Across the Ages

The Post-War Generation

The same cannot be said of the Baby Boomers.  The largest of the generations, they number about 84 million or 26 percent of the U.S. population and nearly 60 million remain in the workforce.  And since January 1, 2011 when the oldest Boomers turned sixty-five, they’re heading toward retirement faster than any other group at the rate of 10,000 per day until 2029.

Marked by the era of Vietnam, Civil Rights, and the first moon landing, Boomers are the wealthiest generation and continue to hold influence in U.S. political and financial circles thanks to their sheer numbers and professional success.  The drive to have a stellar career is one of the generation’s defining characteristics.  “Whereas the Traditionalist was happy to have a home and a car, the Boomer wanted a second home and a second car,” explained Grodnitzky.  “Not surprisingly, they created the consumer society and brought us the seventy- to eighty-hour work week.” 

Generation X

Perhaps in reaction to the go-go days of unfettered consumption, Generation X grew up rejecting long hours and flashy possessions.  Instead, this group, born between 1965 and 1981, focused on
the core value of work-life balance—productivity and efficiency versus face time and punching the clock.  “When Boomers try to talk only about cash or financial reward, that’s going to have little effect on Generation X,” Grodnitzky says. “Xers came to the job and said, ‘If I can do in forty hours what it takes Joe seventy hours to do, why hold it against me?  Don’t measure my time, measure my productivity.’”

Seth Mattison, a frequent presenter on workforce trends for BridgeWorks LLC, points to Gen X as the forgotten generation sandwiched between the Boomers and the Millennials.  “With the number of Boomers retiring and moving on, who’s going to step in and fill their leadership roles?  Gen Xers.  But it’s hard for Boomers to delegate and let go of some of the things they do,” he notes. “The Xers are stuck under a grey ceiling, and there’s nowhere for them to go, so they are leaving companies to go where they are wanted.”  

The Millennials

The youngest generation, known as Generation Y or Millennials, was born between 1982 and 2000 and is still coming into adulthood and the workforce.  This group is sometimes called “No Collar Workers” for eschewing business or professional attire, and while their predecessors may be technologically proficient, Millennials are pros: they grew up with social media, mobile technology, laptops, iPhones, and tablets, and are rarely without them.  They are plugged in 24/7, are interested in building relationships and having a cause, and want flexibility to work at the office, at home, or in the neighborhood coffee shop.

“Historically, communities used to be about who was in your town, city, county, state.  But now, because of social media, the community for this generation is the planet,” Grodnitzky says. “They don’t use race, ethnicity, or language to separate and segregate.  The only thing important for this generation is the desire to connect.”