How many times have you heard yourself grumble about your youngest employees: "This generation just doesn't show respect" or "They are so lazy" or "They always want perks before actually deserving them"?
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because your business has begun to feel the effect of having four generations in the same workplace: the Second World War generation, baby boomers, Generation X and echo boomers. Changing your negative perceptions will not only allow you to see the many positive attributes of the echo boomers, but also keep you one step ahead of the generation game.
Also known as Millennials, Nesters, Nexters, Generation Y or Generation Why, the Echo Boomers are often misunderstood and perceived negatively. But each generation has its own unique, often misunderstood, characteristics. Our attitudes and opinions influenced by major events in our formative years shape our perception of family, friends, authority, politics and work.
The four generations, including major events, key interests and shared beliefs, are as follow:
Second World War generation: born before 1940
- The Second World War
- Respect for hierarchy (top-down management)
- Men belong in the workplace; women at home
- Importance of the nuclear family
Baby boomers: born 1940 – 1960
- End of the Second World War
- Vietnam War
- Cold War
- Television
- Feminism and civil rights
- Casual clothing expresses individuality
Generation X: born 1960 - 1980
- • Cold War
• The Watergate Scandal
• Microwave technology
• Divorce and single-parent families are common
Echo boomers: born 1980 – 2000
- The Gulf War
- The fall of the Berlin Wall
- Business scandals, such as Enron
- The rise of multiculturalism and globalization
- Terrorism
- Rapidly expanding technology, especially the Internet
- Emphasis on multitasking
- A refocusing on family (close parent-child relations)
Echo boomers should not be perceived as lazy or demanding, but merely products of their environment. Learning to see their positive side will help you use them to their full potential as employees. Echo boomers have had many choices available to them, and they are used to being choosy about where they work. They might appear demanding and impatient but consider this: they were raised in a time where news did not take days or hours to circulate, but mere seconds, due to the immediacy of the Internet.
Their approach to authority has been influenced by the scandals affecting many political and business leaders. Having witnessed the downfall of these once reputable figureheads, their respect for authority does not come automatically from position or title alone, but from proven integrity. After having seen the toil and hard work of their parents result in layoffs or termination, echo boomers are not automatically prepared to put work first. Instead, they want a life-work balance that allows time for family, friends, volunteering, sports, social events and further skill development.
The following are some of the characteristics used in describing the Echo Boom generation:
- Technologically savvy – Born with computers, CD’s, MP3’s etc.
- Well rounded – Incorporating more of life into a work-life balance
- Optimistic – Positive view of the future, but still practical
- Civic-minded – Active in community affairs
- Inclusive – Everyone is equal regardless of superficial differences
- Ability to multitask – Capable of performing many tasks in a given time frame
- Keen and interested – They have a desire to be involved in everything
Successful businesses will grasp the characteristics of this group and not complain of its weaknesses but profit from its strengths. This group is sharp, capable, craving knowledge and success, just doing so in a different manner than was done in the past. Facilitate the positive growth of your organization and capitalize on what is being referred to as the busiest generation ever. Your challenge is to get them busy working toward your business goals and success.
For more on hiring and managing echo boomers, see How to Hire and Manage Echo Boomers