From Gen Z to baby boomers, here’s how employees describe their coworkers from different generations
Pundits go back and forth over the differences between generations. On the one hand, each generation is shaped by the time and events they live in. On the other hand, aren’t we all human and similar at heart? So instead of fighting over generational differences, why not unite before climate change kills us?
Well, now there’s new data to add to the debate. Job search site Indeed surveyed over 1,000 full-time employees to get their take on how they’d describe each generation. The survey found that, yes, we do tend to view ourselves differently than people in other age groups view us. Here are some of the key insights:
BABY BOOMERS
Roughly a third of baby boomers described themselves as responsible, cooperative, and dedicated. Meanwhile, Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X agree that boomers are responsible. Millennials go as far as to add dedicated into the mix, so perhaps there’s hope that the generational tension between boomers and millennials isn’t as bad as it seems.
GENERATION X
Gen X, the generation that has somehow managed to lie low during the generation wars, saw themselves as responsible. Boomers agreed and kept the compliments coming: They also described Gen X as cooperative and dedicated, while they tended to be more lukewarm toward millennials and Gen Z.
MILLENNIALS
Millennials described themselves as hardworking. In fact, every generation described millennials this way, except for baby boomers, who went with the aforementioned responsible and cooperative.
GEN Z
Over a third of Gen-Zers described themselves as hardworking. Millennials agree, but they are the only generation to do so. Boomers and Gen X prefer to stick with the responsible label. Overall, Gen Z was more likely to be described as lazy or selfish by other generations, except for boomers, who were more likely to describe millennials that way.