Pub. 2 2012 Issue 3

17 • Generation X, from 1965 to 1980. The oldest of these people probably don’t remember the end of Vietnam; the youngest ones missed the Carter years but probably remember President Reagan from their childhoods. In 2011, there were 51 million of them, and their world view was deeply inf luenced by the computer. • The millennial generation, from 1980 to 2000. Many from this generation are essentially the children of the baby boom generation. In 2006, there were 22 million of them working; by 2011, that number had increased to 40 million. This is the generation that has grown up being deeply influenced by the Internet. Of course, one of the biggest problems of looking at age differ- ences instead of cultural differences is the possibility that cultural differences can create as much diversity as age. But mass media means the advent of people being aware of, and influenced by, global trends. Someone who comes from a cultural heritage that doesn’t have access to global mass media is obviously going to be very different from someone who does. When the cultural playing field is leveled somewhat by access to an international perspective, age can become a better way to understand differences than culture. Young people are therefore more likely to fit the profile for each generation than older people who have not had the same exposure to global culture. Adapting to change Along with changing demographics in the workplace is a need to redefine productivity. Corporate America continues to be a competitive place, and companies that don’t think about the future probably don’t have much of one. Companies have to think about how the wide span in employee ages, combined with technological advances in the workplace, are going to affect their business plans. It isn’t just about competing in the marketplace. It’s also about attracting, and keeping, the best employees. With the Great Recession getting further away, and the jobs market improving, employers are finding that the people who are looking for jobs Q workplace demographics — continued on page 18 Learn how to manage all four generations more effectively, and you will see improved profitability throughout your business.