Comments on: Name That Generation

By: admin

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:49:36 +0000

I knew I wasn’t the ONLY one doing this. This is why I really, really want people to quit with the X an Y.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:48:46 +0000

I like the idea of a blue-collar study, and I am going to look into that more. But I still want everyone to quit calling it X and Y. I am getting SO confused.

By: adowling

adowling — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:56:58 +0000

I worked as a teller, way back when, and I used to get a kick out of people that would recite their entire SSN when I would ask for the last four as verification.

On then generational naming topic, it doesnt bother me so much. I was born on the tail in end of X or the beginning of Y or the cusp of the Millennials; it depends on who you ask. Generational naming is a way to try to classify people, maybe an attempt stereotype them. I know many generation Y people that cant do more than one thing at once and are so technologically inept its not funny. I also know some boomers that run circles around me online and in person.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:52:13 +0000

I think the area of generation analysis in the workplace has been overdone as of late, and I’ve seen more and more stories lately on “the plight” of Generation X as they wait for stubborn Boomers to retire so they can finally move into high positions in the workplace.

But all of this analysis has focused mostly on the white-collar workplace. What I haven’t seen in the discussion is a conversation about the generational differences in regards to blue-collar work. It’s easy to say that it’s more difficult to find a cushy manual labor job today than it was 10, 15, 20, or 30 years ago. But that doesn’t mean that there are fewer children of the internet age who are looking for work using their hands, and it doesn’t mean that the blue-collar work market is drying up, although it certainly isn’t the fount of employment that it once was. So it seems that the more interesting (and less talked about) question is to ask: what is the future of blue-collar work from a generational standpoint? Sure, the white-collar worker of Gen Y is very different from the white-collar worker of Gen X, but what is the nature/character of the difference between blue-collar workers of Gen X and Gen Y?

By: admin

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:25:06 +0000

One of the nicest things about starting this blog back in November 2009 is seeing smart and savvy people weigh in.

I now have some research to do about Generation Jones, which is where I seem to belong. I still want someone to rename X and Y though – something not perjorative would be nice.

How about using your considerable smarts to work on that? Thanks!

By: TDF8674

TDF8674 — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:49:32 +0000

Interesting blog, Joan, but it’s missing an important part of the equation: Generation Jones (between the Boomers and Generation X). Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten a ton of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, etc.) now specifically use this term. In fact, the Associated Press’ annual Trend Report chose the Rise of Generation Jones as the #1 trend of 2009. Here’s a page with a good overview of recent media interest in GenJones: http://generationjones.com/2009latest.html

It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. And most analysts now see generations as getting shorter (usually 10-15 years now), partly because of the acceleration of culture. Many experts now believe it breaks down more or less this way:

DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964
Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953
Generation Jones: 1954-1965
Generation X: 1966-1978
Generation Y: 1979-1993

By: admin

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:20:46 +0000

Thanks for commenting, Dee. I don’t have a problem with understanding age from a demographic standpoint because I think there is a proper use for this in HR. For example, HR needs to know that “boomers” are reaching retirement ages and what this means for our business. But I don’t think we should assign behaviors to an entire age group – you’re correct that it’s better if we are “age-blind”.

By: admin

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:16:17 +0000

I don’t like any names that behaviorally stereotype the demographic, like “entitlement”. That’s why I like using Millennials – it speaks to the birth timing, not the supposed behavior. “Boomers” identifies the cultural phenomenon, not the conduct.

By: amy

amy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:53:10 +0000

At least “Generation Y” is better than “The Entitlement Generation.”

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:42:16 +0000

Oh I love the picture! And I love the stories. I have no idea who goes where, what age in which category. I cannot tell age to save my life. I would fail miserably as a liquor or grocery store clerk. But it’s probably a good thing when I am interviewing. I generally ignore those kinds of generalizations anyway.