generation x 몇 가지 검색 결과

Generation X is a term used to describe a group of people born from 1964 to the mid or late 1970s in the United States and Canada. This generation follows the powerful Baby Boomer generation which spiked after World War II. Although the term Generation X is used to describe people born in this time period, it has also been used to describe anyone who is “twentysomething” at the time. The biggest impact that Generation X has had on popular culture probably began in the 1980s and peaked in the 1990s.

While the term Generation X can be used to describe a wide group of people, it has come to be popularly accepted that members of this generation, wrought in the shadow of the Baby Boomers, felt alienated and disenfranchised by the cultural icons of the time. “X” described the lack of identity that members of Generation X felt — they didn’t know where they belonged, but knew for sure that they weren’t a part of the overbearing generation of Baby Boomers. The media played its part in promoting the Generation X stereotype by portraying them as grunge-listening, Starbucks-drinking, flannel-donning slackers who were quietly revolting against their overachieving, conservative Baby Boomer parents or older siblings. While the term Generation X has been used by a more punk faction of the generation, it has also labeled a group of musicians and actors represented by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and Janeane Garafolo of the movie Reality Bites. While Gen-Xers probably feel passionate about some things, in general they have been portrayed as apathetic, disaffected twentysomethings with no course in life.

Writer Jane Deverson was the first known person to use the term Generation X in 1964. In a study of British teenagers for Women’s Own magazine, she came across a group of teenagers who were living outside of acceptable conservative mores by sleeping around, rejecting religion and disobeying their parents. When this group was rejected for use in the magazine, she co-authored a book with Charles Hamblett called Generation X.

The idea of Generation X exists in many other cultures around the world. In France, people of a similar age are labeled, Génération Bof, translated to “Generation Whatever.” Why Generation X feels as it does is another question. Many believe that the transition from colonialism to globalism and the relative safety many Americans enjoyed after World War II had an effect. Gen-Xers’ parents had marched for equal rights and felt the impact of Kennedy’s assassination, possibly giving them a stronger sense of social responsibility. Skyrocketing costs in housing and education in the 1980s and 90s, coupled with intense competition from overachieving Baby Boomers, may also have alienated Gen-Xers.

Since most Gen-Xers have grown up and may now have “McJobs” of their own, the disaffected attitude that pervaded the 1980s and 90s has for the most part gone the way of grunge and flannel shirts, though it is likely that there are a few still living the stereotype.

출처 : http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-generation-x.htm

 

 

Generation X encompasses the 44 to 50 million Americans born between 1965 and 1980. This generation marks the period of birth decline after the baby boom and is significantly smaller than previous and succeeding generations.

Members of Generation X are largely in their 30’s and early 40’s. On the whole, they are more ethnically diverse and better educated than the Baby Boomers. Over 60% of Generation X attended college.

Generation X legal professionals hold junior partner, senior associate, mid-level paralegal and mid-level support staff positions in law firms. They also hold middle-management positions in the government, corporate legal departments and other legal practice environments.

Below are a few common characteristics of Generation X.

Individualistic: Generation X came of age in an era of two-income families, rising divorce rates and a faltering economy. Women were joining the workforce in large numbers, spawning an age of “latch-key” children. As a result, Generation X is independent, resourceful and self-sufficient. In the workplace, Generation X values freedom and responsibility. Many in this generation display a casual disdain for authority and structured work hours. They dislike being micro-managed and embrace a hands-off management philosophy.

Technologically Adept: The Generation X mentality reflects a shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. The first generation to grow up with computers, technology is woven into their lives. As law firms and corporate legal departments integrate new technological tools, Generation X has learned and adapted. This generation is comfortable using PDAs, cellphones, e-mail, laptops, Blackberrys and other technology employed in the legal workplace.

Flexible: Many Gen Xers lived through tough economic times in the 1980s and saw their workaholic parents lose hard-earned positions. Thus, Generation X is less committed to one employer and more willing to change jobs to get ahead than previous generations. They adapt well to change and are tolerant of alternative lifestyles. Generation X is ambitious and eager to learn new skills but want to accomplish things on their own terms.

Value Work/Life Balance: Unlike previous generations, members of Generation X work to live rather than live to work. They appreciate fun in the workplace and espouse a work hard/play hard mentality. Generation X managers often incorporate humor and games into work activities.

출처 : http://legalcareers.about.com/od/practicetips/a/GenerationX.htm

 

 

Generalization is a dangerous practice at the best of times and can be misleading as we tend to assign everyone we label as part of a group, into the same box and regard them as the same. Generalization about generations and their common features is part of the modern world. The generalizations primarily relate to the economic, social, educational and cultural differences between various age groups and how they have been affected by technology, the economy and cultural changes.

Due to the delayed retirement of the Baby Boomers and the earlier development and entry of young people into the workforce into middle management positions, senior management may have to deal with 4 or 5 generations in their work teams. Some generalisations and recognition of their differences is required to manage these diverse staff and to satisfy their requirements, to get the best from them and to keep them.

 

 

More than 60% of employers have recently reported in a survey conducted by Lee Hecht Harrison said that have experienced tension between employees from different generations. Other surveys have found more than 70% of older staff have low opinions about younger workers' abilities. Also about 50% of employers say that younger employees have poor opinions about the abilities of their older colleagues.

What are the features of these Generations?

The term Generation X was first used in the novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture ((1991) by Douglas Coupland. Since then various other generations have been recognised including the 'Baby Boomers', Generation X, Y and Z (see details below). The term Generation Y first appeared in an August 1993 Ad Age editorial to describe the attitudes of the teenage generation then aged 13–19 (born 1974-1980), which they recognised as separate from Generation X. In their book Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation (2000), William Strauss and Neil Howe use the start year as 1982 to describe the Millennials generation.

There is a endless debate about whether the generalisations about the differences between these different age groups are simply related to their age differences or reflect real variations in their culture, education, upbringing and environment. These comparisons are probably not new as the younger generation in every society will reflect the changes in the society, the culture and the environment. All of us are the product of our genetics and our environment. As human beings that devote 3-12 years or more to education, we are always going to be profoundly affected by this education of the society in which we develop.

A general description of the birthdays for the various generations is:

Depression Era, born 1912 to 1921, came of age 1930 to 1939
The Builders - World War II veterans, born 1922 to 1927, came of age 1940 to 1945
Post-War Cohort, born 1928 to 1945, came of age 1946 to 1963
Baby Boomers - 1946 to 1964 came of age 1964 to 1982
Generation X - 1965 to 1979 came of age 1983 to 1997
Generation Y, Echo Boomers or Millenniums 1980 to 1995 came of age 1998 to 2013
Generation Z 1996 to about 2025 came of age 2014 to about 2043
Some of the arguments for and against the common traits of various generations and age groups are:

The differences between generations are more related to age and education and all groups are not static and are exposed to the same influences. This means that the differences they show fade with time. You see more 50-year-olds texting, and more people becoming comfortable with open, online identities and social bookmaking and online social communication. Each generation benefits from the innovation of the previous ones. Generation X and Y have benefited from and adapted to the internet, mobile phones which were invented by previous generations. This process has occurred in the past with the invention of the telephone, personal computers and personal transport such as cars and motorbikes which caused major changes in our culture.
Each group can benefit from the changes produced by an earlier group. Many have argued that Generation X enabled Generation Y to be bolder, by removing many of the traditional barriers to success. Generation Y were never confronted by the barrier and were not impeded by it and this contributed to the rapid increase and development of technology. Generation Y were younger and these new technologies were part of their education and so they were able to pick it up quicker and run with it.
Generation X was a label developed by the baby boomers to describe the wild views and attitude of new generation who had escaped the war experiences. The young people were so much better off than their parents whose thinking had been clouded by the threat of war and nuclear annihilation and the flower-power generation of the hippies during the 1960's. The baby boomer generation was responsible for breaking most of the norms in the 1960s. New freedoms, attitudes and opportunities were picked up and further developed by Generation X, which in turn broke more of the norms in the 1990s, which benefited Generation Y is enjoying and further developing.
There is a sense in which the differences between the generations is simply a reflection of the idealism of youth clothed in cultural and technological differences. Most people and every generation starts with the idealism of youth and shifts as they get older and more experienced into realism, cynicism, and the confinement of practicality as they get older. The Baby Boomers and Hippies who were going to change the world with peace, love and understanding. Generation X became the IT crowd are sought to change the world with the internet and mobile phones. Generation Y is changing the way we communicate with social networking and the way we do business though the world-world Web. Each generation has also been conditioned by the economic environment in which they grew up which has influenced their outlook and sense of optimism. Generation Y appears constrained by the less than ideal speed of the internet and the prospect of filters on which they can see and download.
Generation Y has a set of attitudes that follows naturally from their unique circumstances which are totally unprecedented and new. The world have never been this accessible, interconnected, information and education rich, hyper-connected. The same is true of earlier generations but Generation Y is more up to date (except for Generation Z). This has meant the they are better educated and more savvy with technology. They also have more opportunities to get senior management-level positions, where they are possibly supervising people for earlier generations that may have more experience.
Another difference is that Generation Y seem to be more willing to work longer hours than their predecessors. Generation 'X' was the first generation to expect work-life balance, but many people in Generation 'Y', while claiming that they want the same, are willing to burn the midnight oil. Many are taking on extra tasks, or are possibly taking supplemental jobs to gain extra experience. I think it's more of a desire to prove oneself and want to show the world that they are capable an up to the task. They have more of a 'work to live' rather than 'live to work' attitude.
Generation Y seems to be more interested in working for larger, more conservative and well established companies and rather than the new dynamic organizations that have not been around for too long. This may be a reaction to the 'dot com' collapses and they may distrust many new 'upstart' companies and fear they are unstable or deceptive and risky. They prefer organizations that have stood the test of time.
Generation X did change the status quo, particularly the flexible work hours, telecommuting and working from home that the internet has fostered. There is a sense in which the Xers have been enjoying flexing, spending important time with their young families, while the Generation Y staff established themselves as being more committed and engaged to the job in the absence of the Xers. Part of the reason for the Xers appearing to being marginalised is purely related to demographics. Bother the Boomers Yers are much larger larger and have more influence related to their size. Generation Xers are making up for their latchkey childhoods by intensifying heir focus on the family and personal development.
Generation Z will be in the workforce shortly, showing what "technological savvy" really is. This will happens quickly and all the 'oldies will have to catch up!
Most young people think they are the centres of the universe, and think they know it all. Most old people know what they don't know and many work hard to catch up? This re-cycling of attitudes between the various age groups is ongoing and is driven by technological and lifestyle changes. It all starts anew with each new generation.
Every new generation of graduates or trainees thinks that they have what it takes to change the world! They know they are heading in the right way and have the ability and training to make it happen. Before Generation Y enetered the scene, the Generation Xers were the idealists and before them the Boomers were the idealists. In twelve years everyone will feel out-of-date as the charged up Gen Z start to strut their stuff. Every generation of teenagers and twenty year olds has thought they were brilliant, bold, innovative and destined to leave others behind in the dust. Invariably they have new tools and innovations which gives them an advantage.
The transition for engaged, flexible, adaptable, go-getter at work inevitable matures as we age. There is nothing like getting married, having kids, taking on a mortgage and car payments to clip one's wings. Every generation grows up to become entangled in commitments and have their aspirations pruned by the realities of everyday life.
The major difference between Generation X and Y (Millennials) is how they deal with work/life balance. Generation X works very hard to get what they want and believe that the rewards will come from hard work and applying themselves. Millennials work hard but also play hard as well and want rewards now without expecting to work for it. This may be related to the Xers getting older, but there is also sense that the Y generation has been spoilt and expects everything to be delivered on a plate in a combo deal.
All of the generation gaps fade with time and perhaps the new technology that makes everything easier and is dumbing everything down will mean that the gaps will fade in the new future. In a sense the skills and tools are become in-built in the technology and you don't have to learn them. This applies to software and to jobs such as plumbing which has become little more than gluing plastic pipes together. The internet and cloud-computing means that you no longer need to read all the manuals and the 'help' tools and online tutorials mean that you no longer have to go to college to learn to run the software. The oldies can and are quickly learning this new stuff.
What are the Key Features of the Generations?

The summary below is meant as a guide and a starting point, rather than a definite prescription or formula.

The Seniors, World War II Veterans and the Builders: born (prior to 1946, before the end of World War Two), aged 66-plus.

The attitudes of this group were shaped by their memories of the hardships of the Great Depression and the First and Second World War. These hard working people have strong ethics, very high standards of personal behaviour and have learned how to survive and live on modest means and they believe that everyone should be frugal and not wasteful or frivolous.
They prefer direct communication via the traditional media including the printed newspapers, television and radio and they usually share and promote the social, political and emotional values derived from their experience.

They generally believe in the authority of what they read and they believe in what they see.
They are generally conservative and resist change and are slow to adapt to innovation that they don't understand.
They expect everyone to be truthful but while they are often are very free with their opinions and criticisms, they can be easily offended and are used to people being very guarded when dealing with them. Some are very quick to use new technology if they can be taught how to use it and see its benefits.
Your communication style with seniors must be clear and straight forward and aware of their sensibilities
They are the keepers of a vast array of knowledge and experience that pre-dates the internet. This knowledge relates to the traditional home skills and knowledge about, home repairs, building, health, recipes etc.
Baby Boomers: born 1946 – 1964, aged 45 – 64.

The Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and are the largest generation. In their younger years they were innovative and open-minded shedding the shackles of the post-war legacy of their parents. They were initially rebellious and anti-establishment but became more conservative as they matured to 30 and 40 years old and had children. Social standing and job status and have always been very important for Baby Boomers who tend to be ambitious, optimistic, loyal and believe that employment is for life or at least until they can retire. This generation created the concepts of the 'workaholic' and 'superwoman'. Baby Boomers are sometimes divided into 2 subgroups as attitudes, behaviours, life experiences and the society generally changed markedly between 1946 and 1964. Baby boomers have learnt to be adaptable and have generally done well at reinvented themselves with the rapid changes that occurred every decade of their lives. As children they had very little money and material goods and learnt to make their own fun - something which their children are often reluctant to do and shun. Television was in its infancy. Major changes occurred during the rebellious 1960s with flower-power, love-ins, the Beatles hippies and the constant fear of atomic war and the prospects of mutual annihilation during the cold war and the Cuban missile crisis. Boomers still love snail-mail and love the ritual of copious ‘information search and evaluation’ before making a consumer decision. While most have computer and have embraced the internet and mobile phones, print to hard copy is usually required and they have not generally embraced social networking.

Features:

Value freedom of expression, freedom of choice and don't like authoritarian management style.
Want information, knowledge and logic to rule leadership.
Like a flatter management structure, but still expect managers to be experts and leaders using their own knowledge and skills to provide direction.
In general, baby boomers are often regarded as acting to reject or redefine traditional values but this was less than for later generations and there was general continuity of many values of older generations.
In the West boomers are widely regarded as having privilege, as the Boomers generally grew up in a time of relative affluence and opportunity.
Many Boomers regard themselves as a special generation, very different from the previous generation due to the changes in outlook in the post-war era.
They have little regard for authority or experts.
They rely on their own experience, intuition, perceptions and input of friends.
They like flexibility and will readily change careers, except late in life just prior to retirement.
Leaders should be team members, leading from within.
Generation X: born 1965 – 1981, aged 29 – 44.

Generation X Generation X encompasses the generation born between 1965 and 1980. This generation results from the declining birth rates after the baby boom years and has lower numbers than the previous and succeeding generations. Members of Generation X are now 30 to 40 years old and hold and they hold mid-level management, junior partner and senior associate positions. They witnessed the layoff and burnout of their stressed and over-worked parents, and generally faced the workplace with different approach, work ethic, culture and attitudes than previous generations. For the first time many Xers had to cope and adapt to both parents having jobs and many were exposed to divorce and daycare. Many also became known as 'latchkey kids'. They are generally well-educated with many having degrees and they are individualistic, resourceful, sceptical of authority and self reliant. Unlike the Baby Boomers many appear to be less interested in status symbols, long-term careers and corporate loyalty. In the workplace they focus on their rights and skills, relationships and outcomes. They often change their employment frequently and may take on new career. They will readily leave a job if they feel unhappy or are not satisfied. They often have a “what’s in it for me” attitude. More resilient and resourceful than their parents, this generation is sometimes called as the ‘lost generation’ because the lie between the more dominant Boomers and Generation Y. They are often regarded as being misunderstood and ignored. Well qualified and educated, Xers are somewhat sceptical of managers and authority and are generally focused on their own outcomes and skills. Many wait patiently for more than 10 years for the management opportunities the boomers took as their right and Gen Y assume is their birth-right. They want effective leadership and many complain about the mess that the boomers have left them regarding the viability of the companies, businesses, and the general politics and social order. They want to work for someone who knows what they are doing and not all are patiently waiting their turn! At work they will desire to understand the advantages to them of their engagement and action. They want rapid engagement and will often leave if they don’t see immediate benefits or the returns they expect. Loyalty is not given lightly and has to be acquired and is often regarded as a disposable product. They marry, live with partners and have children later in life and Xers carry the largest burden from mortgages, child-expenses and education costs. Keeping up appearances and expensive lifestyles with their friends and family add to their financial and emotional stresses and this affects their outlook and morale. .
Xers are good investigators, utilising the internet as the primary tool. They love interactive connection with their friend and social groups and they rely heavy on the internet for research. They are prone to plagiarism because they don't recognise the copyright of web based search results. They are always short of time and you may have to work hard to get their attention. Television is popular well utilised, but selectively in terms of program choice. In numerous modes this assembly is the most demanding to come to as they are so engaged in all facets of their life that ‘information overload’ is a unchanging state for them. In many ways this group is the most challenging to reach as they are so busy in all aspects of their life that ‘information overload’ is a constant state for them.

Features:

Generation X places a premium on family time and has a different attitude about work.
They dislike rigid work requirements.
They value the freedom to set their own hours and to work flexible hours.
Generation X has an entrepreneurial attitude that focuses on diversity, challenge, responsibility and creative input. They change jobs if there are no opportunities for advancement.
A hands-off approach often works best when mentoring, supervising or working with this generation.
They value autonomy and freedom to achieve the required goals and often prefer to work by themsleves rather than in teams.
They are motivated by flexible hours and challenging individual assignments.
They are cautious about developing relationships with employers because they believe that they are unreliable.
They generally prefer managing their own time, have clear goals and want to solve their own problems rather than having them managed by a supervisor.
They need continuous feedback and they use the feedback to adapt to new situations. They have flexibility and can adapt quickly.
They are motivated, hardworking and ambitious but value work and life balances. They strive to find quicker more efficient ways of working so that there is more time for having fun. This puts them at a disadvantage when competing with the Generation Y group who are very ambition and are ready to assume all the leadership positions when the Boomer generation retires.
They prefer to rely solely on themselves to see a project through, in contrast to Generation Y that tends to want to support and work together.
Generation Y: born 1980 - 1995 , aged 15 - 30

Generation Y are the young professionals in their early 20s that are just going into the workforce. With numbers in USA approaching 70 million, Generation Y (also renowned as the Millennials) is the fastest growing section of the workforce. This new generation holds junior and mid-level management positions based on their specialist training and qualifications. Generation Y is intelligent, creative, hopeful, achievement-oriented and tech-savvy. Generation Y are the luck ones as they are in an ideal position to exploit the pending retirement of the baby boomers and they have superior abilities for the new internet based jobs. Generation Y and the Millennials are very technical and comfortable with various groups. Their standards are quite like the conservative Veterans in that they are hopeful, assured, sociable, and have well-developed principles and a sense of civic duty. Generation Y are not generally brand-loyal and this group of Internet experts is flexible and adaptable. They expect workplaces to be flexible and are more likely to change employers than even the Generation X’s. Generation Y has been nurtured, pampered and spoilt with worldly goods since they were children. Managers should be aware that they are both high-performance and high-maintenance. Unlike boomers who are inclined to put a high priority on vocation, GenY's are more focused on their family and non-work lives. They desire occupations with flexibility, telecommuting choices, with the ability to go go part time.They are generally optimistic, highly social and rather moralistic. Many people regard them as overly ambitious and impatient and this may derive from the they have given special treatment and attention. They had the benefit of having fewer siblings to compete with and benefited from economic stability and sustained growth in the economy in their formative years. They strive for prosperity and work on their own terms and can appear to be - 'all about me'. They have a complex and strongly tribal social structure built on their social networks. Divisions between work and social life are blurred as their lives are broadcast on the internet.

Features:

They strive for creative challenges, individual development and significant careers.
They request mentors and supervisors who are highly committed in their expert development.
They are very good multi-taskers and favour communications through e-mail and text messaging over face-to-face interaction.
Their mind-set is “don’t waste my time expecting me to meet you at your office.”
Cybertraining and web-based tutorials, and training schemes are regarded as more productive than customary lectures.
E-mail, laptops, netbooks, iPhones, Blackberrys, and other expertise devices will assist Generation Y work remotely and stay engaged 24/7.
Supervisors may be required to enforce structure and stability and work hard to cultivate a team-oriented environment.
Immediate feed-back and praise will inspire and motivate this generation.
Frequent meetings and reassurance will assist in keeping Generation Y keen and engaged.
Trained in leadership they are often disrespectful of authority and many want to work for themselves, primarily not for the cash, but a flexible, life-style driven by their own vision, not someone else's.
With high expectations of self, they strive to work more quickly and better than other workers.
With high expectations of their bosses, they expect managers to be fair, equitable and active managers who are highly committed and have highly developed expertise.
They are committed to ongoing learning and regard colleagues as a resource from which to gain additional knowledge.
They desire shot-term goals with tight deadlines so they can build up their skills and responsibiliy.
Generation Z born since 1996 (or 2000 for some) Age less than 14 years (just about to enter the workforce)

Generation Z was born after 1995. They are just becoming teenagers and have never known a life without computers, the internet and mobile phones. They are often called Digital Natives who breath and function interfaced with technology. They are used to instant satisfaction and action, with everyting, including movies delivered where they want it though internet technology. Most of them are the children of Generation X and benefit from being part of smaller families with older mums and parents that have higher incomes as they have delayed having children ('hyper parenting'). Many extrapolate that they are going to be very spoiled, gifted, high-trained and skilled through being internet savvy. The web-based information may mean that they have poor summarizing and integration skills as they are used to information overload. Many may be very materially endowed and entertained as the cost of computers, software and other devices has fallen in real terms and the modern tools are much more powerful. They are described as digital natives who breath technology.

Features:

They are the spoilt children of wealthier and older parents with less siblings.
They have the opportunity for more entertainment and high-tech choices.
They probably have more consumer items than previous generations ranging from computer games, mobile phones, MP3 players, holidays and cars.
They are more complicated and appear older that their age and they are more experienced, aware of brands, marketing and online choices.
As they become teenagers they will have a greater role in to make buying decisions and doing the research.
They have highly developed multi-tasking skills and can move quickly from from one task to another, putting more emphasis on speed than accuracy.
They can suffer from information overload and will not check the source nor check its reliability.
They expect media to be delivered to them where and when they require it and they tend to the read newspapers and to buy DVD's for mussic and video - they expect everything to be delivered online including most software. They will control how data and information is consigned to them.
They will have an advantage in the workforce because they will start work at a time when the last of the baby boomers will eventually leave. They will be ideally suited to take up the high-tech occupations for which they are better accomplished than either the X and Y Generations.
Management approaches for the Mix of Generations

Each generation has a different set of values, concepts of loyalty, expectations from the work environment, view of work / life balance and employers should be aware of the differences. Each group also has a unique communication preference. You will need to chose the language appropriate to their lifestyle characteristics and background and have a variety of methods from letters through emails to texting and social media channels. Only by choosing the effective method will you be able to communicate with each group and engage with them. Some of the other issues are:

Greater span and mix at all levels - There is a wider span of ages in the workforce because many older people are working past 65. Also the generations are mixed at all levels. They are not well stratified, with boomers people in senior positions, Xers in mid-management and younger Yers in the junior entry-level positions. Often young graduates will be managing people older than them, and senior managers will often supervise across a couple of generations.
The older managers are struggling to cope with the various generation expectations and different management requirements. They often do not connect well with younger staff, because their values and work ethics differ markedly. High staff turnover due to poor communication is costing them dearly.
Job satisfaction has a direct link to the work environment and the orientation provided for new employees so that they understand what want from them. People need to know what is expected of them and the environment, structure and opportunities in which the their performance will be assessed.
A stable work environment includes giving frequent feedback employees including thanks and praise when appropriate and advice on how things are going. Hold regular employee meetings to discuss issues and give them a chance to share their ideas, and listen to what they have to say.
The way people learn and develop is based on their values. Each group has a distinct set of values, concepts of loyalty and expectations from work , how to balance the work / life balance and how they interact and communicate with various other groups.
Make sure that the managers have the skills to effectively engage all employees in crucial conversations and encourage honest and open dialogue that understands diversity in expectations.
Involve your employees in making improvements, developing the processes and solving problems. This helps to engage staff and ensure them that they matter and can make difference. It fosters communication and it overcomes a sense of lack of control and involvement in major decisions. Solving problems and engaging staff in the solutions puts employees in a more productive frame of mind to face the big challenges ahead.

출처 : http://janderson99.hubpages.com/hub/Motivating-Managing-Retaining-Generation-X-and-Generation-Y-Employees

 

 

 

http://www.un.org/staffdevelopment/pdf/Designing%20Recruitment,%20Selection%20&%20Talent%20Management%20Model%20tailored%20to%20meet%20UNJSPF's%20Business%20Development%20Needs.pdf

 

 

 

Understanding Generation X

 
The purpose of this article is to help you to understand the people from Generation X.

When I started the article, I thought that I would give you detailed information. I soon realized that it would take a website on its own to give you everything on Generation X.

So, here is a brief summary. Yes, I know it is still quite long, but it will definitely help you to understand the people of this generation better.

Before I start, I would like to emphasize that this is not personality types. You can’t categorize everyone from this generation into all these characteristics and behaviors.

I have met some very “old” Xers, who doesn’t display any of these values and characteristics. In addition, I have met some very “young” Baby Boomers who display many Generation X characteristics.

I hope that it would help you to understand the values and thinking of this generation. BUT PLEASE, DON’T GENERALIZE.

If you want a summary of all the other generations, read this article on the generation gap.

How do you know you are a Xer?

People from generation X were roughly born between the 1960’s and 1980’s. It will differ slightly from country to country and from culture to culture, but here is a general dipstick.

USA: Born between 1963 and 1983

Europe/UK: Born between 1966 and 1984

Japan: Born between 1966 and 1985

South Africa: Born between 1970 and 1989

 

General Attitude

“Whatever…” Enigmatic.

 

Likes

Sharing. Chilling. Being individualistic, Being with Friends. Change

 

Dislikes

Bossiness and corporate culture

 

Characteristics

Pragmatic. Individualistic. Arrogant. Risk taking

 

Health Issues That Define Generation X

HIV/AIDS

 

Where Were They Born?

In a hospital. Doctors set the birth date so that holidays were not interrupted. Water births and natural births without drugs arrived.

 

Family Structure They Grew Up In

Mom, Dad and 2.47 kids. Three bedroom, two bathroom home with double garage and a dog. Your parents were divorced by the time you were fifteen. Then it was mom and your new dad, your real dad, his girlfriend and her two kids.

 

Attitude Towards Their Parents

They were absent parents, worked too hard, and were too permissive.

 

Mealtimes

Ate dinner on a TV tray. Dads, and sometimes moms, were still at work. Mealtimes weren’t special. Xers often skipped breakfast.

In general, they have inconsistent eating habits with no set time or procedures.

 

Attitude Towards Education

“I’ll listen, but I can teach myself”

 

Attitude Towards Authority and Respect

Ignored authority, but quietly. Beatings had little effect. A more sophisticated approach was required.

 

Dress

Had to fight their Baby Boomer parents for their own distinctive jeans look. They wear them dirty, torn, grungy and hanging down their backsides.

 

Dating and Courtship

The Girl usually ask the boy to go out with them. They ask boys to dance with them. If the answer is “no”, they dance on their own anyway with everyone else on the dance floor. Dating lost what was left of its innocence as date rape and date drugs arrived. Generation X began to use the internet for dating.

 

Attitude Towards Training

Make it fun.

 

Attitude Towards Work

Where Baby Boomers live to work, generation X work to fund their lifestyle. They often have the attitude of “I worked hard until lunchtime. Can I go home now?”

This is in stark contrast to the GI’S and Silents who had an attitude of “I worked hard for forty years. Now I would like to retire."

 

Attitude Towards Changing Jobs

It’s a necessary part of career development. "I expect to be between jobs about five times in my life."

 

Advertising

Don’t trust them. Sceptical. Cynical. It needs to be surprising and unexpected to impress them.

 

Attitude Towards Medical Aid

“I will look after myself, but I will share some of the risk with insurance and maybe at some point get affordable term life insurance”

 

Attitude Towards Finances

 

A means to an end...not an end in itself.

 

Music

It should be dark, somber, intuitive, and moody. Popular musicians of generation X are Kurt Cobain, Sheryl Crowe, Alanis Morissette and Grunge.

 

Fun and Leisure Time

They like activities where you can die doing it, like canyoning, bungee jumping and white water rafting.

 

Working Environment

This laid back generation like an informal, flexible approach to the working environment. They want the environment to have elements of fun and relaxation. They also like to have the flexibility to personalize and change it constantly.

 

Recruiting Generation X

When recruiting generation X, you have to keep in mind that both the medium and the message have changed. You’ll get the best response by advertising in multiple media from magazines to newspapers and the internet.

They will need the assurance and evidences that the company is dealing with the issues that they rate as important. Demonstrate your awareness of their workplace issues and indicate that you are open to change and development.

Since they arrived on the scene in the 1980’s, they have changed the rules of the recruitment game. They started interviewing the interviewer. They say, “That’s enough about me, I want to hear about you.”

Unlike the Baby Boomers, they don’t like company branding and spin. So keep in honest and real.

You would also need to keep the recruitment process short. No longer than a couple of days. This naturally impatient generation, won’t hang around for weeks waiting to hear from you.

 

Company Induction

Generally, they prefer electronic orientation. Better still, use a "find out as you go along" approach. Don’t bore them with lengthy histories and background. O yes, and remember not to do the “motivational talk” thing…it’s not their scene.

 

How They Think About Career

Generation X saw their parents give everything to the company, which then spat them out when the economy took a dive. So, from the time they start working, they build a portable career. One that they can take with them wherever they go.

Generation X could be expected to be between jobs at least five times in their lives. On average, they will change industries at least three times. They would need to reskill themselves completely at least twice in their careers.

This doesn’t mean that Xers are unreliable, disloyal and flaky. Many people from The Silent Generation and Baby Boomer Generation like to believe this.

It only means that they are building their CV’s for yet another economic downturn or company downsizing.

So, if you want to retain this constant job hopping generation, you will need to provide job opportunities from within. Let them build their portable careers and their CV’s from within the company. Identify new areas of expertise in different parts of the company.

 

Attitude Towards Teamwork

They believe that team members should build on each other’s individual strengths. This doesn’t mean that they are not team players. They are great team players, but in Xer type teams, not Baby Boomer teams.

Baby Boomers like to sit around a table and ask, “Where do we intersect? What do we have in common?” Xers would ask different questions. “Where do we differ? What is my unique contribution?” They deliberately look for areas of differences between team members.

Team members are encouraged to share their difference in opinions, but consensus is not the goal.

This make this generation much more rugged than previous generations. Individuals or small groups work on certain tasks, make decisions and are trusted by the rest of the team.

They assemble and change teams much quicker than the Baby Boomers, who first want to take time to get everyone on board. Xers are much more collaborative than previous generations. They don’t like to be bogged down in political posturing. They simply get on with the work.

This generation are also much more direct in their communication style than previous generations.

 

How They View Rewards

Freedom is the only reward for this generation. And the freedom they want is to have a balanced lifestyle. They value the times they spend with their family and children. They are not keen to become the workaholics that their parents were.

They want to work in an environment that’s fun places to be in. Xers are willing to work hard, but when the project is over, they want some time off.

They are not interested in future rewards, because they know that not even you know the future and how long the company will still be around. They want to be able to take their pension and any accumulated leave with them when they go.

 

Feedback and Evaluation

Some people call this generation the “now” generation. And it’s the same with feedback. They want regular feedback at the end of every project.

So, make feedback a continuing process. They would also appreciate a less structured, informal approach.

 

Work/Life Balance

They view balance as a right, not a privilege. They demand it. They will resign if they don’t have balance.

With the new technology where you can work when and where you want, they often question why they need to be at the office at all. They are output driven. So, to them it doesn’t matter how they look, when they work or where they work. As long as they produce the results to your satisfaction.

They are boggled by Silent and Boomer Generation’s insistence to be at work at eight or nine in the morning. They reckon that, as long as they deliver the goods, that shouldn’t matter.

 

Loyalty

Their attitude is, “If you want loyalty, get a dog.” They know that you can’t offer them job security in uncertain times.

For them it’s all about contract. Loyalty and paying dues was like being a slave. They don’t want to work hard, long hours for ten years and then get the reward of being fast tracked to management. They don’t believe in this. You and the company may not be around in ten years.

So, enter a two way partnership with them in terms of balance, freedom and rewards. This will motivate them and keep them loyal. But don’t take that loyalty for granted. You need to reinforce that contract on a daily basis.

 

Fun

Fun is serious business for this generation. Unlike previous generations, who believed that fun is something you do on a conference or Friday afternoon, they want it WHILE they are working.

If they can’t work in a cheerful, happy environment that’s fun, they won’t be motivated.

 

Attitude Towards Retirement

“I won’t be able to retire, because I won’t be able to afford it”

 

Generation X leaders

Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Jerry Yang, Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, Mark Shuttleworth

 

Attributes of Generation X Leaders

Cautious. Creative. Pragmatic. Realistic. Low key. Innovative. Flexible. Independent and adaptable.

 

출처 : http://www.sustainable-employee-motivation.com/generation-X.html

 

 

 

 

"Coaching Generation X"

(For individual use only, not to be reproduced or used in any way without permission)

It has been said that Generation X is the most ignored, misunderstood, and disheartened generation our country has seen in a long time. No one can define who belongs to Generation X. While most agree that there is a generation after the Boomers, no one agrees on who it is. In a September 23, 1996, article in USA Today, six experts defined Generation X, each with a different answer. They ranged anywhere from those born between 1961 to 1981 (78 to 85 million) to those born between 1965 to 1976 (46 million). Although Generation X appears to be the accepted term, other labels have been applied. William Strauss and Neil Howe refer to them as the Thirteenth Generation (the thirteenth generation since the founding of our country). Baby Busters and Twentysomethings have also been used.

One of the most fundamental requirements for effective coaching is the ability to understand others' motives, values, and goals, not enforcing one's own on others. A slight variation of the Golden Rule-instead of "treating others as you want to be treated," coaches should "treat others as they want to be treated." This means understanding, and accepting, that people are all different. It also means that there is no "script" for coaching-it is different for every person you coach.

The need to understand differences is especially apparent in the ongoing conflict between Baby Boomers and Generation X. These struggles are rooted in the desire (on both sides) to want everyone to be alike. This would certainly make our lives and relationships easier, but it is not based in reality. Of course, clashes between generations are not new. Remember the generation gap in the 1960s between the Boomers and the Silent Generation?

The fact remains that Generation X are the employees that are entering the workforce today; they are the future. They aren't going away, nor are they likely to conform to the previous generation's definition of work. Boomer managers cannot continue to ignore Xers' differences and try to manage them according to their own mindset. This does not mean agreement with an Xer's attitude but, understanding them to make coaching easier. The better you know them, the more likely you are to have insight to their "hot buttons"-what motivates them. And, at the very best, understanding them may begin to remove the conflict and hostility that exists between the generations and will lead to positive actions and results that are mutually beneficial to the individual and the organization.

The problem with generalizations is that they only go so far and stereotyping runs the risk of alienation. There are always exceptions to the rule, those who will say "that's not me". I can sometimes identify with Boomers and sometimes with Xers (you guess my age!). It is impossible to suggest a prototype for how to coach 46-85 million people. As a start, the generalizations made here are based on a review of the relevant literature and personal observations/discussion with coaches-all with the hope of understanding this generation and offering suggestions on how to effectively coach them. To successfully coach and help Generation X, we must learn what they want, how they feel, and how they view their world.

WHAT WON'T MOTIVATE?

Generation X won't do things because they have a deep sense of mission, or loyalty to an organization. They have nothing but disdain for corporate politics and bureaucracy and don't trust any institution. They grew up watching their parents turn into workaholics, only to be downsized and restructured out of their chosen careers. They believe work is a thing you do to have a life (work doesn't define their life).

During the practice situations in our coaching workshops, the coach will often say-"Your behavior is affecting the company and if you don't change, we won't be in business in the long term." They raise the company flag and pull out the loyalty line. This means nothing to Xers-it will not capture their interest, raise their awareness, or stir them to new thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Xers have no expectation of job security, so they tend to see every job as temporary and every company as a stepping stone to something better, or at least to something else. They have been accused of not wanting to pay their dues. But, in today's changing workplace, anyone who is thinking about doing a job long enough to pay dues is out of touch!

Because they won't put in long hours at what they mostly term "dead end" jobs (Douglas Coupland coined the term "Mcjobs,") and they don't exhibit the same loyalty as Boomers do towards an organization, they have been called slackers. However, Xers will work very hard for a job that they believe in, for something that challenges them. In a l995 survey, Babson College Professor Paul Reynolds found that "10% of Americans between the ages of 25-34 are actively involved in creating a start-up company, a rate about three times as high as any other age group...it should help dispel once and for all the myth that today's youth are motivationally challenged." (U.S. News and World Report, September 23, 1996)

WHAT DOES MOTIVATE?

Value The Individual and Nurture Relationships. Although there doesn't seem to be one description of Generation X, most will agree that a defining characteristic is that they don't like to be characterized (as I'm doing in this article!). They don't want to be treated as a single entity, but want to be looked at as individuals. In addition, this is the first wave of latchkey kids to hit the work force. They are homesick for the home they never had (due to both parents working). Their focus on relationships over achievement is what leads Boomers to complain about their laziness. Isn't this strong sense of community and personal relationships in the workplace just what we need?

Challenging Work. This generation has sometimes been called the MTV Generation because of their short attention span. Xers want new challenges and the opportunity to build new skills. Training is one of the best motivators. They have a tremendous capacity to process lots of information and concentrate on multiple tasks.

They don't want to spend a lot of time talking about things or having meetings. They want to get in, do the work, and move on to the next thing. If you're looking for someone to deliver a report every week, you don't want an Xer. I recently brought up the subject of understanding twentysomethings during a coaching workshop. Immediately a manager complained, with a lot of emotion, that kids today don't want to work and will only stay for a week or so and then leave. Well, the job was very repetitive and offered little challenge. No wonder!

Freedom to Manage Time and Work. Xers don't want over-your-shoulder, in-your-face managers who constantly check what they're doing. Perhaps as a result of their latchkey childhood, these young workers are not used to being closely supervised and are remarkably good at working on their own.

Feedback and Recognition. On the other hand, members of Generation X seem to crave time with their bosses and can never get enough feedback on their performance. They may be searching for what was missing when they were growing up. Because of their short attention span, recognition and rewards must arrive quickly. Employee of the month doesn't do anything for them.

CONCLUSION

The characteristics for which Generation X has received such bad press are the very qualities that make them valuable. We say we want an empowered work force...give Xers the ball and they will run with it...we want a self-directed work force...these workers have been self directed from a very young age...we want computer literacy...Generation X comes out on top...we want flexible, adaptable workers-right on again.

Xers will respond to Boomer managers if they put meaning, into the buzzwords they use so often-empowerment, teamwork, communication. Create an environment where they are challenged by and enjoy their work, where they're measured on performance rather than on which clothes they wear, where they are informed, included and recognized. Gee, maybe Xers aren't so different from anyone else!

출처 : http://www.coachingandmentoring.com/Articles/x's.html