3. Each Generation
Consists of approximately a 20-year span (not all
demographers and generation researchers agree on
the exact start/stop dates)
Has a unique set of values
Reacts to the generation before them
Looks at their generation as the standard of
comparison
Looks at the next generation skeptically “these kids
today…”
Those born on the “cusp” may have a blended set of
characteristics
They are either idealistic, reactive, civic or adaptive
5. Who Is Working Today?
43%
10%14%
33%
Veterans
Boomers
Gen X
Millennials
1,000 die per day
7,198 turned 60 every day in
2006
Youngest are 5 years old
Half the size of the
generations on either side
of them
8. The Baby Boomers
1943–1964
Core Values
Optimism
Team Orientation
Personal Gratification
Health and Wellness
Personal Growth
Youth
Work
Involvement
Divorce reached a low in 1960 of 9%
Families moved due to GI Bill, GI housing
and industrialization
First generation to live miles from
extended family
Family size smaller (2-3 children)
Few grandparents in the home
Moms stayed home – no daycare
Children spent significant time with
adult role models (mostly mom)
Perception of the world as “safe”
9. Baby Boomers
Important Events
Rosa Parks
First Nuclear Power Plant
The Civil Rights Act
John Glen Orbits the Earth
Cuban Missile Crisis
Martin Luther King Leads March on Washington, D.C.
President John F. Kennedy Assassination
National Organization for Women Founded
Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy Assassinations
Woodstock
Watergate
Kent State Incident
Vietnam War
10. Baby-Boomer Results
Very idealistic - banned together and walked through
life with their fists held high
Generation gap occurred between them and their
parents
Captured phrases like “why be normal” and “question
authority”
They weren’t friendly toward authority figures
Did not get along with their parents and swore they
would not raise their kids like they were raised
As adults - work an average of 55 hours per week
11. How Boomers Learn
Want things to fit into the “big picture”
Want recognition for how well they have done
Team oriented, work well in groups
Like to explore and analyze, look at different
views
Follow instructions well
Good with content
12. Boomer’s Educational
Experiences
Overwhelmed the school system, large class sizes
Ability grouped (red birds and blue birds)
Question authority but respect position
See life as an adventure (and school)
Emphasis on team work (cohort education)
Need silence to concentrate
Were told “you are lucky to be here, others are standing in line to
get in.”
Want to feel valued
Rarely tested and not for school performance (PSAT, SAT)
13. Boomers at Work
Ethic = long hours show commitment
Team oriented and relationship builders
(don’t like conflict – can’t we all just get
along)
Not budget minded
Sensitive to feedback
14. Marketing to Boomers
Are individualistic so they like “customized and
custom-made products”
Want to look successful (lots of stuff)
Seek self-improvement
Products/services that help them reach a balanced
life (work/home)
Like technology but see the problems that come
with it
16. The Gen X
1965-1997
Divorce reached an all-time high
Single-parent families became the norm
Latch-key kids were a major issue of the time
Children not as valued – looked at as a hardship
Families spread out (miles apart)
Family size = 1.7 children (many only-children)
Perception of the world as “unsafe”
Average 10 year old spent 14 ½ minutes a day
with a significant adult role model
Parents looked around and said – we need to do
this better
Core Values
Dedication
Hard Work
Conformity
Law and Order
Patience
Delayed reward
Duty before
pleasure
Adherence to
rules
Honor
17. Gen X
Important Events
Women’s Liberation Protests
Watergate Scandal
Energy Crisis begins
Tandy and Apple Market PCs
Mass Suicide in Jonestown
Three Mile Island
Iran Hostage Crisis
John Lennon Shot and Killed
Ronald Reagan Inaugurated
Challenger Disaster
Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker Spill
HIV
18. Generation X Results
This is the conscientious, extremely pragmatic, self-
sufficient generation that has a ruthless focus on the
bottom-line.
Born and raised at a time when children were at the
bottom of our social priorities, Gen Xers learned that
they could only count on one thing - themselves. As a
result, they are very "me" oriented.
They are not active voters, nor are they deeply
involved in politics in general.
Parents looked around and said “we have to do this
better.”
19. How Gen Xers Learn
Task oriented – like to learn new skills
Speed is important
Self-paced learning, independent learning
Want to have fun while they learn
Informal learning environments are best
Hate group work
Want feedback from teacher
20. Educational Experiences
Learned to rely on self (don’t like group work)
Distrust authority
Seek challenging environment (career education emphasis)
Want feedback on progress
Want to do things their way – like no rules and freedom on
assignments
Had honors programs
Funding cut to education
Testing “mania” began with them
First daycare centers arose with them
Many latch-key kids
21. Gen Xers as Workers
Cynical, pessimistic and impatient with poorer people skills
Want work-life balance
Think globally and seek independence
Like technology and want an informal work environment
Don’t want the boomers’ work ethic
Communication is important and talk to adults as friends/peers (not
impressed with authority)
Believe reward should be based on productivity not hours worked
Want control of self, time and future
Loyalty to people not a company
23. The Echo Boom/Millennials…
The Millennials are almost as large as the baby boom
The Millennials are the children born between 1982 and 2002 (peaked in 1990), a
cohort called by various names:
Generation Y Echo Boom
Net GenerationMillennials
24. Millennials
This generation is civic-minded, much like the
previous GI Generation.
They are collectively optimistic, long-term
planners, high achievers with lower rates of violent
crime, teen pregnancy, smoking and alcohol use
than ever before.
This generation believes that they have the
potential to be great and they probably do. We are
looking to them to provide us with a new definition
of citizenship.
25. The Millennial Childhood
The most monumental financial boom in
history.
Steady income growth through the 1990’s.
Still great disparity between races.
Saw their parents lose all their stocks and
mutual funds (college funds) during the early
2000’s.
26. Millennial School Experiences
Many private schools, charter schools, magnet schools – all to
meet the needs of the individual child –many, many choices
School uniforms, child safety, high performance standards,
character education, cooperative learning and community service
Goal oriented – outcome based education (what’s in it for me)
School is a means to an end – one must endure until the next level
Interactive, participatory and engaging – are consulted by adults
Everything 24/7 and available electronically
27. Millennial School Experiences
No “grunt work” - must do “meaningful work”, participate in
decisions
International flavor, celebrate diversity, different is okay
Motivated by working with bright, motivated and moral people
Student makes judgments about truth and believability of what is
taught
Classroom mainstreamed – multiple levels based on ability and
interest
Constantly tested and compared to peers (learned to take tests
so now of little use for college admissions)
Feel pressure for high achievement
28. How Millennials Learn
Try it their way – always looking for better,
faster way of doing things
Prefer graphics before text, reading of
excerpts
Like small and fast processing technology –
best when networked
Want instant gratification and frequent
rewards (spot)
29. How Millennials Learn
Focus on skill development – not memorization of
what they perceive they don’t need to know
Productivity is key – not attendance – so make
class worthwhile or they won’t come
Have different critical thinking skills based on their
high tech world not thought processing (need help
here)
Rely on teacher to facilitate learning
Group think and interaction
30. Millennials Want to Learn
With technology
With each other
Online
In their time
In their place
Doing things that
matter (most
important)
Source: Achievement and the 21st Century Learner.
31. U.S. Total Annual Income by Generation,
2007, 2012 & 2017 (Trillions)
31Source: Javelin Strategy & Research cited in eMarketer 11/3/08 (Latest data available)
$2.96
$4.20
$3.48
$3.29
$3.91
$2.37
$3.44
$3.67
$1.89
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
2017 2012 2007
32. Gen Y Are More Likely to Make Their
Own Investment Decisions Than Other
Generations
According to Scottrade, an online investing firm…
51% of Gen y makes their own investment decisions compared with
40% of the total population.
Only 5% of Gen Y has someone else making their investment
decisions, compared with 10% of the total population.
34% of Millennials investors say their investment decisions are
better than average, compared with 25% of the total population.
79% of Gen Y investors are using financial websites to get
information, compared with 48% of the total population.
Scottrade is enhancing educational components of its online
offerings for the Millennial consumer, and anticipating more mobile
investing.
32Source: Marketing Daily, MediaPost 11/12/13)
34. Debt and Work
Total student loan debt exceeds $1 trillion; avg. debt per 2014
grad = $29,800 (Federal Reserve)
Unemployment rate for recent college grads = 8.8%
(Economic Policy Research Institute)
Between 2000 and 2013, wages for college grads decreased
8.5% or ~$3,200 (EPRI)
1 in 2 American adults aren’t saving for retirement (LIMRA)
39% of millennials expect to work indefinitely & won’t have
enough money to retire (Financial Times)
35. Generation Y Places High Value On
Connection to others
Diversity
Living first, working second
Time with friends
Civic activities
Taking care of the environment
Authenticity
Quality
Access to information
Ongoing learning
Career development
Freedom to travel
35Source: Marketing to Generation Y: What You Can’t Afford Not to Know, by Bea Fields, 12/25/2008
38. Cell Phone Technology
They all have cell phones and expect
to be in contact 24/7.
Not a phone – a lifestyle management tool
Staying “connected” is essential.
Communication is a safety issue for parents.
Communication has become casual for students
(IM, email and cell phones.
39. What Millennials Want
Ability to work whenever and wherever
they want.
Variation on the job
Continual feedback from supervisors
Opportunities to learn, retool and reinvent
themselves
Challenge, new problems to solve
To be in charge of their lives and future
Marston, Cam, Motivating the “What’s In It for Me” Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007
40. What They Are Not Interested In
Time-honored traditions
Doing things the way they have always
been done
Paying their dues
How their managers got to where they
are (rank)
A work ethic that requires a 10 hour day
Unquestioning loyalty to a company
Marston, Cam, Motivating the “What’s In It for Me” Workforce: Managing Across the Generational Divide and
Increasing Profits, 2007
42. Messages that Motivate
Veterans
◦ Your experience is respected here
◦ What has and hasn’t worked in the past is
relevant
◦ Perseverance is valued
Boomers
◦ You are important to our success
◦ Your contribution is unique and important
◦ We need you
43. Messages that Motivate
Gen Xers
◦ Do it your way
◦ There aren’t a lot of rules here
◦ We’re not very corporate
Millennials
◦ You will work with other bright, creative people
◦ You can help turn this company around
◦ You can be a hero here
◦ We value independent workers
◦ Your boss will help you succeed
45. Generation Z/Silents
Starts mid-2000’s until about 2017-2020
Will be raised on technology, they will not be scared of anything, they
will be open to new ideas.
They will be into truth and loyalty and they will not be not afraid to
voice their opinion.
They will be flexible and open to change.
They will be fearless and fun.
They will be the ‘new’ hope for our own future.
Their great-grandparents belong mostly to the Silent Generation and
the Baby boomers form the core of their grandparents.
Their parents are seen as being roughly evenly divided between
Generation X and Generation Y.
http://www.generationzbaby.com/generation-z.html
46. Older Generations Make
Assumptions
That younger generations will measure success just as we have.
Young worker must pay their dues and follow the same paths to success
as previous generations.
The company ladder will remain intact.
Workers go where the jobs are.
Marston, Cam, Motivating the “What’s In It for Me” Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007
47. One Final Word
In case you're worried about what's going to become of the younger
generation, it's going to grow up and start worrying about the younger
generation. (Roger Allen)
48. About Your Presenter
Randall Hallett
Board Member, NSFA
Long time fundraiser (CDO) and advocate for
secondary educational fundraising
Consultant in Healthcare Philanthropy
CFRE, Ed.D. Candidate, JD, MBA, BS
randallhallett@yahoo.com
402.943.6097