By Ayodeji Jeremiah
Most of us have probably heard of the term ‘Baby Boomers’. Some of us will probably also have heard of the term ‘Generation X’ and ‘Generation Y’. These terms refer to cultural generations – groups of people born in the same date range who share similar cultural experiences. Auguste Comte, a French philosopher was the first person to make a serious attempt at studying generations in this context. He suggested that social change is determined by generational change. Karl Mannheim, a Jewish Hungarian sociologist also did seminal work in the study of generations. Mannheim emphasised that the rapidity of social change in youth was crucial to the formation of generations, and that not every generation would come to see itself as distinct. In periods of rapid social change a generation would be much more likely to develop a cohesive character, he concluded. He also believed that a number of distinct sub-generations could exist. Jose Ortega Gassett, a Spanish philosopher was another influential generational theorist of the 20th century. These along with American authors William Strauss and Neil Howe have been very influential in defining the concept of generations. Strauss and Howe’s book, ‘Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069’ is frequently cited in books and articles on the subject. While this concept of generations as we know it is very common and more popular amongst Americans; the study of its influence and importance cannot be overemphasised as it permeates to other societies overwhelmingly albeit with different outcomes and consequences.
Since the advent of the ‘Baby Boomers’, (probably the most influential and largest generational group to date) no other generation has had as much impact on social, political, economic and religious change as much as the focus of this article, ‘the Gen Yers’ as they are also called. Before we look at their influence however, it is important we know who they are. Doing that entails we know those before them.
Experiences that occur during the formative childhood and teenage years create and define differences between the generations. These social markers create the paradigms through which the world is viewed and decisions are made. Baby Boomers were influenced by the advent of the TV, Rock and Roll, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the threat of nuclear war, and the decimal currency. Gen Xers saw in the Personal Computer, AIDS, single parent families, the growth in multiculturalism, and the downsizing of companies. Generation Y’s have lived through the age of the internet, cable television, globalisation, September 11, and environmentalism. Such shared experiences during one’s youth unite and shape a generation. There is an ancient saying that bears much truth: “People resemble their times more than they resemble their parents”.
The Baby Boomers refers to the generation of children born between 1946 after World War 2 and the early 1960s. Across the world, it was the largest demographic group (now being replaced presently as the largest by Generation Y). The name stems from the increase in birth rates seen across the world after the war due to increasing peace and prosperity. This group that grew up in a time of affluence came to define the 60s and 70s (just like the Gen Yers are now defining the 2000s).
Generation X refers to those who were born between 1965 and mid to late 70s (1976-1979.) Many grew up as "latch key" kids, home alone after school while both of their parents worked, and/or they were raised by a single parent. They saw their parents married to the workplace, often devoting long hours to factories, the office or on the road. Their parents sacrificed time at home with their families. This group is often perceived as the most ignored, underappreciated and overlooked of the more recent generations. It is also the smallest in number of all the generations. Their contributions were largely in the development of Internet and communications platforms, which the Gen Yers are now putting to use massively.
Generation Y, the subject of our piece (also called Millennials, Generation Next or Echo Boomers) refers to those roughly born between 1980 and 2000 (the offspring of the famous baby boomers.) Characteristics of the generation vary by region, depending on social and economic conditions. However, it is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies. In most parts of the world its upbringing was marked by an increase in a neoliberal approach to politics and economics. Members of the group expect entertaining and fast-paced information and are assumed to be self-centred, demanding, and hard to integrate into teams. They are also more environmentally aware taking the initiative to go green as they now say at every opportunity. They are awash with choices, from buying an individual song on iTunes instead of a whole prepackaged album to not three major TV networks but 200-plus cable channels, covering a spectrum of interests. Rather than buying Wall Street Journal or New York Times (in the US) or the Guardian or Times (in the UK) or Thisday or Guardian (in Nigeria); they have access to hundreds of blogs and websites where they can get their news from. These set of people don’t have to memorise anything as all they have to do is ‘Google it’. How this will influence learning and knowledge remain subjects of various theses in colleges across the world.
As they grow up, leave school and enter the workforce, they are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Also, as they become politically aware, they are leveraging their use of digital technology and the new social networks to force political changes as witnessed recently across North Africa and the Middle East. In a recent Newsweek survey, members of this group account for between 35% (and in some countries) as much as 60% of the population especially in Africa, the Middle East, India, and South America. These regions are political and economic hotbeds that are just experiencing an awakening. Economic growth in these regions are growing at an astonishing pace (between 4 and 10%) leaving the US, Western Europe and Japan in the dust but with only few of the populace enjoying the fruits of such growth. Even Nigeria is experiencing GDP growth of 7-8% compared with 2-4% for the US and most European countries. With access (sometimes restricted) to Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube, the Gen Yers in these regions are seeing their counterparts experience economic prosperity, being able to change their governments every four or five years, having unrestricted access to digital media and technologies and wondering why they too can’t experience the same. Not unlike most of their parents who took part in the political tumult of the 60s, they too are partaking directly and indirectly in changing political destinies across the world.
While due to cultural differences across regions, a Gen Y in the US might not necessarily behave the same way as a Gen Y in Nigeria or the one in Nigeria might not necessarily behave the same way as one in China; most Gen Yers across the world however share similar traits and characteristics that are forcing changes in the way we conduct business, the way we market products, the way we advertise, the way we employ people, the way we conduct elections and even forcing legislations in some societies to favour erstwhile socially awkward and unacceptable behaviours. This same generation is also forcing changes even in the way we worship God.
While most Gen Yers believe in ‘a God’, they view organised religion as a source of intolerance and a nuisance. While most pray and read religious manuals or books, they do not attend regular religious services and tend not to identify themselves with a particular religious group. Most will even describe themselves as ‘spiritual’ and not ‘religious’ to emphasize their stand as far as God is concerned. While churches in Europe are closing down, unable to cope with these changes, those in the US and Africa are using music, drama, the ‘mega church’ concept and community organising/work to keep members of this generation in church. Members of this group do not want to worship in your small town church, they like unconventional music and drama to go along with the sermon and they want their church to get involved in social mobilization and community work.
Gen Yers also tend to be more liberal on issues of sex. Even in conservative societies like Africa’s, members of this group tend to frown less on homosexuality seeing sexual orientation not as a choice but more like age and sex, (things you don’t have a choice over). This has led to seismic shifts in the way homosexuality is viewed by society with laws now being made to legalise, cater for and protect so called same sex marriages. They also tend to have sex earlier being earlier exposed to the technicalities of sex and being also better informed. Despite their sexual awareness, they are also acutely aware of the dangers of AIDs and other STDs and take precautions concerning these.
This group tends to be more peer oriented. The rise of instant communication technologies such as email, texting, and IM and new media through websites like YouTube and social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, explains the Gen Yers reputation for being somewhat peer-oriented due to easier facilitation of communication through technology. This has also changed the face of advertising as advertisers now use targeted advertising to get across to members of this group. Most members of this group are more likely to make a purchase (of a product or service) if their peers have done so and are also likely to not to make a purchase if their peers makes a negative review about such. 7-9 of every 10 amongst this group owns a cell phone (probably a Blackberry or another smartphone) and a computer. Even in low income societies and amongst low income groups, acquisition of a cell phone or a computer is not seen as a luxury but a necessity. This has led to financial institutions and schools partnering together to offer schemes that make it easier for members of this group to acquire such. Cell phone makers are cashing in on this churning out smartphones (phones with Internet and Social Networking capabilities) at an alarming rate. The rise of mobile social networking and instant messaging and email is also placing a demand on the attention spans and tasking abilities of this group. There is that urge to check every Facebook post, every chat, every IM and every mail as they come in and also reply immediately. 70% of all text messages are sent by members of this group. Members of this group view themselves as being excellent multi-taskers but recent research suggests that from being far from the truth. Research from Temple University’s Centre for Neural Decision Making suggests that this addiction to information and addiction to incoming tweets and texts leads to objectively poorer decision making. The research showed that people faced with a plethora of information are apt to be poor at making choices and poor ones at that.
Politically, members of this group want change and results fast. They get quickly disillusioned if things don’t go their way and if their anointed candidate doesn’t deliver on time. Members of this group vaulted Barack Obama into office in the US in the 2008 elections but were nowhere to be found during the 2010 US midterm elections when the Republicans won over the Congress. They have also been responsible for the fall of the governments in Egypt and Tunisia and forced changes in Yemen, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, but after forcing these changes will they be available to provide support and ideas for the new leadership in these places. Again, as with other areas of their lives, they want microwave solutions – fast, ready and instant. The patience to work things out long term is usually absent and politicians will do well to learn these facts and know how to harness them in cultivating this group of people.
In the business world and workplace, managing Gen Yer has become one of the hottest topics among HR consultants and business managers. Across the workplace, they are seen as being lazy not willing to work long hours. They have learnt the importance of balancing work and life from their overworked ‘Baby Boomer’ parents. They want to work, but they don't want work to be their life. They aim to work faster and better than other workers and are not prone to meetings. They want to hold only ‘productive’ meetings. They want to make an important impact on their first day at work and want to be given direct ownership of tasks and responsibilities with less hierarchical organisational structure. They believe in their own self-worth and are high maintenance workers. They change careers faster than college students change their majors, creating frustration for employers struggling to retain and recruit talented high-performers. "Generation Y is much less likely to respond to the traditional command-and-control type of management still popular in much of today's workforce," says Jordan Kaplan, an associate managerial science professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn in New York, US. "They've grown up questioning their parents, and now they're questioning their employers. They don't know how to shut up, which is great, but that's aggravating to the 50-year-old manager who says, 'Do it and do it now.'" They are very independent and place a great deal of demand on their employers. They want jobs with flexibility, telecommuting or work from home options and the ability to go part time or leave the workforce temporarily when children are in the picture. Generation Yers don't expect to stay in a job, or even a career, for too long, they're sceptical when it comes to such concepts as employee loyalty. In the workplace, conflict and resentment can arise over a host of issues, even seemingly innocuous subjects such as appearance, as a generation used to casual fare such as flip-flops, tattoos and capri pants finds more traditional attire is required at the office. Conflict can also flare up over management style. Unlike previous generations who've in large part grown accustomed to the annual review, Gen Yers have grown up getting constant feedback and recognition from teachers, parents and coaches and can resent it or feel lost if communication from bosses isn't more regular.
By understanding what today’s youth most value, we can determine how to most effectively engage them. Even if many chose to reject these values however they are still culturally dominant. The values in vogue today are as follows:
Relational Connection
Gen Y is seeking after more than just friendships. They want community: to be understood, accepted, respected, and included. Research from the Australian Leadership Foundation shows that while they spend most of their spare time with their peers, they often fail to experience real unconditional love, and connection when with them. Above all else, they wish for “a happy relationship” and “a loving family”. A stereotype is that this generation has no loyalty however they do demonstrate strong loyalty to their friends. They work hard to live up to what their peers expect of them, and their self-esteem often rests on how well regarded they are in their group or sub-culture.
Bigger Meaning
This generation has observed their parents get the rewards of hard work: houses, cars, and material wealth. Gen Y has benefited from this being the most materially endowed, and entertained generation of teenagers ever. Yet they have seen the costs of their parents’ success in terms of broken marriages, absentee parenting, and an epidemic of stress related illnesses. For their part Gen Y have been left disillusioned with the materialism they have enjoyed and boredom remains a big problem for them (57% state that “never being bored” is of highest importance to them). Therefore they are looking for more than just continuing the consumerism experiment. Indeed when deciding to accept a job, salary ranks sixth in order of importance after training, management style, work flexibility, staff activities, and non-financial rewards. For the young people of this generation, a job merely provides the income to do what they want to do. They are on a search for fun, for quality friendships, and for a fulfilling purpose. There are more voices than ever trying to win over a cause-seeking generation. Whether it is environmentalism, social issues, human rights, or volunteering, they are getting increasingly involved.
Trusted Guidance
Research again shows that the one of the strongest felt need amongst Gen Y is for guidance or direction in their life that is trustworthy. There is much advice on offer but not much of it is believed by this sceptical generation, and rightly so. By the age of 18, the average young person has viewed over 500,000 TV commercials, in addition to countless Internet, radio, and outdoor ads, much of which is pure hype. This generation is hammered with hype and has the hype radar up screening out most messages. This generation wants guidance in the form of a navigator, not a street directory. Our society is full of proverbial street directories, which show the way to financial, relationship, or life success. However most Gen Y’s are unsure of where they are now, let alone where they are going, and so they are seeking specific direction from someone who knows them, their situation, and has even travelled that way themselves. They are looking for real life role models and mentors who not only know the way, but also go the way, and can show the way.
Understanding Generation Y is important for all of us whether we are involved in educating youth, or in a leadership role in the workplace or a spiritual based organisation. A quality outcome is dependent on our understanding of them. Once we have a foundational grasp of their characteristics, communication styles, and social attitudes, we will be well equipped to effectively impact this enormous and emerging generation. Before too long they will be the bosses and will be taking over the world.
