I hate generalizations - especially when they involve a generation. However, ignorant generalizations about baby boomers, baby boomer's kids, generation X, and generation Y or even "kids these days" run rampant throughout organizations. Our minds have this endless need to put our world into easily organized compartments and expectations about groups of people. Unfortunately folks, our world isn't that simple. However, these generalizations exist, and at times could be at least partially true. So let's go ahead and discuss why people try to put us d-down, just because we get around.
And we'll temporarily allow generation generalization in this article for the glorious purpose of argument.
The baby-boomer laden top tier of companies could perhaps use a little education or at least some awareness of where gen X/Y's (or the new-age term of millennials) are coming from instead of moaning about how easy they have it or how tough it was back in their day. You're right, we didn't have the rags to riches story that you did, we didn't make a fortune in the stock market from 1982 to 2000, we were over-parented and at times coddled, we were put in every soccer camp, violin lesson, and SAT prep course any human being could withstand but really, the biggest difference between gen X/Y and the boomers is that we just don't care about money as much as you. And in the current economic crisis, many millenials are out of work due to a collapse largely fueled by baby boomer greed and corruption. You must understand that this is very difficult to swallow.
The millenials are the first generation that is not exceeding the salary of their parents and the likelihood of them doing so over a grand scale is very low. It will be difficult for us to compete with anything that went on during the 1990's. This perceived lack of progress can lead the younger generation to define success in different ways such as progress in ethics, social responsibility, environmental conservation, and racial equality. Kids these days are looking to do more than just make money.
Now I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation, I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation.
The boomers came from a sink-or-swim world where they were just happy to have a job. They were really the first generation achieving significant levels of higher education and during the the 80's and 90's our country took off like Micheal Jackson's Thriller for which the boomer workforce was certainly largely responsible (the economy not Thriller). But let's not forget the boomer driven years of protest, drug use, promiscuous sex, and general withdrawal from society. And now you guys are running the majority of organizations in this country - and that's fine.
But the boomers need to make an effort at understanding where the millenials come from. Books like Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida, which I suggest every manager in any organization read, can help shed a little light on some of the millenial's behavior that may seem peculiar to our older baby boomer colleagues. And remember, when we see old video of hippies with flowers in their hair it looks a bit peculiar to us a well.
We don't want you to f-fade away, and you certainly don't have to d-dig what we all s-say, you just have to make a little improvement at awareness and understanding - I'm just talkin' 'bout my generation. Or maybe I'm just talking about me.
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Very interesting and thought-provoking post.
ReplyDeleteAs a veteran HR professional, I can attest that I have seen the effect of the different generations in the workplace.
While it is ignorant and dangerous to assume you know someone by the 'generational demographic' to which they belong, the general characteristics of the group do have significant impact.
Personally speaking, despite being born at the tail end of the Boomer period, I have far more Gen X tendencies. I never understood why I felt so out of place in the Boomer-dominated financial services firms at which I was employed until I became aware of generational differences. It was then that I understood I was in a culture that did not value the Gen X (and Millenial) mindset, values and experiences.
Using that knowledge to associate myself with more enlightened organizations has made a world of difference in my career success and happiness.
Stacy Sanborn, SPHR
President, Gemini HR Partners