1. Generation X.
Born in the mid-60s, from 1965 to 1980, Gen X is an independent workforce and is willing to adapt to their work environment. Their independent nature is because most Gen Xers have spent more time at home alone or in daycare since childhood due to the acceleration of the industrial era which made Gen X parents spend more time at work and the development of mothers who became career women. This parenting style also makes them more skeptical and pessimistic when facing challenges, but makes them more tolerant, willing to accept the various differences that exist. The time when they were born was when information technology began to enter so that this generation could think innovatively.
With these characteristics, Gen X likes to work smart, namely efficiently in terms of method and time to get maximum results. They also like a clear structure, but with a work atmosphere that is not rigid or informal and requires information related to company management. This is needed because Gen X tends to want clarity in their career paths and believes that they need to be appreciated based on their productivity, not just the number of hours of work attendance. In the world of work, it can be said that they have several principles that are quite different from their predecessors, but with their adaptive advantages, they remain comfortable in dealing with existing authority figures.
2. Generation Y
In the era of welcoming the millennium, namely 1981 to 1996, Gen Y was born. This generation, which is currently a hot topic that is endlessly discussed, is felt to have different characteristics from its predecessors, making organizational leaders dominated by Gen X and some Baby Boomers feel quite overwhelmed.
Compared to Gen X, millennials tend to be more optimistic and high achievers, they believe that they have the potential to be great. In working, they like groups or work teams, but on the other hand, they are a generation that is considered individualistic. They grew up in the digital information era where they were the first generation to enjoy the ease of getting all kinds of information without having to ask other people. They like challenges, pursuing a deeper meaning in work such as work that suits their interests, passions, ideals, or the alignment of work with their personal values. On the one hand, this makes them very challenged when they get a job that really suits them, but on the other hand, this is the main reason why they get bored easily and are even less loyal to work.
These characteristics make millennials need an environment that provides them with room to move in creating more meaning for their work and feedback that encourages them to continue to develop themselves. In addition, Gen Y longs for a mentor or partner rather than an authority figure that is only one-way.
3. Generation Z
The generation that was born when technology was developing so rapidly, namely in 1997 to 2015. They are currently a maximum of 21 years old and the majority of them can be said to be still teenagers, although some of them have entered the workforce as successors to the millennials.
Their most prominent characteristic is wanting everything to be instant. They don't like dealing with long processes to examine problems. In addition, they have a strong ambition to succeed. Very fast in mastering technology because for them technology is not a set of tools or platforms but has become a lifestyle that is integrated with it.
With these characteristics, Gen Z needs an environment that gives them a lot of freedom to be creative and the opportunity to channel their considerable ambitions. Ready or not, today's organizations need to develop an approach that can be said to be completely different in order to be able to face the next generation of millennials.
