The Generation Next To You

I started reading Harvard Business Review a few months back.

Nope, it’s not mine. I borrowed it from my boss. You see, until after I graduated the only books I read were CLEO. Or is it not considered a book? Err...Reading materials? No? I don’t read newspapers because I think it’s a piece of horrid junk. I rather dig a whole and stay there to die rather than letting those people programmed my mind through never-ending biased politics, wars and crimes. Are you freaking kidding me?

Anyways, I figured to meet my work demand I should start some serious reading habit to improve my language, current issues and learn some business terms.

So I picked up HBR just because HARVARD sounds so smart. Maybe the content would stand up to its name and be just as smart.

Browsing through, I noticed that in every issue HBR talks about workforce in the sense of generations, the Baby Boomers, X and Y.

Yes, I’ve heard it a few times before but I thought it only applies to American and never really get what the fuss is all about.

I do now and kind of agree with some of the facts.

You see, American studies this generation thing because they said for the first time in history, three very disparate generations are working together. They anticipate many challenges and crisis in the workplace.

Oh before I go far let me enlighten you with the three disparate generations.

a) Baby Boomers, born in between 1947 and 1963. Ages 47-63. These might be your CEO, VPs, KSUs, etc.

b) Gen X, the children of the Baby Boomers, born between 1964 and 1980. Ages 29-46. These are your immediate bosses, team leader, and head of departments. Right?

c) And Tadaaa...The Gen Y, born between 1981 and 2000. Ages 10-28. It’s us. You and Me.

I don’t want to get into deep with Baby Boomers and Gen Xers but I’ll tell you some obvious characteristics. Not judging or anything. This is what I got from readings and the internet.

The histories of Baby Boomers are very American-centric, and I’m not sure if it is applicable everywhere else. (Maybe not) But they are famous for their unwillingness to leave the workforce. (Eh, same here right?). Oh, they love working so much. Even after retiring, they still sending resumes applying for work. And I believe they agrees with the chain of command system and very loyal to their employee.

Hurmm..I’m starting to see the wacko-ness here. They live to WORK. (Nope, definitely not the same mindsetting)

Ok, next is the Gen X. From what I read, X-ers are
more opportunistic and individualistic. They love their profession, not so much with the boss. And they look for more balanced personal and profesional life, apart from their workaholic fathers. This generation started the whole ‘entrepreneurial’ thingy and making it so famous.

Ok, off to the part that makes sense the most to me. When talking about Gen Y or ‘Milennials’ I tend to see a lot of the characteristics in me and the people around me. I don’t see much American-centricity. Or maybe the fact that globalization happened during our time. The internet booms, the high tech communication gadgets and the satellites make it as though we’re living in the same circle.

Americanized or not, this is how we lived.

We, Millennial are more psychographic rather than demographic. And I reckon we’re going to fill the workforce sooner than later. The mindset and the way Boomers and X-ers do and manage business will and is transforming to fit the younger minds. Not because for the sole purpose of giving way to the young and spoilt, but because unlike any other generations before Y, generations labelling stopped at nation borders. Boomers and X-ers in different part of the world lived differently. Not Y though. It is a global force that has already conquered the world, in a form of technology.

Yep, what makes Y thinks they are so powerful is technology. (Well, for now)

Reading more and more, many said that Gen Y are slackers. We are lazy, too liberal, care-free and job hoppers. I don’t think that’s new. Every generation had a group that was below the norm, just like the hippies for Boomers.

I don’t deny that Gen Y has been pampered, nurtured and spoilt by their parents. Most Boomers and X-ers are very successful career-wise. They make some good living which transferred to how they raised their high performance and high maintenance kids who less likely to respond to the traditional command-and-control type of management. We grew up questioning our parents and I bet we’ll do the same with our superior. The respect is still there of course, but the judging and ‘ARE YOU SURE?’ is sticking with Y.

Speaking for my generation, I don’t think we’re lazy. Unmotivated, YES!. Especially if it doesn’t involves new challenges, wide and deep professional development. We are easily bored and de-motivated in status-quo jobs. Although we don’t necessary be fast learners, most of us are good multi-tasker and we can learn a few things and get better at it at the same time.

And I noticed that travelling since young age is very Y. Our father boomers and brothers X-ers agree that travelling is a learning experience. They even paid for our overseas trip while we’re in Uni or School. We were encouraged to study overseas like them but unfortunately, Y who are hoping to get an oversea scholarship better be damn smart with straight freaking A’s. The competition was getting tougher than ever.

The best thing I like about being a Y is our total comfort with technology. We grew up with technology and really rely on it. Armed with BlackBerrys (and other smart phones), laptops and other gadgets we plugged in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Facebook? It’s how we keep in touch and even make new friends. Baby Boomers and X-ers went along with social networking sites don’t they? Then comes business networking sites and the rest is history.

Technology manage to conquer generations and Gen Y are doing their best to conquers and control technology. X-ers are not far along and they are just as tech savvy but Gen Y has been computer literate since they were much younger. Am i right or am i right?

Ok I think this entry is too long. I noticed I haven’t stop typing since an hour ago but didn’t realize it has been three pages. Well, at least it’s not pure babbling.

Anyhooo…

I’ll get to the second part of this topic next time. In a nutshell (euww so boomers! I bet they invented this),many thinks that generation is not an issue or it’s not even real. However, speaking for my generation this classification makes sense.

We need to understand why we think and act differently and which way should we follow? and when? It can go a long way towards easing communication and adapting to new challenges of globalization.

I can’t wait to learn more about Generation Z. I bet they are scarier than robots. They started using touch- screen at the age of 3, learning alphabets and coloring from their parents’ iPad, started reading at the age of 4 and playing PS3 at the age of 5. Need I say more?

To be continued..