ITadviser Winter 2009 21
change management
Seniors � Pre 1946
Often called the silent generation. Their
lives were shaped by the hardship of the
1930s and World War II. Respect for
authority, "making do" and avoiding waste
were all important for this generation. The
youngest members of this generation will
be eligible for retirement in 2011.
Baby Boomers � 1946 to
1964
This group is so called because of the post
war spikes in birth-rate in most wartime
nations. They typically enjoyed full
employment and economic growth until
the 1970s. They are generally considered
to be optimistic and hardworking. Think of
1950s suburbs � with dad working and
mum at home.
Jobs were thought to be for life, with
very structured career paths and rewards
for loyalty.
Generation X � 1965 to 1979
This group saw the effects of economic
downturns in the 70s and 80s as their
parents lost their "jobs for life". They are
thought to be more cynical and
mistrusting of authority � and have a more
individual focus that values work-life
balance.
Generation Y
Also know as "Millennials". Considered to
be the first generation to be raised by two
working parents � resulting in greater
material wealth � and corresponding
parental guilt. They have experienced
instant gratification and satisfaction of
needs as their lives have been filled with
activities and experiences. This � and their
exposure and comfort with rapid
technology advances have created a cohort
of workers that is distinctively different to
Generation X and Baby Boomers.
Take a look around your own
organisation. Who are taking the
sabbaticals? My guess it's your Gen X-ers.
Are your Gen Y-ers turning up with
consumer technology that puts your
corporate infrastructure to shame? Have
you been getting emails and phone calls
from their parents?
The numbers of each in the workplace
neatly shows the extent of the issue many
organisations are facing. There are not
enough Gen X and Gen Y people to fill the
pipeline of the Seniors and Boomers. This
problem affects different sectors to
different degrees. In the world of defence
and its prime contractor market it is
particularly acute. Some organisations
report that over 85% of its workforce is
eligible for retirement in the next 5 to 10
years. NASA believes 50% of its senior
leaders and managers will have left in the
next five years. Industries such as oil and
gas, construction and energy tell similar
stories.
Here's a health warning. The recent
economic downturn has led to the feeling
that the "war on talent is experiencing a
ceasefire". This is probably true � for now.
Organisations are making layoffs and
suspending recruitment. Figures in the UK
tell that, on average, 48 graduates are
chasing each place available on a
development programme. But history tells
us this will be temporary. The facts about
population numbers are going to be with
us for a very long time. With less younger
people and more older people � it won't be
long before hostilities resume.
Corporate Demographics
Research by Bersin and Associates in 2006
produced a typical pattern of corporate
demographics as shown in the diagram
below.
The basic premise is that mature
organisations are top heavy with older
workers (Seniors and Baby Boomers), there
is a dip in numbers of Gen Xers and the
pipeline is trying to be filled with Gen Yers.
I have had the chance to test this out at
various conferences and seminars. Using
interactive audience response units � I ask
people how long they have worked in their
organisation. The results are very similar
to that described by Bersin. The dip in the
middle is usually explained by the hiring
freezes in the 90s � or in the case of a
group of Naval Officers � the reduction in
perceived threat when the Berlin Wall came
down.
Generation Y Generation X Baby Boomers Seniors
Birth Date 1980 � 1991 1965 � 1979 1946 � 1964 Pre 1946
Characterised by
Expectation and
Entitlement
Independence and
scepticism
Optimistic workaholics
Command and Control
Self-sacrifice
They Like
Technology
Being
connected
Their Parents!
Freedom
Multi-tasking
Work-life
balance
Responsibility
Work ethic
Can-do attitude
Respect for authority
Family and Community
They Dislike
Inertia
Negativity
Red tape
Hype
Laziness
Turning 50
Waste and technology
Entertainment
Technology
Internet and Smart
phones
Computer
games and CDs
Television and Records Cinema and Radio
ICT Technology Mash Ups Windows C++ Batch Cobol
Numbers in the UK
Workplace
11.2 Million 19.1 Million

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