Do you know which generation you belong to? Probably, but even more importantly, do you understand the generation that your staff belongs to? What about the parents at your center/school? There are some pretty significant differences and there can be some pretty big issues when these generations collide.
Here are some defining characteristics of the 4 generations that make up today’s work force.
Traditionalists: born before 1946
• The Great Depression • Social Security
• Pearl Harbor • World War II
• The New Deal • Korean War
• The GI Bill • The Cold War
• Frank Sinatra • The Atomic Bomb
• Sputnik • Alfred Hitchcock
• Jackie Robinson • Rosie the Riveter
• The Holocaust
Baby Boomers: born 1946 to 1964
• Booming birthrate • The Beatles
• Television • Expansion of suburbia
• Vietnam • Martin Luther King, Jr.
• OPEC embargo • Watergate
• Women’s rights • Sex, drugs & rock n’ roll
• John Glenn • Kennedy assassination
Generation Xers: born 1965 to 1981
• Sesame Street • MTV
• The personal Computer • Title IX
• Divorce • AIDS
• Crack cocaine • Space shuttle Challenger
• Missing children on milk cartons • Grunge & rap music
• 24-hour media • Madonna
Millennials: born 1982 to 2000
• Terrorism • The fall of the Berlin wall
• Worldwide Web • Oklahoma City bombing
• Princess Diana’s death • Events of 9/11
• Columbine • Drugs & gangs
• Diversity • Blended families
• Personal cell phones, iPods • Britney Spears
These are formative events for each of the four generations and each have formed a very distinct approach to work and life. Learning more about each of these generations and their differences can allow you to communicate effectively across generation lines and retain, recruit, motivate and manage your staff