Managing the Millennials

Generation Traits and Gaps

Millennials form the “most educated and technologically savvy generation ever.” Their parents sheltered them and gave their lives structure. The US workforce now includes 31 million Millennials, and that number will increase steadily in the next five years. When people of the same age experience high-impact events, they develop a similar mind-set that shapes lifelong perspectives and values.

People born between 1925 and 1945 form the Builders generation and were shaped by The Great Depression, Roosevelt’s presidency, World War II and its aftermath. They respect authority, value a strong work ethic and expect to wait for rewards. Builders often worked for one company their entire careers.

Following the Builders came the Baby Boomers, the more than 80 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. They experienced the emergence of television and rock and roll, the Vietnam conflict, the civil rights and the women’s movements. For Boomers, work is about accumulating material wealth and creating a professional identity.

Arriving between 1965 and 1977, Generation Xers – 38 million strong – bridge Baby Boomers and Millennials. They grew...