Yesterday, I attended the workshop Wisdom of the Ages: Applying Generational Concepts at Work presented by the Outreach Diversity Council . Here is some information about the session:
- identify the four generations
- explore and understand common characteristics of the four generations
- recognize the impacts of generational influences on attitudes, values, and behaviors
- develop more effective strategies for working with people of various ages
I would recommend that anyone who wants to discuss this topic and learn more about this facet of work attend. During the session, we talked about 4 generations:
- Veterans (1900-1945)
- Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
- Generation Xer’s (1965-1980)
- Generation Y (1981-2000)
We started by breaking into groups based on which category we came from. In the groups, we wrote down a list of important events, trends, and heros that shaped the generation. I came into the session with a bias against Baby Boomers. I’ll just put that out there to be honest. Ever since I’ve been 5, I’ve had to learn and work within systems that have been championed by that group. By the end of the discussion, I had a better sense of how when you were born affects who you are. I also have a better appreciation for the Boomers. In fact, I can see many beneficial characteristics in myself that have come from the Boomers. In fact, instead of being an independent isolated individual, I tend to be more outgoing and seek advice from those who come before me and after. I guess this was a strategy that I developed over time. In my last work environment, I was surrounded by Boomers when I started. Then after time, I saw some excellent things that were being done by Gen Yer’s that helped me to grow. Being in a generation where technology was just in its inception has made me a valuable link from the past to the present. It will be interesting to see how things develop over the upcoming years as Boomers move out of the workplace and Gen Xer’s take leadership. Or will Gen Yer’s skip the Xer’s?