Generation X Expectations

Generation X, the folks currently in their 30s and early 40s, are the workers that have seen a tremendous amount of change. They were the leaders in the technology explosion. These people were the young workers back when the internet was just gaining speed, so they expected to have more flexibility. They have a lot on their plate with raising children and wanting to establish a solid financial future. They are putting money away, saving for college for their kids. Some may also be taking care of their aging parents.

Generation X was the first generation where it became the norm for the household to have both parents working outside the home. Most of the Boomers, (I realize I am generalizing here), especially in the US, formed intact families where one parent was the primary wage earner, usually the father ,and one parent was primary caregiver, usually the mother . However, Generation Xers have to juggle their careers and family responsibilities while pursuing education and attainment aspirations.

Generation X also experienced a much higher divorce rate resulting in a lot more single parents. Women were coming into the workforce in droves and not just on a factory line, like the Boomers, but conducting more meaningful, rewarding work. Women in this cohort were rising into leadership positions and carrying more and more responsibility in the workplace all the while continuing their traditional roles as the primary caregiver in the home. These employees wanted flexibility but there was no precedent for dealing with their needs, so they were the pioneers in inventing flexible work practices. The idea of having on-site childcare, and other innovations, were invented to meet the needs of the Generation X workers.

Therefore, what Generation X employees value is flexibility and the right to self-determination. They are the ones who are looking for a work environment that is going to reward them for their efforts in a way that is much more proportional to the real value that they bring. They want to be recognized for more than just that they showed up and did what they were supposed to do. They are looking to be rewarded for their unique ideas, for being creative, for being innovators. This is a slightly different meritocracy-based mindset where career advancement and compensation are expected to reflect what the employee contributes in proportion with the value they bring to their role. It is much more a mindset of “if I can get the work done and I can show the results, I should be paid accordingly“.

Generation Y Expectations

Lastly, we have the youngest workers who are our early career folks – this is Generation Y. This generation grew up with the internet and smartphones and cannot imagine life without them. They expect everything right now. They are used to getting their needs met quickly. They have very high expectations for themselves and for the environment around them to meet their needs and support what they want to do. Great individualists, with the advent of Facebook pages and profiles they are fiercely identity-oriented, open to speaking their mind and being who they are. They are often socially conscious activists supporting causes important to them. Having meaningful work is essential for them and they expect it. Generation Y workers also expect their work be a reflection of who they are just like everything else; their clothes, their fashion, their online profiles, their music. All of that is unique to them and so their career should be as well.