Generations in the Workplace: Stereotypes and Facts
Do IT leaders need to treat workers from different generations differently if they want to keep them happy?
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Over the past decade or so, the business press has devoted lots of articles and blogs to the idea that the upcoming generations are very different than the ones that have come before. They warn managers that young workers are not motivated by the same values as older workers. And they often recommend that businesses overhaul their processes in order to accommodate Millennials and Gen Z.
Unfortunately, a lot of this advice is based more on anecdote and opinion than actual hard evidence. Some writers assume that because people of a certain age experienced specific events that it must have affected them all in similar ways.
However, when you look at actual surveys and factual reports, the differences among the generations are not as significant as these many articles have purported them to be.
“Most of the evidence for generational differences in preferences and values suggests that differences between these groups are quite small,” says a Harvard Business Review report. “In fact, there is a considerable variety of preferences and values within any of these groups. For example, a thorough analysis of 20 different studies with nearly 20,000 people revealed small and inconsistent differences in job attitudes when comparing generational groups.”
According to this report, ingrained stereotypes about age are actually far more likely to damage an IT team than failing to account for generational differences. It says, “What might really matter at work are not actual differences between generations, but people’s beliefs that these differences exist. These beliefs can get in the way of how people collaborate with their colleagues and have troubling implications for how we people are managed and trained.”
That's not to say that there are not some true differences among the generations. For example, when you look at the age when people get married (or if they get married at all), you will spot some notable disparities among various age groups.
But those disparities might be smaller than you think. And even if many people in an age category share a particular trait, it doesn't mean that every person you work with from that category will have the characteristics you expect.
So how should IT managers handle teams with members of varying ages?
A good way to start is by examining your own attitudes to see if you are being shaped by prevailing opinions. This slideshow highlights some of the most common stereotypes about Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. And it counters those stereotypes with some facts based on hard data that paints a more realistic picture.
Birth Year: 1946–1964
Current Age: 58–76
Born after the end of World War II, the Baby Boomers came of age during the tumultuous years of the 1960s and 70s. They were the hippies who protested racism, sexism, and the Vietnam War, but then morphed into the prosperous yuppies of the 1980s who looked out for their own interests.
Tech workers often view Boomers as being behind the times, stodgy old folks whose skills and interests haven't kept up with the rate of change. They are seen as greedy and grouchy, but also wealthy after decades of salary increases. The stereotype also suggests that they are hard workers who believe that people only deserve to get ahead if they put in long hours at the office.
Birth Year: 1946–1964
Current Age: 58–76
In reality, many Boomers have embraced advances in technology. And while a majority do prefer being at the office, it may be simply because being around people makes them happy.
While they still lag behind other generations, the number of baby boomers who use social media has quadrupled since 2010. (Pew Research)
While they are less likely than other generations to own a smartphone, baby boomers are nearly as likely as other generations to own a tablet. (Pew Research)
Less than a third (30%) of Boomers are happy with their pay. (GoodHire)
A majority of other generations are happier with remote working opportunities, but only 37% of this group say working remotely makes them happier. (GoodHire)
Birth Year: 1965–1980
Current Age: 42–57
The children of the Baby Boomers, Generation X was shaped by their parents' high rate of divorce. Often called the “Day Care Generation” or “The Latchkey Generation,” they became accustomed to being on their own as children. They were raised on TV and video games and came of age in the 1980s and 90s.
Stereotypes about Gen Xers suggest that they are lazy and skeptical. They are known for questioning authority and getting angry about the state of the world. At work, they have a reputation for advocating for work-life balance, and managers sometimes believe they aren't interested in career advancement and greater responsibility.
Birth Year: 1965–1980
Current Age: 42–57
In actuality, it's highly likely that your boss is a member of Generation X. They generally like their jobs, and they earn a good living.
More than half (62%) of business leaders are members of Gen X. (Global Leadership Forecast 2021)
Gen Xers are about as likely as Millennials to own a smartphone (95%), use social media (81%), or say that they are constantly online (42%). (Pew Research)
Only 16% say they are very unhappy or hate work. (GoodHire)
The average Gen X household earns $113,455, more than any other generation. (BusinessInsider)
Less than half (42%) say they are happy with their pay. (GoodHire)
Birth Year: 1981–1996
Current Age: 26–41
As the name suggestions, Millennials entered the workforce around the turn of the millennium or shortly after. They grew up in a period of great economic prosperity, and they never knew a time when computers weren't commonplace.
Stereotypes of Millennials paint them as “snowflakes,” people who were so sheltered and overscheduled when they were children that they can't deal with the harsh realities of adult life. People sometimes mock them as “hipsters,” who are connoisseurs of craft beer and avocado toast but have few practical skills. They have a reputation for being slow to leave home, get jobs, marry, and start families. On IT teams, people sometimes expect them to know more about technology than they actually know, and their co-workers sometimes expect that they will be difficult to get along with.
Birth Year: 1981–1996
Current Age: 26–41
The facts paint a more nuanced picture. While they have been slower to start families, Millennials are probably more likely to have children and less likely to live at home than you think. And they not only love working, but many are also ambitious folks interested in changing jobs if it will help them reach their goals.
Millennials tend to be very happy at work (57%) and find great meaning and purpose in their jobs (60%). (GoodHire)
Almost half (46%) say they are planning to look for a new job in the next year. (GoodHire)
More than half (55%) have at least one child. (Pew Research)
Less than half (44%) are married, and about 30% live with a spouse and child. (Pew Research)
About 14% of millennials live with their parents, which is just slightly more than the number of Boomers who lived with their parents at the same age (11%). (Pew Research)
This is currently the largest generation, with about 72.1 million members. (BusinessInsider)
Birth Year: 1997–2012
Current Age: 10–25
Generation Z is only just starting to enter the workforce, and many are coming of age in the Covid era. Some people divide the generation into two halves -- those born before smartphones and those born after -- but everyone in this age group has lived their entire lives in the Internet Age.
People often characterize Gen Z as a lot like Millennials -- only worse. They have a reputation for being obsessed with social media and image, completely self-centered with little knowledge of real life. And they get described as having few real skills and little interest in learning from their elders. In tech circles, they are seen as highly knowledgeable, but people also sometimes suggest that they can't do anything if they don't have technology to help them.
Birth Year: 1997–2012
Current Age: 10–25
The truth is that many members of Generation Z are actually highly educated and far less happy than their smiling social media posts might have you believe.
They are less likely to have dropped out of high school and more likely to have attended college than preceding generations. (Pew Research)
More than half (59%) don't believe their job will exist as it does today 20 years from now. (LinkedIn)
When compared to other generations, Gen Z is less likely to find their work fulfilling. (Goodhire)
They are more ethnically diverse than any preceding generation of Americans. (Pew Research)
More than three-quarters of them disapproved of Donald Trump. (Pew Research)
Eighty percent say they want to work with cutting-edge technology, and 91% say technology might sway them to choose one employer over another. (Dell Technologies)
Birth Year: 1997–2012
Current Age: 10–25
The truth is that many members of Generation Z are actually highly educated and far less happy than their smiling social media posts might have you believe.
They are less likely to have dropped out of high school and more likely to have attended college than preceding generations. (Pew Research)
More than half (59%) don't believe their job will exist as it does today 20 years from now. (LinkedIn)
When compared to other generations, Gen Z is less likely to find their work fulfilling. (Goodhire)
They are more ethnically diverse than any preceding generation of Americans. (Pew Research)
More than three-quarters of them disapproved of Donald Trump. (Pew Research)
Eighty percent say they want to work with cutting-edge technology, and 91% say technology might sway them to choose one employer over another. (Dell Technologies)
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