Recruit and retain Generation X, the most misunderstood generation
Stress for Success
April 18, 2006

Employers are faced with 76 million Baby Boomers nearing retirement with only 51 million Gen Xers to take their place, making for an incredibly tight labor market. Creating a desirable workplace now for this and the other generations gives you a recruitment and retention advantage. But first you must understand each generation, which is what this series is about.

I developed the most empathy for Generation X (born between 1961 – 1980, making them 26 – 45 years old) when researching how historic events shaped each generation's values. Xers have been labeled disloyal slackers. However, when you consider the times in which they grew up I think you’ll empathize with this misunderstood generation.

Gen X, a.k.a. latchkey kids, was the most unsupervised generation. Xers learned to be very independent. Their routine was to go directly home after school and call their mothers immediately, then get their homework done and clean up the kitchen so their exhausted parents could get dinner started upon arriving home. So many were kids of divorce that they developed a cynicism about marriage, looking to friends and to themselves for security.

There was plenty to be pessimistic about in the larger world too. They saw the U. S. fail militarily (Vietnam), politically (Watergate), diplomatically (Iran hostage situation), and economically (Japan on the rise). Terrorism was increasing, the Stock Market took a serious dive and police brutality was pumped over the airwaves.

They were the first generation to be told that they’d be less financially secure than their parents due to the 1980s economic downturn. To add insult to injury, when they graduated from college they were lucky to get a job flipping burgers. In fact, theirs was the McJob generation.

The big invention that influenced them was the computer. Gen Xers learned how to use new technology on their own giving them a greater understanding of it. The increased visual stimulation from computer and video games increased their brains’ neural connections leading researchers to notice that they’re better at multi-tasking --- and getting bored more easily.

Many Xers are disillusioned with the workplace. Older workers see them as disloyal while they see themselves as practical. After watching their workaholic parents laid off by the millions in the 1980s, Gen Xers decided they’d work to live not vice versa. Balance and flexibility became valued. Their loyalty was to their résumés and developing marketable skills.
This was the best-educated generation in the workforce. They want to be listened to and treated as equals. They’re frustrated with Boomers’ need to endlessly process information, the glacial rate of organizational change, being underutilized and the lack of enough learning and advancement opportunities.

Due to their propensity for boredom they may quickly move on to another job. Xers in their 20s change jobs every 1.1 year!

They say what’s most important to them in the workplace are:

• Quality relationships with managers and coworkers
• Interesting work that stimulates and
• Helps them build marketable skills
• Continuous learning

Whereas the baby boom generation was very motivated by money and status most Gen Xers aren’t. Status was listed at the bottom of what motivates them with salary the third least important. They don't want the corner office they want flexibility, more independence in getting the work done, and life balance.

To be competitive in recruitment and retention of Gen Xers:

• Create more coaching relationships with boomers to groom Xers as leaders
• Include them in strategic planning to help satisfy their top three work priorities
• To alleviate boredom give them more variety of work
• Poll them to discern their main issues
• Offer flex time, telecommuting, job sharing, on-site childcare or childcare subsidy
• Don’t micromanage this independent group
• Increase collaborative and decrease competitive work environment
• Offer management training to supervisors with high employee turnover

Next week we’ll look at the youngest generation at work, Generation Y.
Jacquelyn Ferguson, M. S., of InterAction Associates, is a trainer and a Stress Coach in Lee County. E-mail her at www.jackieferguson.com or call 239-693-8111 for information about her workshops on this and other topics. Register for her open enrollment seminar on June 9 at FGCU, Bridging the Generation Gap (590-7815).