This document discusses generational differences in the workplace. It profiles four generations: Traditional/Veteran workers born before 1946 who value loyalty and discipline; Baby Boomers born 1946-1960 who expect success; Generation X born 1961-1979 who seek work-life balance and flexibility; and Generation Y born after 1980 who have always had technology and value relationships. Each generation has different experiences that shape their work values and understanding of concepts like corporate loyalty, which has declined with each generation.

1. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
This mini­workshop focuses on different generational mentalities within the workplace. It
highlights some techniques for dealing with various types of individuals in a professional
environment and discusses solutions for conflict management. The generational personalities
mentioned here are dissected according to time period. Other outlying influential factors may
cause a change in personal categorization.
Traditional/Industrial/Veteran Workers (born before 1946/over 60) ­­ value
loyalty and discipline.
These workers tend to respect authority. They have accomplished a lot and contributed to success
under hierarchical systems of the past. Raised during wartime and the postwar period, they
adapted to an environment of scarcity, valuing austerity. Social goals of peace and national
prosperity are important to this group. As a rule they are pragmatic and disciplined.
Baby Boomers (1946­1960/late 40s and up) ­­ expect success.
These are the people running the major corporations right now. They invented the workaholic, or
at least a lot of them suffer from its effects. Baby boomers created strong social change including
the hippie movement, feminism, and civil rights. They are optimistic and self­motivated.
Management ranks today are dominated by Boomers and older Gen Xers. Together, they define
corporate cultures and success within them.
Generation X (1961­1979/30s and 40s) ­­ has the advantage of the best academic
training and international experience in history.
They are breaking with traditional patterns, including creating informal work environments and
transforming corporate structures from hierarchical into horizontal and flexible entities. Personal
initiative and a healthy dose of skepticism toward large organizations have produced a lot of
entrepreneurs from this generation. A key value of Generation X is the achievement of balance
between career goals and quality of life.
Generation Y (starting from 1980/under 30) ­­ have lived their entire lives with
information technology and they have a hard time comprehending a world without
it.
Childhood was comfortable and prosperous. They tend toward individual needs in favor of the
community good and often demand a high level of autonomy. What Generation Y lacks in
loyalty, they make up for with the value they place on relationships with co­workers and
supervisors.
Descriptions from website: http://www.businesspundit.com/4­generations­of­workers­can­you­relate/
“4 Generations of Workers – Can You Relate?” by Lela Davidson on May 13, 2008

2. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
Tables from website: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
“Mixing and Managing Four Different Generations of Employees” by Greg Hammill on FDU Magazine Online,
Winter/Spring 2005

3. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
Interview with Cristina Simón about her study
“Generation Y and the Labor Market: Models for HR Management”
with Universia­Knowledge@Wharton
What social factors define the character of each of these groups?
Common life experiences more clearly define each generational group. For example, traditional workers
were born during the war [World War II] and the postwar period. As a result, they were raised in an
environment of scarcity, which led to the fact that they value austerity. They defend such social goals as
peace and national prosperity.
Baby boomers, on the other hand, spawned a series of social phenomena based on their strong reaction to
their parents, such as the hippie movement, feminism and [freedom to] divorce. Both X and Y groups
have had less social impact, I believe, because they emerged more recently and have not been analyzed
sufficiently.
What are their main differences when it comes to focusing on work in the corporation? What is
each generation trying to find in the company?
To put it as simply as possible, we can say that traditional workers are pragmatic and disciplined, and are
motivated by loyalty. In contrast, baby boomers are more optimistic and more self­motivated. Generation
X is the most skeptical when it comes to organizations, and it is trying to find balance and flexibility,
above all. Finally, in Generation Y there is a shortage of loyalty to the generation. Nevertheless,
Generation Y puts a great deal of importance on intense relationships with co­workers and supervisors.
How does each generation understand the concept of quot;corporate loyalty?quot;
With the arrival of each new generation, the concept of loyalty has been steadily losing ground. Beyond
change in the hierarchy of values, this steady decline in loyalty is due to the fact that it is impossible for
companies to continue to offer job security. The corporation then replaces stability with quot;employability.quot;
That changes the motivational focus of professionals away from the corporation and toward themselves.
All these changes mean that the appeal of loyalty has continued to weaken, although inertia is still strong
among traditional workers and baby boomers.
In which generation are the differences between men and women greatest?
When it comes to social values, women in every generation are more oriented toward other people, and
they have a greater sense of dedication and service. Men are generally more individualistic. When it
Interview from website: http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/03/baby­boomer­generation­ent­manage­
cx_kw_0103whartonage.html
“When The Old And Young Collide At Work” by Knowledge@Wharton on Forbes.com, January 3, 2008
{originally published April 18, 2008}

4. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
comes to professional preferences, although women put more emphasis on flexibility, the newest
generations, especially Y, care more about traditionally quot;masculinequot; work values, such as income levels
and opportunities for promotion.
What are the main values that characterize Generations X and Y?
As I noted earlier, both X and Y grew up in a comfortable environment in their years of childhood and
adolescence. When these people enter the labor market, they have a harder time than their predecessors
did. It was much easier for earlier generations to find work, become independent from their families and
so forth.
As a result, there is a sense of frustration and skepticism that logically extends to the way they view the
working environment. Don't forget that the working environment in our society has a lot of impact on
social activity, starting with the period when marital couples and families are formed [and] on to the
growth of social networks.
Is there a conflict between the working environments of the four generations?
Often when these topics are discussed with HR managers and other professionals, people make comments
that reflect those differences. I don't know if they can be characterized as quot;conflicts,quot; but they have an
impact on the dynamics of working relationships. Organizations also have these sorts of experiences.
The current generation of managers is dominated by baby boomers and the older members of Generation
X. Those are the levels at which corporate cultures are defined, along with corporate modes of behavior.
From this perspective, we could say that some of the failures of young people in their working
environment stem from the fact that they sometimes have very different hierarchies of value.
Are HR departments prepared for understanding the generational differences? And do they know
how to deal with them?
Given the nature of change in the labor market, HR departments are concerned about everything that can
affect their retention of employees. As a result, they are looking into whether these differences are a
possible cause [for their failure to retain workers]. In any case, where this analysis makes the most sense
is in those companies that demand younger workers, whether or not those employees are sufficiently
qualified.
In those kinds of cases, the function of HR must be to study basic processes in order to make them more
attractive to workers from Generation Y. Above all, they must draw up a psychological contract with their
employees and with those candidates who have the kinds of background they are looking for.
What strategies and policies do you recommend that companies apply?
Those companies that consider it critical to adapt to new generations [of workers] must take another look
at their HR practices so they can refine their supply [of jobs], as I said earlier. It is important to
understand the relationships that exist between young people and technology, which often have an impact
on social standards and dynamics. For example, best recruitment practices should include having a Web
Interview from website: http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/03/baby­boomer­generation­ent­manage­
cx_kw_0103whartonage.html
“When The Old And Young Collide At Work” by Knowledge@Wharton on Forbes.com, January 3, 2008
{originally published April 18, 2008}

5. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
site that is attractive and easy to use, and which makes it easier and faster for long­term job candidates to
interact with the company.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the natural tendency of young people is not to focus on commitment
or loyalty to a [corporate] brand but to a combination of factors that make them feel good, on the one
hand, and have personal value, on the other hand. From the viewpoint of selection, there is a double
advantage to an approach that involves realistic interviews and tests.
This approach can diagnose the competencies [of job candidates] and let candidates know that the
corporation is both creative and dynamic. These can be some of the keys to strengthening the selection
process and minimizing the turnover of new employees who leave within months. That [kind of turnover]
is both undesirable and costly.
Some studies show that young people prefer strong performance­based cultures where results count more
than job seniority or personal appearance. This means that a company needs to create systems for
performance­based compensation in which short­term variables count more than long­term results.
Especially in Spain, the concept of job turnover must be overhauled. Traditionally, when professionals
leave a company, it has been very traumatic both for the company and the employee. There is a sense of
betrayal because of the high value placed on loyalty, but that is currently on the decline.
Young people, on the other hand, leave a company because they find another opportunity elsewhere. They
understand that these are the rules of the game, and they don't discount the possibility of returning [to the
same company] in the future if conditions are favorable. An intelligent strategy for leveraging young
talent should rethink the issue of job turnover and consider maintaining this relationship [with workers
who depart], as a result.
What are the main challenges facing Generations X and Y? Are conditions easier for them than
they were for their predecessors, or are things more difficult?
Each generation has had to confront its own challenges through the course of various changes they have
undergone. Undoubtedly, the world of today's young people is much more complex than that of their
elders. But it is also clear that they are much better prepared and they have better tools for dealing with
these challenges. Certainly, the supply of jobs is much more precarious in today's labor market.
On the other hand, declining birth rates in recent years mean that fewer people will be applying for jobs
compared with what happened during the baby boom. Many young people say that their elders have made
it harder for them by providing them with a comfortable childhood. At the same time, social systems do
not make it easier to become economically independent and achieve the same standards. This difficult
transition will leave a sense of frustration that will certainly be hard [for young workers] to deal with in
coming years.
Interview from website: http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/03/baby­boomer­generation­ent­manage­
cx_kw_0103whartonage.html
“When The Old And Young Collide At Work” by Knowledge@Wharton on Forbes.com, January 3, 2008
{originally published April 18, 2008}

6. The “Next” Generations
A profile of current workplace groups and their backgrounds.
presented by LaShäna M. Lewis, Help Desk Evening Shift Leader, Webster University Help Desk
Questions & Answers
1) What generation are you? Or are you “between” generations?
2) What generations are your immediate supervisors? Supervised employees?
3) Offer an example of a conflict you have had with an individual from another
generation. How did you resolve it?
Questions composed by: LaShäna M. Lewis
“The Next Generations” Workshop Prepared for Shift Leader Meeting on 12/3/08.