Thank you for joining us on this journey through understanding the different generations. Over the past month or so, we’ve covered four of the five generations currently in the workplace - Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (Millennials) - and how their respective experiences and cultures influence how they create personal and professional relationships and function in the workplace. With that….we’ve reached our youngest!
Gen Z began was born in 1997 with a number still TBD. They carry these commonly cited characteristics (so far): they’re cautious, technologically advanced, and diverse. The younger Gen Z’s (B. 2009) are the most diverse generation in history (48%), with many of them self-identifying as multiethnic, preferring not to check a box on documents like school forms. They are turning out to be the most educated generation with 59% of 18-20 yr olds enrolled in college. Similarities between Gen X and Gen Z are also becoming clear…Gen Z’s are coming up in a time of turmoil, uncertainty, and worry. The great recession of 2008 affected all of our security. The significant rise in school shootings, terrorism, and the opioid epidemic plagued Gen Y and Gen Z. These groups have never known life without security checks in airports. And now the pandemic…..all of these societal tragedies have led to lives led in uncertainty and worry, so it’s not surprising that Gen Z’s are more risk-averse than previous ones. They are also coming up in a time where media and immediate gratification are ubiquitous and information is everywhere, true or untrue. The nimbleness and tech savvy is universal; the ability to “connect” with people online is standard; voicemail is all but obsolete (never mind “landlines!”). All of these factors are wonderful in the name of expediency, but what about true and authentic HUMAN connections and relationships which take time, intention, focus and a commitment to developing them?
It worries me that these social skills and awareness are being forgotten. We’re human, folks. We require personal interactions to, not only survive, but to thrive. We are nurtured by the nuanced, enriching, fulfilling, intangible magic that sustains us: authentic relationships. Knowing we have that “3 a.m. friend” and knowing we’re loved, seen, heard, understood, accepted, honored and cared for feeds our souls, enriches us immeasurably, and yes, makes us better people. FIG has spent years researching the drip...drip...drip... of the dissolution of attention to the fundamental human characteristics we need to reinvigorate practice in these, really quite basic, human skills that have slowly fallen through the cracks. FIG is expert in human connections; We understand that there's a human need which MUST be addressed, and we know empirically, there is a solution. FIG is the technology of the ‘self’ and we must relearn this technology.
From this generational blog series, we have learned some fundamental truths - that as human beings, we are more alike than we are different. What changes from generation to generation is how we express our needs and preferences at work, at home, and with our peer groups - and what expectations we have about how our employers, partners, and friends fulfill them. HOW we communicate is just as important as WHAT we communicate. For example, developing clearly defined expectations, protocols, and ways we communicate with each other are goals that are imperative we achieve.
Think of generational characteristics as clues - not promises - as to how certain colleagues and others in our multi-generational world act, or how our interactions with them might be better handled or understood. Generational understanding can be a tool in our professional toolkits to consider when you are facing various challenges and opportunities. We hope that the next time you have that knee-jerk reaction to curse another generation’s name, you stop, consider where they’re coming from and WHY they’re acting the way they are, and approach the situation with a method of communication that they can understand - older or younger. We are the first line in changing this intergenerational communication paradigm.
I’ve loved sharing this exploration of the unique and generationally-diverse world we live in, and hope the journey has provided a perspective you might not already have thought about.
Until next time…...