A SNAPSHOT OF THE GENERATIONS
TOOL 1
Snapshot of Generations 1901-1924 Greatest Generation
1925-1945 Silent Generation/ Lucky Few
1946-1962 Baby Boomers
1963-1980 Generation X
1981-2002 Generation Y/ Millennials/Gen@
Depression, New Deal/FDR Era, World War II, Korean War
Grew up during WWII, Grew up with a military draft & tension of Cold War, Vietnam War, Watergate
Vietnam War, Watergate, Prosperity & largest segment of society, Suburbia, Man on the Moon, Free love, Huge social change
Raised with technology, Grew up at the end of the Cold War, Gulf War, Latchkey kids, High divorce rates, MTV, AIDS, Dot-com prosperity, Challenger disaster, Recession of early 1990s
Boomer parents, Child-centric upbringing, Raised with technology, Columbine/school violence, 9/11, Wars, Hurricane Katrina, Reality TV, Internet boom/bust, Safety laws, Diverse education
Stability & security, Tradition, Helping others
Tradition, Work ethic, Loyalty to key issues
Recognition, respect, Options & flexibility, and success Positive experiences, Independent thinking
Loyalty, Respect hierarchy, Centralized decision making, Value structure, Earn their way up/pay their dues, Disciplined, Intense patriotism, Risk-averse, Trust the system, Selfsacrifice, Patriotism
Loyalty, Self-sacrifice, Hard working, Faith in institutions, focused on career, Patriotism Respect authority in the workplace, Driven by results, Loyal to the organization, Earn their way up/pay their dues, Work as part of self identity, “Break the rules”, Time-stressed, Politically correct, Causes, Consensusdriven, Sense of entitlement
Major Experiences & Events
Key Motivators
Traits & Values
Can handle fluid or undefined work environments, Informal, Technologically savvy, Value diversity, Ability to learn quickly, Value work/ life balance & focus on family, Independent thinking, Want responsibility and to have a voice, Pragmatic, Selfsufficient & reliant, Skeptical, distrust authority
Working with smart, creative people, Instant gratification, Impactful work Civic-minded, Socially, politically, and eco-conscious, Realistic, Informal, Technologically savvy, Value diversity, Ability to learn quickly, Require supervision, Value work/life balance, Skeptical about employee loyalty, Value change, Opinionated, Authentically confident, Welleducated
Sources: Ron Zemke et al, Generations at Work (New York: AMACOM, 2000); Society for Human Resource Management, Generational Differences Survey Report (2004); Stephanie Armour, “Generation Y: They’ve arrived at work with a new attitude” USA TODAY (11/6/2005); Eric J. McNulty, “Can You Manage Different Generations?’ Harvard Management Update (4/17/2006); Peter C. Brinckerhoff, Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Your Nonprofit (Fieldstone Alliance, 2007); Anne Loehr, “Generational Cheat Sheet” The Washington Post (7/9/2009).
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