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Generation "X" (born mid-1960s to late
1970s)
This generation is also known by Americans as
the Thirteenth Generation, since it is the 13th generation of the USA since 1620.
Canadian
author Douglas Coupland either (it depends upon who you ask) stole the name of Billy Idol’s old punk band or saw it
in an obscure sociology text for his 1991 book Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.
This is a fictional book about three strangers who decide to distance themselves from society to get a better
sense of who they are. He describes the characters as "under-employed, over-educated, intensely private and
unpredictable." Coupland insists he took his book's title from another book Class, by Paul Fussell who
used "X" to describe a group of people who want to pull away from class, status and money in society. Because the
characters in Coupland's book fit that description, he decided on the title Generation X.
What GenXers enjoy most is
friendship, music, their sound systems, computers and television ... while school, work, youth groups,
and religious group involvement rank very low. Those on the top of the scale represent areas of freedom, choice and
independence, while those below are structured and normally run by Boomers.
Another notable feature of
Gen X is its high level of education. According to Ansoorian, author of “Managing Generational Differences,”
approximately 60 percent of Gen X has some college education, making them the best-educated generation in U.S.
history. As a result of this generation’s lack of faith in the employer/employee commitment, Gen X is
convinced real job security lies in their ability to develop the knowledge and skills to advance to their next job.
Gen X is more inclined to stay with a company that helps them expand their knowledge and skills; therefore,
continued learning and development is significant to recruiting and retention of this generation.
The phrase GenX was picked
up by marketers desperately seeking a name for the "generation without a name." Of course, there's been much
wrangling about this term, and many others have been offered, not all of them complimentary. In Europe, this
generation is often known as Generation E, or simply as the Nineties Generation, along the lines of such other
European generation names as "Generation of 1968" and "Generation of 1914". In France, the term
Génération Bof is in use, with "bof" being a French
word for "Whatever," the defining Gen-X saying. In Iran, they are called the Burnt Generation.
Generation X is the most
immigrant generation born in the twentieth century. 1 out of every 7 in this generation is an immigrant (U.S.
2005 Census).
In a few years’ time,
as Xers move through midlife to elderhood, they will be the pragmatic workers that get the job done, at the same
time helping the aging Boomers to “get real” without losing themselves in apocalyptic visions. Generation X
will be cunning and deft in business and elsewhere, quick to seize opportunities and adapt to changing
environments. And they will be nice to be around.
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Some Characteristics
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At Work
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Diversity
§
Work-life balance
§
Entrepreneurial
§
Free agents — employability
§
Fun at work; relationships are
critical
§
Pragmatic, skeptical &
informal
§
Information driven
§
Music is huge; language of
expression
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Contributions
u
Crave performance feedback
u
Technoliterate
u
Empowered & independent
u
“Grow in place” career strategy
u
Embrace change; highly creative
Cautions
u
Impatient with meetings & process; get in, do it,
move on to the next project
u
Rebel against micro-management
u
Job changes are necessary &
normal
u
Cynical; distrustful of
institutions
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Misconceptions About GenX
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Media Myths:
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Reality:
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Materialistic.
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First generation that can expect to earn less (in real
terms) than their parents.
They want out of debt, so money is important; however material
wealth and status are scorned.
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Whiners.
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Gen Xers face huge
challenges – school loans, skyrocketing real estate costs, environmental disasters,
unprecedented healthcare issues, pandemics – yet most are philosophical about the problems
they’re inheriting.
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“You owe me”
attitude.
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Freedom and flexibility are the ultimate
rewards. Goal is to build a portable career. Institutions are suspect.
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Unwilling to work
hard.
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Believe it’s unfair to
expect a 70-hour week for 40 hours of pay.
Committed to having a life beyond work. Work is a transactional arrangement – not a cause
or calling.
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Living on “easy
street.”
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In the 1950s, young homeowners could make the monthly
mortgage payment by using 14 % of their income. Today it
takes 40%. They worry they won’t have enough money to pay for a home and their
children’s education.
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when a Silent collides, they think
…
u
Don’t respect experience.
u
That noise is not
music!
u
Don’t know what hard work is.
when a Boomer collides, they think
…
u
Slackers.
u Rude - no social
skills.
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u Always doing things their own way, instead of following
procedures.
when a GenY collides, they think
…
u
Don’t worry – Be happy!
u
Like, w-a-y too intense.
u Information
overload.
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Generation
Y
Generation
X
Baby Boomer
Generation
The Silent or Veteran
Generation
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