Human Relations & Development III

ThebirthyearrangeforBabyBoomerspg.41HumanRelationsandDevelopment.docx

Home >Business & Finance homework help >Marketing homework help >Human Relations & Development III

Table 2-2 Value Stereotypes for Several Generations of Workers

Sources: The majority of ideas in this table are from Adrienne Fox, “Mixing It Up,” HR Magazine, May 2011, pp. 22–27; Ron Alsop, The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millenial Generation is Shaking Up the Workforce (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2008); Alsop, “Schools, Recruiters Try to Define Traits for Future Students,” The Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2006, p. B6; Kathryn Tyler, “Generation Gaps: Millennials May Be Out of Touch with the Basics of Workplace Behavior,” HR Magazine, January 2008, pp. 69–72; Lindsay Holloway, “Stick Together,” Entrepreneur, March 2008, p. 30; Martha Irvine, “Recession Intensifies Gen X Discontent at Work,” The Detroit News ( www.detnews.com ), November 16, 2009; Chris Penttila, “Talking about My Generation,” Entrepreneur, March 2009, pp. 53–55; Cindy Krischer Goodman, “Meeting in the Middle: Generations X and Y,” The Miami Herald (http://www.miamiherald.com), August 18, 2010, pp. 1–3; and Susan Berfield, “Levi’s Has a New Color for Blue Jeans: Green,” Bloomberg Businessweek, October 26–October 28, pp. 26–28.

Baby Boomers (1946–1964) including Generation Jones (1954–1965)	Generation X (1961–1980)	Generation Y (1981–2002) Millenials
Uses technology as a necessary tool, but not obsessed with technology for its own sake	Tech-savvy	Tech-savvy, and even questions the value of standard IT techniques such as e-mail, with a preference for communications on a Web site
Appreciates hierarchy	Teamwork very important	Teamwork very important, highly team focused
Tolerates teams but values independent work	Dislikes hierarchy	Dislikes hierarchy, prefers participation
Strong career orientation	Strives for work–life balance, but will work long hours for now; prefers flexible work schedule	Strives for work–life balance, and may object to work interfering with personal life; expects flexible work schedule
More loyalty to organization	Loyalty to own career and profession	Loyalty to own career and profession, and feels entitled to career goals
Favors diplomacy and tact	Candid in conversation	Quite direct in conversation
Seeks long-term employment	Will accept long-term employment if situation is right	Looks toward each company as a stepping stone to a better job in another company
Believes that issues should be formally discussed	Believes that feedback can be administered informally, and welcomes feedback	Believes that feedback can be given informally, even on the fly, and craves feedback
Somewhat willing to accept orders and suggestions	Often questions why things should be done in certain way	Frequently asks why things should be done in a certain way, and asks loads of questions
Willing to take initiative to establish starting and completion dates for projects	Slight preference for a manager to provide structure about project dates	Prefers structure on dates and other activities based on childhood of structured activities
Regards rewards as a positive consequence of good performance and seniority	Expects frequent rewards	Feels strong sense of entitlement to rewards, including promotions
Will multitask in front of work associates when it seems necessary	Feels comfortable in multitasking while interacting with work associates	Assumes that multitasking, including listening to music on earphones while dealing with work associates, is acceptable behavior
Prefers working at desk in company office	Eager to have the option of working from anywhere at any time.	Prefers working from anywhere at any time; feels constrained when having to work in company office full time
Believes that sustainability (protecting the environment) should be balanced with its economic costs, including job generation	Wants employers to take a positive stand in terms of protecting the environment	Thinks that sustainability is as important as profitability, and only wants to work for a “green” employer
Note: Disagreement exists about which age bracket fits Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y, with both professional publications and dictionaries showing slight differences.

place such a high value on achieving outstanding results. If, however, your family and friends centered their lives on their careers, you might develop similar values. (Or you might rebel against such a value because it interfered with a more relaxed lifestyle.) Many key values are also learned through religion and thus become the basis for society’s morals. For example, most religions emphasize treating other people fairly and kindly. To “knife somebody in the back” is considered immoral both on and off the job.

Although many core values are learned early in life, our values continue to be shaped by events later in life. The media, including the dissemination of information about popular culture, influence the values of many people throughout their lives. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina intensified a belief in the value of helping less fortunate people. Volunteers from throughout the United States and several other countries invested time, money, and energy into helping rebuild New Orleans and several other Gulf Coast cities. Influential people, such as NBA players, were seen on television building houses for Katrina victims. Such publicity sent a message that helping people in need is a value worth considering.

The media, particularly through advertisements, can also encourage the development of values that are harmful to a person intent on developing a professional career. People featured in advertisements for consumer products, including snack food, beer, and vehicles, often flaunt rudeness and flagrantly incorrect grammar. The message comes across to many people that such behavior is associated with success.

Changes in technology can also change our values. As the world has become increasingly digitized, more and more people come to value a digital lifestyle as the normal way of life. Many people would not think of spending time away from the house without their electronic gadgets, even while participating in or watching sports. Being part of the digital lifestyle is therefore an important value for many people of all ages.

Company values can also influence or shape individual values, such as an organization emphasizing total respect for the rights of customers. Several business firms also strongly emphasize the value of spirituality, which could awaken such values with many employees. A strong example is Tyson Foods, Inc. which employs 120 chaplains. The head chaplain, Richard McKinnie, explains the value in these terms: “It’s not about Chistianity or Islam. It’s the spiritual side of what people are.” [47]