Working Generations

So many times I have disagreed with my manager, father or uncle on work behaviors  which led me a couple of years ago to do some intensive research on this subject, this led me to deeply understand why we disagree and how to work together in harmony.

Of course there is no such thing as THE BEST generation, all generations has its own set of pros and cons, also each generation has become the way it is due to different set of influences, today I will only brush on the subject and in future articles I will go deeper in every generation, so lets start:

• Traditionals

Also known as “Silent Generation” and “The Lucky Few”, this generation holds the people who were born in the era between (1909 – 1945)

This generation is the generation that lived through WW-II and the great depression, the term “Silent Generation” was coined on 5-November-1951, a cover story by Time Magazine, and the term “Lucky Few” was given by Elwood D. Carlson, Ph.D. in his 2008 book titled The Lucky Few: Between the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boom.

What influenced this generation was:

• World Wars
• The Great Depression

Due to the tough times they were brought up in they became hardworking, cautious and financially conservative. Loyal to their employer the silent generation doesn’t like change and respect seniority understanding that it is important for career advancement. The generation obeys the rules due to the military style (command and control) the times led them to be.

Pros:

• Stable
• Loyal
• Detailed
• Honest & Hard Working

Cons:

• Shy
• Non-Expressive
• Avoids Conflict
• Dislikes Change

 

• Baby Boomers:

This generation holds the people who were born in the era between (1946 – 1964)

 This generation is born in the aftermath of the wars and depression, according to the Oxford dictionary the term “Baby Boomers” was used first in an article in the Washington Post in the 1970.

This generation was highly influenced by:

• JFK
• Television
• Civil Rights Movement
• The Space Program

Being raised by a very protective and financially cautious generation, the baby boomers can have some ego, that is of course a result of nuclear families being common. appreciation to work came but with some negatives, for examples, social classes were highly divided by the jobs. Taking from the generation that came before them, the working hours were highly respected, incidentally that is why this generation has so many clashes with the newer generations. 

Pros:

• Aggressive
• Team Players
• Service Oriented

Cons:

• Egocentric
• Technologically Challenged
• Budget Challenged

 

• Generation X:

This generation holds the people who were born in the era between (1965 – 1978), also known as Gen-X, the name has been used for different subcultures after the 1950s, but has been made popularized for this group by Douglas Coupland’s 1991 novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.

This generation has been influenced by:

• The Cold War
• European Union
• Traveling by Car
• Star Wars

Raised on “To-Do Lists” and watching their parents sacrifice greatly for their companies, Gen-X developed behaviors of independence instead of the values of them, and opposite to their “live to work” parent generation Gen-X adopted a “work to live” view with a hint of distrust.

Pros:

• Independent
• Better in Technology
• Isn’t Fearful of Authority

Cons:

• Impatient
• Sceptical
• Cynicist
• Distrustful
• Unassertive
• Highly Critical

• Millennials:

I am against forcing the two generations into one name, maybe because I am for Generation-Y, and it is way too soon to start analyzing Generation Z. I will make my focus here on Generation Y. The phrase Generation Y first appeared in an August 1993 Ad Age editorial to describe teenagers of the day, which were different from their parent Generation X.

Generation Y has been influenced by:

• Mobile Phones
• The Internet
• Computers & Laptops
• Cheap Air Travel
• IM
• Gaming
• Social Media

This Generation is a very powerful group that has the population to change, Raised in a consumer economy and during the “empowerment” times, Generation Y have been always encouraged to make their choices and question authority.

Pros:

• Multi-Tasking
• Fluent Technologically
• Heroic
• Realistic
• Optimistic
• Sociable

Cons:

• Unstructured
• Inexperienced
• Low Priority to “Work”
• Job Hoppers
• Struggles with Time