Generation X
Generation X is the generation born between 1965 and 1980. Their parents are the early baby boomers and they are the parents of the "newest" Generation Z. They were born into a world with strong trends towards divorce and economic insecurity. This group has already witnessed the rapid development of information technology and is not averse to computers, but still prefers handwriting and telephoning to typing and emailing.
They are mainly characterised by individualism and scepticism. They are highly resourceful and quick to adapt to change. Their work is about building a career. They expect their work to entertain them, like to work with the latest technology and strive for a good work-life balance.
They are mostly self-reliant, sceptical about relationships, distrustful of institutions, from marriage to their own employer. These characteristics are also the reason why a large number of this generation have become entrepreneurs.
Generation Y
The generation is made up of people born between 1981 and 1994 (2000 according to some definitions). Their parents are late baby boomers, who have inherited a certain optimistic outlook. They are characterised by a practicality and a 'technology-craze', having been exposed to computers and mobile phones from school age. They were born into a world marked by inter-regional, inter-community conflicts.
They don't plan for the long term, they live for today, they always try to have fun, they strive for balance when planning their lifestyle. They don't like to be told what to do, preferring cooperation and empowerment in the workplace. They like to feel like they are their own boss. In terms of their work habits, Gen Yers are confident and achievement-oriented. Success, money and careers are paramount concepts for them, because they have learned at a young age that this is the only way forward in a consumer society. As a result, they are not docile workers, but rather self-reliant, for whom the job is just one of many that can be replaced at any time.
Generation Y are realistic, confident and pragmatic problem solvers. Having grown up in change, they accept it easily. However, they are not seen as resigned to change, but rather as change-generators. As the descendants of the optimistic baby boomer generation, they feel empowered to take positive action when things take a turn for the worse.
Generácó Z
Generation Z is made up of today's teenagers and older people entering the labour market in these years. This generation is often referred to as the "digital natives", because from a very young age, they are familiar with information technology tools such as computers and mobile phones and use the web as a matter of course.
Generation Z processes information at a speed that is unbelievable for other age groups. From an early age, they are exposed to a huge amount of information via the internet, and they are exposed to masses of information. Accordingly, employers no longer have to simply assign tasks to members of this group, but must ensure that they are as engaged as possible, which is the only way to maintain motivation in the long term.
Competition for attention, design, social responsibility and continuous connection are the cornerstones of job offers that appeal to this generation. An important aspect in the battle for attention is that the generation is already comfortable in the online space at a very young age, so you need to get them interested in your brand from an early age.
Generation Z members expect brands to pay attention to their environmental impact. Green corporate programmes and communications in this direction can have a greater impact on job decisions than the position itself. It is also an important fact that they are constantly able to adapt to the latest technologies, so companies need to think ahead to keep up with the generation and cater to their needs immediately.
