Generational Differences Chart

Traditionalists Baby Boomers Generation X Millennials

Birth Years 1900-1945 1946-1964 1965-1980 1977-1994) 1981-2000
Famous Bob Dole, Bill Clinton, Barak Ashton Kutcher, Serena
People Elizabeth Taylor Meryl Streep Obama, Williams
Jennifer
Lopez
Core Adhere to rules Anti-war Balance Achievement
Values Conformers/Con Anti- Diversity Avid consumers
formity government Entrepreneuri Civic Duty
Contributing to Anything is al Fun Confidence
the Collective possible Highly Diversity
good is Equal rights Educated Extreme fun
important Equal High job Fun!
Dedication/Sacr opportunities expectations High morals
ifice Delayed Extremely loyal Independent Highly tolerant
Reward to their children Informality Hotly competitive
Discipline Involvement Lack of Like personal attention
Dont question Optimism organization Self-confident
authority Personal al loyalty Social ability
Duty before Gratification Pragmatism Members of global
pleasure Family Personal Seek life community
Focus Growth balance Most educated
Giving Back is Question Self-reliance generation
important Everything Skepticism/C Extremely techno savvy
Hard Work Spend now, ynical Extremely spiritual
Law and Order worry later Suspicious of Now!
Loyalty Team Oriented Boomer Optimism
Patriotism Transformation values Realism
Patience al Trust no one Think Street smarts
Respect for over 30 Youth Globally
authority Work Want to Techno
Responsibility make a literacy
Savers difference
Stabilizing
Trust in
Government
Attributes Committed to Ability to Adaptable Ambitious but not
company handle a crisis Angry but entirely focused. Look
Competent Ambitious dont know to the workplace for
Confident Anti- why direction and to help
Conservative extablishmentis Antiestablish them achieve their
Dedication m ment goals.
Doing more with Challenge mentality At ease in teams
less Ethical Authority Big Gap with Attached to their
Fiscally prudent Competent boomers gadgets & parents
Hard-working Competitive
Historical Consensus Can change Best educated -
viewpoint Honor Leadership Crave Confident
Linear work style Consumerism independen Diversity Focused -
Loyal to Ethical ce Confident Multiculturalism
organization/em Good Competent Have not lived without
ployers communicatio Ethical computers
(duty, honor, n skills Flexible Eager to spend money
country) Idealism Focus on Fiercely
Organized Live to work Results Free Independent
Patriotic Loyal to agents Focus is children/family
Respectful of careers and Highest Focus on change using
Authority employers Most number of technology
Rules of educated as divorced Friendly Scheduled,
conduct compared to parents structured lives
Sacrifice other 3 High degree Globalism (Global way
Strong work generations of brand of thinking)
ethic Task Multi-taskers loyalty Greatly indulged by fun
oriented Rebellious Ignore loving parents
Thrifty-abhor against leadership Heroism - Consider
waste Trust convention Independent parents their heroes
hierarchy and beginning with Loyal to High speed stimulus
authority their Manager junkies
conservative Pampered Incorporate individual
parents. by their resp. into their jobs.
Traditionally parents Innovative-think our of
found their Pragmatic box Individualistic yet
worth in their Results driven group oriented Invited as
work ethic but Self-starters children to play a lead
now seek a Self-sufficient role in familys
healthy Skeptical of purchasing and travel
life/work institutions decisions
balance Strong sense Loyal to peers
Optimistic of Sociable - Makes
Political entitlement workplace friends
correctness Unimpressed Me First Attitude in
Strong work with work life
ethic Authority Most doted upon of any
Willing to take Willing to generation@work
on responsibility take on Net-centric team players
responsibility Open to new ideas
Willing to put Optimistic
in the extra Parent Advocacy
time to get a (Parents are advocates)
job done Political Savvy (like the
Work/Life Boomers)
Balance Respect given for
Work to live competency not title
 Respectful of character
development
Self absorbed
Strong sense of
entitlement
Techno Savvy - Digital
generation
Think mature generation
is cool
Want to please others
Hope to make life
contributions to world
Very patriotic (shaped
by 9/11)
Seek responsibility early
on in their roles
Family Traditional Disintegrating Latch-key Merged families
Experience Nuclear Cleaver kids Women Coddled kids (they got a
Family widely trophy for coming in 8th
Mom stayed expected to place)
home work
As children outside the
were seen as home
special The first day
care
generation
Dual Income
families
Education A dream A birthright A way to get An incredible expense
there
Work Ethic Dedicated Driven Balance Ambitious
Pay your dues Workaholic-60 Work smarter Whats next?
Work hard hr work weeks and with Multitasking
Respect Work long hours greater Tenacity
Authority Hard to establish self- output, not Entrepreneurial
work worth and work longer
Age=seniority identity and hours.
Company first fulfillment Eliminate the
Work ethic = task
worth ethic Self-reliant
Quality Want
structure &
direction
Skeptical
Focus Task Relationships Task and Global and Networked
and Results Results
Technology Adapted Acquired Assimilated Integral
Work Ethic Adhere to rules Challenge Care less Believe that because of
and Values Dedicated work authority about technology, they can
ethic Crusading advanceme work flexibly anytime,
Duty before fun causes nt than anyplace and that they
Expect others to Dislike about should be evaluated on
honor their conformity and work/life work product-not how,
commitments rules balance when or where they got
and behave Heavy focus on Expect to it done.
responsibly work as an influence the Expect to influence the
Individualism is anchor in their terms and terms and conditions of
NOT valued lives conditions of the job
Like to be Loyal to the the job Have a work ethic that
respected team Work/family no longer mandates 10
Like to hear Question balance is hr days.
motivational authority important to High expectations of
messages Process them bosses and managers to
Linear Work style oriented Enjoy work, assist and mentor them
Socialization is Relationship but are more in attainment of
important focused at concerned professional goals.
Their word is work about Want long-term
their bond Strive to do work/life relationships with
Value due their very best navigation employers, but on their
process and fair Value ambition Have a work own terms Real
play Value ethic that no Revolution>decrease in
Value Honor collaboration longer career ambition in favor
Value Value Equality mandates 10 of more family time,
compliance Value Personal hr days. less travel, less personal
Value Sacrifice fulfillment/gratif Like a casual pressure.
Value ication work Goal oriented
Dedication Value personal environment Looking for meaningful
Value Hard work growth Looking for work and innovation
Value Good Value meaningful May be the first
Attitude teamwork work and generation that readily
Value Value innovation accepts older leadership
Attendance youthfulness Move easily Looking for careers and
Value Practical Want respect between stability
Knowledge from younger jobs and Mentoring is important to
Value Loyalty workers criticized them
Want a flexible for having no Obsessed w/ career
route into attachment developments
retirement to a Prefer
Willing to take particular diversity,technology,infor
risks job/employe mality&fun
Work efficiently r Recognize that people
Outcome make the company
oriented successful
Output Tolerant
focused
 Prefer Thrive in a collaborative
diversity, work environment
technology, Training is important to
informality them
and fun Understand importance
Rely on their of great mentors
technologic Want to enhance their
al acuity and work skills by
business continuing their
savvy to stay education
marketable.
Want to get
in, get the
work done
and move
on to the
next thing.
What They Recognition and Ability to Dynamic Want to be challenged-
are Looking respect for their shine/be a young Dont want boring
for in a Job experience star leaders job
Value placed Make a Cutting Expect to work with
on contribution edge positive people and
history/traditions Company systems/tech company that can fulfill
Job security and represents a Forward their dreams
stability good cause thinking Strong, ethical
Company with Fit in w/ company leaders/mentors
good reputation company Flexibility in Treated w/ respect in
and ethics vision/mission scheduling spite of age
Clearly defined Team Input Social network
rules/policies approach evaluated They expect to learn
Do what you Need clear on merit, not new knowledge and
know needs to and concise age/seniority skills (they see repeating
be done job If you cant tasks as a poor use of
expectations, see the their energy and time
and will get it reason for and an example of not
done the task, being taken seriously)
Like to achieve they will Friendly environments
work question it. (Respond poorly to
throughteams. If you cant inflexible hierarchical
keep organizations.
them Respond best to more
engaged networked, less
then they will hierarchical
seek it in organizations.
another Flexible schedules
position. Want to be evaluated
on output not input-
 on the work product
itself
They expect to be paid
well
They want to make a
difference
Because of being a
product of the drop
down and click menu,
they may need to be
given a list of options
Work Assets Bring value to Anxious to Adapt well Consumer mentality
the workplace please to change Collaboration
with their Challenges the Consumer Goal oriented
experience, status quo mentality Highly educated
knowledge Can creatively Direct Multitask Fast
Consistent break down communicat Optimistic
Disciplined the big picture ors Positive attitude
Dependable into Dont mind Technical; savvy
Detail Oriented assignments. direction but Tenacious
Hardworking Good at seeing resent
Loyalty the big picture intrusive
Stable Good team supervision.
Thorough players Eager to
Use their Mission Learn,
institutional oriented Very
experience and Politically Determined
intuitive Savvy-gifted in Good task
wisdom to face political managers
changes in the correctness Good short
workplace. Service term
oriented problem skills
Will go the Highly
extra mile educated
Works hard Multitaskers
Not
intimidated
by authority
Thrive on
flexibility
Technologic
ally savvy
Will do a
good job if
given the
right tools
Value
information
 Want
feedback
Communic Rotary phones Touch-tone Cell phones Internet
ations One-on-one phones Call me only Picture phones
media Write a memo Call me at work E-mail
anytime
Training Training should Training is a Training Willing and eager to
and contribute to contribution to enhances take risks; dont mind
Developme the the their making mistakes-they
nt organizations organizations versatility in consider this a learning
goals goals, but is the opportunity.
also a path to marketplace
promotion and and
additional investment in
compensation. their future.
Not
necessarily
loyal to the
company
who trained
them.

Source: http://www.wmfc.org/uploads/GenerationalDifferencesChart.pdf