Managing the generations part 3: Generation X

Generation X (Gen X) were born between about 1965 and 1980, which means that in 2010 their ages range from 30 to 45. Unlike their parents, they were born into a world of stable financial growth accompanied by some background fear of the ongoing Cold War between the USA and the USSR, messy ‘local’ wars such as those in Vietnam and Korea, and nuclear weapons. They have adopted new technologies, while remembering what went before and what has been superseded. Some Gen Xs remember a world before email, the internet and mobile phones. They remember when television could not be recorded, when the only way to watch a new movie was to sit in a cinema, when music was only available on the radio, on black vinyl disks or on tape. But they have grown familiar with personal computers, handheld communication devices, hard-disks, cds and DVDs, and personal stereos – from Walkmans to iPods. They are the first generation to have played home computer games. They are sometimes labelled ‘digital adopters’.

In the UK, Baby Boomers talked about Gen X as ‘Thatcher’s Children’: people who grew up under the leadership of the implacable British Prime Minister. Like their parents, Gen X can be hardworking, but they are often seen as less creative, less confrontational and more conservative than the generation before them. Fewer Gen X people smoke than Baby Boomers, although drug taking may be a little more widespread. Their ethos seems to be ‘get your head down and don’t make a fuss’. Both partners work in many Gen X couples.

Gen X can be found throughout most organisations, from top to bottom. Women Gen Xs are often working mothers, and can be looking for non-traditional (often hi-tech) ways of working to improve their Work-life Balance: part-time, job sharing, teleworking, seasonal working etc. Male Gen Xs may be compensating for the lower salaries of their partners by pushing for more responsibility and higher rewards. Although family life leaves many Gen Xs sleep-deprived and wanting short commutes and flexibility at work, the experience they get running their homes and raising their families can make them effective managers.