Generation U

uGeneration

multigenerational

WORKFORCE

“Workers walk the same halls, but are separate generational societies.”

Randstad 2008 World of Work Survey

One out of four human resource professionals report witnessing intergenerational conflicts among workers.

Source: Society for Human Resource Management

“Generational differences are often about perspective and how things should be done. It’s as if everyone looks at the other group saying, ‘That’s not how I

would do it.’”

Randstad 2008 World of Work Survey

When you were born determines the momentous events, social trends,

economic conditions, and cultural norms you experience as a young person.

12 years old

1950:‣Cold War heats up when United States convicts

communist spy Alger Hiss of perjury‣Truman orders development of hydrogen bomb‣United States enters Korean War‣FCC licenses first color television broadcasts‣“Great Appalachian Storm” ravages 22 northeastern

states, killing 323 people‣Peanuts debuts in seven newspapers

1963• George Wallace becomes governor of Alabama• Betty Friedan publishes The Feminine Mystique, launching

the Women’s Movement• The Beatles release their first album, Please Please Me• U.S. Postal Service introduces ZIP Codes• Coke unveils TaB, the first diet cola• Martin Luther King delivers “I Have a Dream” speech• President John F. Kennedy is assassinated

1972✓ President Nixon visits China for eight days✓ Nixon re-elected as the Watergate Scandal breaks✓ U.S. ground troops leave Vietnam✓ Atari kicks off video game craze with launch of Pong✓ Apollo 17 is last manned mission to the moon✓ Wallace is shot✓ The Boston Marathon allows women to officially compete

1987• Dow Jones closes above 2,000 for first time

• DJ drops 22.6 percent on “Black Monday” (remains largest one-day decline)

• Second “Unabomber” bomb explodes

• “Baby Jessica” rescued after falling into a well

• Prozac approved• Tower Commission blames

President Reagan for Iran-Contra affair

• World population reaches 5 billion

2001 • September 11 attacks• George W. Bush

becomes president• First self-contained

artificial human heart implanted

• U.S. Patriot Act becomes law

• Enron files bankruptcy• Timothy McVeigh is

executed for Oklahoma City bombing

MILESTONE THE 21ST CENTURY

marks the first time in history that members of four separate generations make up the U.S. workforce

F ATC

The age gap between the oldest and youngest workers in America is wider than ever—and likely to continue growing.

Four Generations at WorkSilent Generation 1925 - 1945

Baby Boomers 1946 - 1964

Generation X 1965 - 1980

Generation Y 1981 - 2000

Generations are determined less by time periods and more by the

momentous historical events that bond their members.

GENERATIONALCOHORTS

SILENTTIME MAGAZINE 1951:

“GRAVE AND FATALISTIC”

Lacking Conviction**or so it seemed

Having grown up in the wake of World War II, many people in this generation refrained from voicing unpopular beliefs for fear of being considered subversive.

Perhaps more than any generation since, the Silent Generation considered adulthood

a privilege—one that comes with a price.

Paying Dues

job security

Unlike their parents who might have dreamed of traveling the world or amassing corporate empires, the Silent Generation had simpler aspirations.

Midlife Crisis In the late 1970s,

companies responded to an economic

recession and high inflation by laying off

workers in droves.

How SG describes itself

Ethical

Competent

Strong work ethic

Respectful of coworkers

Accepting of responsibility

Eager to share knowledge

How others describe SG

Excessively conforming

Incompetent

Risk-adverse

Resistant to change

Intellectually diminished

Too old to get the job done

Difference of Opinion

Two-thirds of Generation Yers say they have little or no weekly interaction with members of the Silent Generation at work.

Source: Randstad, 2008 World of Work Survey

FACT:Even the youngest members of the Silent Generation are old enough to begin collecting Social Security—in other words, they are at or nearing what society has long considered retirement age.

Whether because they are leading longer, healthier lives or lacking the financial resources necessary to stop working, many older workers

are putting off retirement.

In the ten-year period ending 2007, the number of workers age sixty-five and over increased by 101 percent. Perhaps more surprising is that

employment among people age seventy-five

and over jumped 172 percent during

the same period.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unlike the generations that came before them, today’s older employees don’t feel obligated to make room for younger workers.

“Can they still be productive?”

Frequent Question

There is an enduring and widely held belief that job performance

suffers as workers age.

Research shows that there is no correlation between age and

how well employees perform their primary tasks.

Source: Ng, T. W. H., & Feldman, D. C. (2008). The relationship of age to ten dimensions of job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(2), 392-423.

Older workers are less likely to...

Engage in tardiness or absenteeism

Display workplace aggression

Use drugs or alcohol at work

Refrain from helping co-workers

Complain(Ng & Feldman, 2008)

AConspicuousSilence

? QUESTION

THEORIES Maybe World War II left the Silent Generation weary of fighting on any front.

Why do those who risked their lives fighting wars to protect democracy abroad seem loath to press for equal rights at home?

Perhaps Time was correct and the Silent Generation avoids speaking out for fear of being labeled as un-American.

Or maybe the Silent Generation is not really afraid to speak up on civil rights issues—maybe its members simply like things the way they used to be.

In an American society that increasingly appreciates cultural diversity, the Silent Generation seems highly

intolerant.

Intentionally or not, members of this generation

continue to use demeaning and bigoted language, employ gender and racial double standards, and show deference to white males.

The largest generation,

BABY BOOMERS

make up 50 percent of the U.S. workforce.

80M I L L I O N

From crowded elementary schools to depleted retirement funds, the Baby Boomer generation’s size

has burdened institutional infrastructures for decades.

Baby Boomers are the generation of television, assassinations, The Beatles, the Vietnam War, moonwalks, and the sexual revolution.

Unlike their “silent” parents, Baby Boomers were not afraid

to challenge cultural norms.

waged war at home against

Whereas the Silent Generation fought a war abroad to protect freedom, Baby Boomers

the people and policies that limited that freedom.

“Change Agents” Civil Rights bills passed U.S. involvement in Vietnam War ended Legislation enacted barring discrimination on the basis

of race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual preference, physical ability, and age

Movements to stop polluting the earth and to start conserving it instead

Employee-focused policies, procedures, and regulations prevalent in most business organizations today

These former crusaders went to work, putting in long hours and chasing salaries that would allow them to improve on their parents’ lot.

“workaholics”

In the twenty years following the

Boomers’ entrance in the workforce,

the annual amount of time

Americans spent at work increased

an average of one full month.

AN AVERSION

TO AUTHORITY

To lead them effectively, managers need to prove that they’re nothing like the political and business leaders Boomers distain.

At a point in life when boomers are looking for

greater balance, work is becoming

exceedingly rigorous.

Employees face demands to work longer hours, learn new technology, absorb the duties

of laid-off coworkers, and meet increasingly unrealistic goals.

Boomers believe they must outwork their fresh-faced, computer-savvy

counterparts or face losing their jobs to lower-paid youngsters.

“The Sandwich Generation” Boomers who care for older

children as well as aging parents.

1. Make love, not war. Done.

2. Make more money than Done. our parents did.

3. Make a difference In progress. (make amends for #2).

The Boomer Agenda

Boomers may have traded marching on Washington for walking for a cure, but they’re still looking for

ways to make a difference.

retentionMATTERS MORE THAN EVER

relevance matters

Generation Xers were born into a culture in which birth control and abortion became prevalent—and children were seen as avoidable or disposable.

Wanted

Gen Xersinherited their Boomer

parents’ social rubble (i.e., no-fault divorce, staggering

debt, anti-American sentiment abroad, etc.)

Gen Xers witnessed Watergate, the Challenger explosion, the Chernobyl disaster, the Iran hostage crisis, and the rising gap between rich and poor.

I want my

Music videos, personal computers, the Internet, the

women’s liberation movement, and AIDS all proliferated

during their lifetime.

Attributes:skeptical; fiercely independent; technically competent; comfortable with diversity, change, and competition

Whereas Boomers questioned authority, Gen Xers disrespect it outright.

than with work processes.

More interested in

work outcomes

“Whatever!”Xers consider truth to be relevant–and cutting to

the chase a good approach to getting things done. Those philosophies might conflict with professional and ethical codes of conduct.

The most ignored children of any generation.

Whereas the Industrial Revolution drew fathers outside the home to work, Gen

Xers probably grew up in households in which both parents held jobs.

HOME ALONe

EXGENERATION

40 percent of Gen Xers grew up in broken homes

MEi t ’ s a l l a b o u t

56 percent of Gen Xers are married, and 49 percent have children at home. In other words, the “me generation” is entrenched in the American Dream.

Source: Randstad, 2008 World of Work Survey

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Technology is both a blessing and a curse–employers expect Xers to work anywhere and anytime, because they can.

GenXUsed to being in charge until mom or dad came home from work, Gen Xers prefer working independently.

Titles and power hold little appeal for Gen Xers. And being less ambitious in the traditional corporate sense frees them to

act fearlessly when challenging the status quo or bypassing

the chain of command.

employmentat will

Gen Xers realize that there is no such thing as job security. So they seek career security instead.

The average Gen Xer changes jobs every eighteen months.

Source: Appelbaum, S. H., Serena, M., & Shapiro, B. T. (2004) Generation X and the boomers: Organizational myths and literary realities. Management Research News, 27(11/12), 1-28.

MILLENNIAL=Gen Y

the e word

85Percent of HR executives who feel that millennials have a stronger sense of entitlement than older workers do.

-CareerBuilder.com

The September 11 terrorist attacks, Columbine high school massacre, and Katrina all happened in their lifetime; yet they tend to be optimistic about

going to college, making lots of

money, and being famous.

Other words used to describe

Gen Yers

Sheltered

Spoiled

Impatient

Disrespectful

Blunt

Diverse

Thin-skinned

Wanted

Wired

Most watched over, ever

Striving to be friends with their children, parents give kids significant influence in family decision-making.

SOME MANAGERS COMPLAIN THAT YERS

ARE TOO BLUNT.THEY WANT INSTANT FEEDBACK, SO THEY

GIVE IT IN RETURN.

ySol e f∅r wh√

In 1968, 18 percent of American college freshman had achieved an A average in high school.

By 2004, that figure was 48 percent.

During that same period, SAT scores decreased.

SOURCE: Twenge, J. M. (2006). Generation me: Why today’s young Americans are more confident, assertive, entitled—and more miserable than ever before. New York: Free Press.

Grade>> INFLATION

independent spellers“ ”

Self-Esteem First.

Learning Second.

CHEATa PROPENSITY to

In a 2008 survey conducted by the Josephson Institute, 64 percent of high school students said they cheated on a test in the past year, and 38 percent said they cheated more than once.*

*However, 26 percent confessed to lying on the survey.

Bred for SuccessHighly educated; pressured to achieve

Used to feeling special and receiving praise, Gen Yers do not take

criticism well.

“Generation Y has been called the least stable generational group and the most willing to job-hop.”

Randstad, 2008 World of Work Survey, p. 27

“The money’s good. But won’t you just

downsize me, too?”

The Netter Paradox

Ron Alsop, The Trophy Kids Grow Up

“It may seem obvious that employees should show up on time, limit lunchtime to an hour, and turn off cellphones during meetings. But those basics aren’t necessarily apparent to many millennials.”

thx for the iview! i wud to work 4 u!! :)

of millennials describe their generational cohorts as having a strong work ethic

Source: Randstad

20percent

only

reality:“The transfer of knowledge between retiring generations of veteran workers and newer entrants to the workforce is unlikely.” Randstad

keep in mind…

One thing that hasn’t changed: Silent Generation

workers continue to value long-term job security

Boomers Crave Relevance

Baby Boomers rightfully consider themselves highly knowledgeable about how their workplaces function; although they’re willing to share that knowledge, their younger co-workers (and bosses!) seem uninterested in listening or learning.

Some Gen Xers are experiencing their third economic recession since launching their careers.

They are likely to feel “stuck” in their jobs—and be hesitant to ask for anything more. Leaders could

easily misread a Gen Xer’s silence as job satisfaction.

Recession Weary

Gen Yers want straight talk (no jargon!), ongoing feedback, encouragement, and recognition.

Give it to ‘em straight

generations allWhen selecting employers, job candidates from

are focusing less on the financial rewards and more on the values rewards.

12 years oldin 2010?

IMAGINE:

•Generation Z

•The “Bailout” Generation

•Obama Boomers

•Generation H1N1

•The On-Demand Generation

•Generation Text

•The Interactive Generation

•Generation Wannabe

•Generation Hex

Naming the next generation

uGeneration