Workforce Today

We are here today to address what we can do to supply many of the demands of each generation in our work force. As we know our company is composed of four different generations.  In order to keep it running smoothly all issues need to be resolved. I believe we all benefit from each other’s ideas and if we put them all together, our company will be more successful in reaching the public.  The public will then have a generation that it can identify with.  We do not wish for tensions to rise and so we must all learn to work together in harmony. This memorandum is here to address many needs and desires which might arise in our group of generations.

Many questions come to mind in discussing the generation’s differences.  Over all these assumptions of how each group behave and believes in just a guideline.  Some people in each age group might be a little different than the average representations.  We must understand each other in order to make our differences work together.

First I wish to discuss Baby Boomers. On the average about 26% of you in the workforce are baby boomers.  You were born between the years 1946 to 1964.  I fall under this category myself. We have the philosophy that we should pay our dues.

The next group in our discussion is the Xers.  You were born 1965–1977. We will call you Generation X. You comprise an average of 22% of the workforce (We Connect). 

Xers saw the yuppies come in and the beginning of internet use increasing (Time).       Those of you from this generation may have had a mother working outside the home to support her family because of a divorce. You were given the term of latchkey because you were mainly left to your own devices while mom worked.  You feel like you need to be left to yourself and not feel like you are under observation. You want someone to tell you how things are and what they think of your work. You will also give your opinions willingly about someone else’s work. You work well with people of other cultures. You like to have fun at work. You observe a practicality when it comes to work.

Generation X really has a good commitment to their jobs. They’ve seen hard times in the past with parents keeping jobs. A lot of you started working in the 1980s. Our economy was similar then to the conditions now in 2008.  You work well in your assigned team.  We couldn’t ask for better commitment from you as your bosses. You don’t complain very often.  If you are dissatisfied with your job you go for other jobs and you are gone.  We really need to keep you aboard. You don’t really try to progress your career.  You seem to just settle for accepting a more fluid balance in your job. I feel that to keep the Xer generation we should make them feel as if they are working at our side not behind us or below us. You love to learn new things.  You always want to be ready for newer and more exciting things to do. We will just give you a job objective and turn you lose to accomplish it.