility positive peer
  pressure
• Encouragement of group work in school
• More diversity, but less concern with related
  issues
• Global and environmental concerns
• Literalists
• Optimism, similar to Boomers
• Less rebellious (at least regarding institutions)

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Millennials (1982-2000)Characteristics

• Pragmatism, like Xers
• Less skeptical
• Analyze problems before making decisions/taking
  stands
• Judge institutions, brand-names, etc., by merit
• Variety of technologies have been ubiquitous all
  their lives
• Personal computers common in homes and schools
• Seem attached to devices (cell phones, pagers,
  iPods)
• Multitasking and fast-paced lifestyle
• Pressure to succeed in all aspects of life
• Multitasking school and extracurricular
  activities
• Might change careers completely during lifetimes
• Helicopter parents (Boomers who might have
  rebelled in youth)

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Millennials (1982-2000)Working with Them

• Work and career development
• Give them responsibilities that matter explain
  why important
• Maximize use of technology (may be attracted to
  tech-intensive jobs)
• Learning opportunities, especially group work
• Supervising Millennials
• Ask for their input used to giving opinions in
  their families
• Dislike top-down command (main difference from
  Silents)
• Mentoring consider community-oriented affinity
  with Silents
• Acquaint with interpersonal skills related to the
  workplace
• Instant and frequent feedback
• Flexibility to achieve balance between work and
  having a life
• Similar to Xers (Commitment to family.)

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General ideas to consider

• Acknowledge differences and strengths of
  generations
• Determine mutually-beneficial ways to interact
• Not all members of a generation are the same
• Different experiences
• Age can influence attitudes
• Age and generation are simply guides to
  understanding