Qualified as a generation martyr, Generation X is made up of forties and fifties within the company, between 1965 and 1980. For a leader, the typical realities of this generation and their sensitivities should be taken into account in trying to and I will answer as best I can. Belonging to a sacrificial generation, the Xers are part of the baby boomers and newcomers of Generation Y and Z. Of a discreet nature, the 40-55 year olds must feel valued by the entrepreneur to give the best of them. themselves. same.
The points we maneuver into light are generalizations and have no intrinsic value. Perhaps you nevertheless include links with the management of some of your employees…
A generation that resents the previous one
Generation X is built on behalf of its rebellious parents. More easily exposed to divorces and resourcefulness, she forges her independence in a weary and disenchanted world. The paradigm shifts give him a certain maturity and a perspective on things. His attentions to the future have been more limited than these. Born in the era of the minitel, the Xers experience the full force of the evolution of society with the arrival of the Internet and new technologies, the end of the USSR, the AIDS epidemic, the oil shocks, the ‘ Increase in unemployment, the end of the glorious thirties and the economic recession. This generation is said to be “sacrificed” because it did not produce the same wealth as those that preceded it. She gave me the feeling that her predecessors robbed her of some of the wealth that she could have enjoyed with better governed management.
Respect for the company
Gen Xers live by company rules and have created many that are in effect today. However, she loses a certain motivation to work as the disappointments she goes through. She constructs a skeptical, pessimistic and cynical vision of the world, a vision that she easily assimilates to her business environment. For the report to their parents, the 40-55 year olds have not lived through the golden age of work and have had to jostle for access to their position. They show great demands on themselves and allow themselves very little room for error. They have gained experience and are faithful in their missions. So many talents that you should not part with or that you should not neglect either!
A generation not so difficult to manage
As a manager, you are the guardian of the generation committed and motivated in favor of the company. It’s not as difficult as it seems! To do this, you can include them in positive relationships and working groups where everyone’s skills are taken into account. This generation must feel inspired and motivated to invest more in the company. One of the keys to not offending their ambitions is to give them the opportunity to form themselves. In helping to increase their knowledge and skills, you respond to their demands for learning and their ambition to do well – and to do better.
A vision of work funded on meritocracy
Generation X embraces recognition and feels valued at work. If those who compose it have a lot of motivation, they are more inclined than their successors, Generation Y, to accept criticism. They are most often “hard workers”. Their vision of work is based on the most convincing merits that they experience a feeling of incomprehension even a weak recognition for the work provided. They therefore act to value their efforts and their skills rightly by offering them the opportunity of a job that allows them to obtain advancement. Some of them will be good candidates for executive and management positions within the company. Allow them to have a position that is interesting to them with promotions.
To enhance their work, you can also set up a mentoring system where they teach their knowledge and experiences to younger employees. Another idea to flatter their hard work is to set up regular performance reviews in addition to the annual company review. This allows them to test themselves and thus give the best of themselves. However, be careful not to frame them too much. When you guide them, do it tactfully by giving them leeway. Paradoxically, they are independent donkeys and most performers in a company with an overly rigid framework.
Personal work/fri balance
The generation of Xers does not see work as an end in itself, even if they are very organized in their job and work seriously, the office is not their whole life! And they appreciate having time for themselves. They don’t like to mix the professional and the personal and try as much as possible to balance the two worlds without juxtaposing them. One of the main priorities is the well-being of the family.
As a manager, you will need to make sure to give them slack in their schedules. So you don’t overdo it on impromptu meetings at the last minute, little appreciated! Not all of them want to work outside normal hours and do not have the office as their main priority. They attach importance to the granting of days off. And know that if they’re comparing salaries, they’re looking not just at the number, but also at the benefits as a whole.
A Sandwich Generation Prize
In Generation X, some may feel unwell, sandwiched between Baby Boomers and new entrants to the working world. A generation clash can appear company-wide. Your mission as a manager is to assimilate the differences and the talents which favor the salaries of the company and the loyalty of the whole around common values. Give everyone the place they deserve by understanding the specificities of the generations. And learn to break down assumptions by revealing talents and mixing work groups.
To conclude: managing Generation X in 5 points
- Speak the truth: use a straight vocabulary, neither biased nor politically correct and develop dialogue with them.
- Show them they matter on your team
- Be dynamic and encourage them to be
- I am a coach, past dictator
- Allow them to grow in the company
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