Introduction
1.What expectations does each of these generational groups have about life and about organizations?
Baby boomers (1946-1964)
Life
-They believe employment is for life until they can retire.
- Optimism
-personal growth
Organization
- Like a flatter management structure, but still expect managers to be experts and leaders using their own knowledge and skills to provide direction.
- Value freedom of expression, freedom of choice and don't like authoritarian management style.
- Challenging work
- to be "in charge"
Life
-They believe employment is for life until they can retire.
- Optimism
-personal growth
Organization
- Like a flatter management structure, but still expect managers to be experts and leaders using their own knowledge and skills to provide direction.
- Value freedom of expression, freedom of choice and don't like authoritarian management style.
- Challenging work
- to be "in charge"
Generation X (1965-1980)
Life
- positive attitude
- self-reliance
- thinking globally
Organization
- They dislike rigid work requirements.
-They value the freedom to set their own hours and to work flexible hours.
- They change jobs if there are no opportunities for advancement.
- They have clear goals and want to solve their own problems rather than having them managed by a supervisor.
- They strive to find quicker more efficient ways of working so that there is more time for having fun.
Life
- positive attitude
- self-reliance
- thinking globally
Organization
- They dislike rigid work requirements.
-They value the freedom to set their own hours and to work flexible hours.
- They change jobs if there are no opportunities for advancement.
- They have clear goals and want to solve their own problems rather than having them managed by a supervisor.
- They strive to find quicker more efficient ways of working so that there is more time for having fun.
Generation Y (1981- 2000)
- confidence
- sociability
- technological savy
Organization
- They strive for creative challenges, individual developments and significant careers.
- Their mind-set is "don't waste my time expecting me to meet you at office."
- With high expectations of self, they strive to work more quickly and better than other workers.
- With high expectations of their bosses, they expect managers to be fair, equitable and active managers who are highly committed and have highly developed expertise.
- Cyber training and web-based tutorials, and training schemes are regarded as more productive than customary lectures.
- confidence
- sociability
- technological savy
Organization
- They strive for creative challenges, individual developments and significant careers.
- Their mind-set is "don't waste my time expecting me to meet you at office."
- With high expectations of self, they strive to work more quickly and better than other workers.
- With high expectations of their bosses, they expect managers to be fair, equitable and active managers who are highly committed and have highly developed expertise.
- Cyber training and web-based tutorials, and training schemes are regarded as more productive than customary lectures.
2. What messages and experiences have contributed to those expectations?
Baby boomers : There are many stereotypes surrounding mature age workers - they are expensive , difficult to manage, won't learn new skills, resist change and aren't up to date with new technology. These generalities can make it difficult for mature age workers who are seeking new work or who aren't quite ready for retirement.
Baby boomers : There are many stereotypes surrounding mature age workers - they are expensive , difficult to manage, won't learn new skills, resist change and aren't up to date with new technology. These generalities can make it difficult for mature age workers who are seeking new work or who aren't quite ready for retirement.
Generation X:They possess a different work ethic to the boomers - Gen X thrives on diversity, challenge, responsibility, honesty and creative input, compared to the boomers' preference for a more rigid, work-centric approach.
Generation Y: They expect workplaces to be flexible and are more likely to change employers than even Generation X's. They desire occupations with flexibility, telecommuting choices, with the ability to go part time. They are generally optimistic, highly social and rather moralistic.
3. Over what issues are the three groups likely to have conflicts? Why?
The three groups especially the younger generation will have poor opinions about the abilities of the older colleagues. Because of the difference in age, education and the rapid increase and development of technology. The younger generations tend to adapt to the new technology in their work but the baby boomers will tend to have difficulties to use those technological in their work.
- Baby Boomers still love snail-mail and love the ritual of copious 'information search and evaluation' before making a consumer decision. While most have computer and have embraced the internet and mobile phones, print to hard copy is usually required and they have not generally embraced social networking.
- Xers are good investigators, utilising the internet as the primary tool. They rely heavy on the internet for research.
- Yers highly rely on social network websites to build their social networks. E-mail , laptops, netbooks,IPhones, Blackberrys and other expertise deviceds will assist Generation Y work remotely and stay engaged 24/7.
The three groups especially the younger generation will have poor opinions about the abilities of the older colleagues. Because of the difference in age, education and the rapid increase and development of technology. The younger generations tend to adapt to the new technology in their work but the baby boomers will tend to have difficulties to use those technological in their work.
- Baby Boomers still love snail-mail and love the ritual of copious 'information search and evaluation' before making a consumer decision. While most have computer and have embraced the internet and mobile phones, print to hard copy is usually required and they have not generally embraced social networking.
- Xers are good investigators, utilising the internet as the primary tool. They rely heavy on the internet for research.
- Yers highly rely on social network websites to build their social networks. E-mail , laptops, netbooks,IPhones, Blackberrys and other expertise deviceds will assist Generation Y work remotely and stay engaged 24/7.
Discussion Questions
1.To which, if any, of the three generational group do you belong? ( Remember, if it’s the experiences you've had more than your age that influences generational membership)
1.To which, if any, of the three generational group do you belong? ( Remember, if it’s the experiences you've had more than your age that influences generational membership)
- Generation Y
2. How do your expectations and experiences correspond to theirs?
- I expect to connect to internet whenever and wherever I am.
- I don't like long hours work, love flexibility.
- I expect myself can work better than others.
- Highly relied on technological gadgets.
- I can work in a quick mode and learn new things fast.
- I don't like manager that without expertise and wasting my time to deal with them.
- I don't like traditional management style but it should be having flexibility.
- I expect to change work from time to time if the work doesn't meet my requirements.
- I expect creative and challenges working environment.
- My working place should surround with fun and creativity.
3. Over what issues are you likely to have conflict with the members of the three groups? Why?
- Communication style
Baby Boomers: They likes face-to-face interaction, they aren't up-to-date with the current technology style.
Gen X: They are slightly better than baby boomers communication style where they use hand phone to contact and email (less)
Gen Y: Me, prefer to communicate through platforms such as email, Instant messaging (IM), blogs and text messages rather than on the phone or face-to- face.
-Work ethic
Baby boomers: They willing to put long hours in office for their work (workaholics) and willing to stay in the same job at a longer period.
Gen X: They are career-oriented but place a strong emphasis on family time and strive for a good work-life balance. They enjoy freedom and autonomy - They work to live rather than live to work, which is often frowned upon as slack and difficult to manage by baby boomers, who prefer to do the long hours.
Gen Y (Me): Don't tend to stay on the same job very long. If can't have the opportunity to develop skills will tend to change another job/ seek for another new job.
- Communication style
Baby Boomers: They likes face-to-face interaction, they aren't up-to-date with the current technology style.
Gen X: They are slightly better than baby boomers communication style where they use hand phone to contact and email (less)
Gen Y: Me, prefer to communicate through platforms such as email, Instant messaging (IM), blogs and text messages rather than on the phone or face-to- face.
-Work ethic
Baby boomers: They willing to put long hours in office for their work (workaholics) and willing to stay in the same job at a longer period.
Gen X: They are career-oriented but place a strong emphasis on family time and strive for a good work-life balance. They enjoy freedom and autonomy - They work to live rather than live to work, which is often frowned upon as slack and difficult to manage by baby boomers, who prefer to do the long hours.
Gen Y (Me): Don't tend to stay on the same job very long. If can't have the opportunity to develop skills will tend to change another job/ seek for another new job.
4. Are the strategies chosen by Generation Xers appropriate to the situations they face? Generation Yers?
Having the better understanding of others can make the working environment more productive.
- Generation X: Limit in-person meetings. Offer alternatives like conference calls, video and Web conferencing when collaboration is truly needed. For face-to-face meetings, stick to small productive groups and skip long planning sessions.
- Generation Y: Gen Y started online social networks. Think about how you can leverage them in the workplace to encourage team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- As in the traditional firms, the managers still prefer paper work and face-to face communication to solve problem rather than what is expected from Gen X and Gen Y. Gen X and Gen Y depends on internet (especially Gen Y) , they will search on what is appropriate to the situation they faced especially the communication with the baby boomers.
Having the better understanding of others can make the working environment more productive.
- Generation X: Limit in-person meetings. Offer alternatives like conference calls, video and Web conferencing when collaboration is truly needed. For face-to-face meetings, stick to small productive groups and skip long planning sessions.
- Generation Y: Gen Y started online social networks. Think about how you can leverage them in the workplace to encourage team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- As in the traditional firms, the managers still prefer paper work and face-to face communication to solve problem rather than what is expected from Gen X and Gen Y. Gen X and Gen Y depends on internet (especially Gen Y) , they will search on what is appropriate to the situation they faced especially the communication with the baby boomers.
5. What effects are their strategies likely to have on their relationships with their supervisors in traditional firms? With their co-workers? With their subordinates? Why?
- The boomers (supervisors) do not like to work independently, and they expect to have meetings any time, any place
- Xers (co-workers) do not want to hear about the project outside of work
- Yers( subordinates) don't wan any meetings at all, they only communicate via technology gadgets.
-The 3 generational groups work together will tend to affect their relationship as they have 3 different working style.
- Therefore, all of them need to show respect to each other as each of them having different growing environment.
- In traditional firms, baby boomers often in senior positions, Xers in mid-management and young Yers in the junior entry-level positions. Often young graduates will be managing people older than them and senior managers will often supervise across a couple of generations.
Source:
-http://www.un.org/staffdevelopment/pdf/Designing%20Recruitment,%20Selection%20&%20Talent%20Management%20Model%20tailored%20to%20meet%20UNJSPF's%20Business%20Development%20Needs.pdf
-http://janderson99.hubpages.com/hub/Motivating-Managing-Retaining-Generation-X-and-Generation-Y-Employees
- http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_34/b4097063805619.htm
- http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
- The boomers (supervisors) do not like to work independently, and they expect to have meetings any time, any place
- Xers (co-workers) do not want to hear about the project outside of work
- Yers( subordinates) don't wan any meetings at all, they only communicate via technology gadgets.
-The 3 generational groups work together will tend to affect their relationship as they have 3 different working style.
- Therefore, all of them need to show respect to each other as each of them having different growing environment.
- In traditional firms, baby boomers often in senior positions, Xers in mid-management and young Yers in the junior entry-level positions. Often young graduates will be managing people older than them and senior managers will often supervise across a couple of generations.
Source:
-http://www.un.org/staffdevelopment/pdf/Designing%20Recruitment,%20Selection%20&%20Talent%20Management%20Model%20tailored%20to%20meet%20UNJSPF's%20Business%20Development%20Needs.pdf
-http://janderson99.hubpages.com/hub/Motivating-Managing-Retaining-Generation-X-and-Generation-Y-Employees
- http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_34/b4097063805619.htm
- http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
