The gap between baby boomers and Generation Y has widened once again. Not only
have baby boomers reached their prime, but the next generation is slowly taking over the corporate world, government and other areas that were once controlled by the baby boomers.
The U.S. Census Bureau terms a boomer as someone who is born after World War
II until 1964. You would think that baby boomers would be happy to pass the torch to the
next generation of Americans.
However, that is not the case. Baby boomers tend to think that Gen Y’ers, those born
between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, are arrogant and feel entitled to every thing.
By comparison, baby boomers are considered “self-absorbed workaholics,” according to Steff Gelston of Chief Information Officers magazine, a technology and business publication.
Gelston writes that 68 percent of baby boomers believe young people do not have a strong
work ethic; however, 13 percent of Gen Y’ers believe work ethic ideals varies across generations.
This leads to even more friction between the boomers and Gen Y’ers. For instance,
baby boomers view the ideal workplace as security from the institution, promotions
based on longevity, loyalty to the organization and respect based on one’s position or
title, according to a 2005 article in USA Today called Generation Y: They’ve arrived
at work with a new attitude.
These are major contrasts to what Gen Y’ers see as an ideal workplace.
Gen Y’ers prefer security from within, promotions based on performance, loyalty to the
team, the ability to challenge authority and earning respect no matter what your position.
Technology has also expanded the generation gap between the boomers and Gen Y’ers.
This should come as no surprise to anyone.
With text messaging, instant messaging and web cams becoming primary means of communication, boomers are being left behind in the technological world.
They feel that our generation should engage in more interpersonal relations with companies and potential employers , rather than via email, text messaging and web cams.
To baby boomers, telephones are just as useful, if not the next best thing to face-toface
meetings. They feel that technology hinders the connection between people, but Gen Y’ers feel differently.
Technology is the way of today and the future.
Not only does it make the most daunting task simpler, but is the primary facet for companies to communicate globally.
Many baby boomers are reaching retirement age and that will undoubtedly put a strain
on the social security system.
With all the confl icting views between the two generations, it’s not shocking to think that
the baby boomers believe that our generation might be the ruin of American society. It
is unfortunate they feel that way; however, it’s up to us to prove the baby boomers wrong about our generation.