The forgotten Generation

Generation X (or Gen X) is the demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the Millennials. Demographers and researchers typically use birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s.

I belong to the Generation X.

Although I was not the first in my family to go to a university, you could safely say, I was the first to pursue a non-traditional career. I was the first in my family to join a private sector over public sector albeit having qualified for it.

I was the first in the family to move out of town for work and then later move out of country to pursue professional dreams.

As with my generation, I had professional dreams and ambitions and wanted to climb the corporate ladder, however gave up the lucrative career to raise a child and start a family.

My generation is ambitious but also looking at the rear mirror. We have the responsibility and obligation to look after the generation before us. And we are either providing for them or moving out of their way so that they can enjoy the best of what they can.

We are ambitious, but we are also down to earth and understand reality. Our parents, the silent generation or baby boomers, had traditional careers and we have seen the highs & lows that keeps us grounded.

Enter Millennials and the hype around millennials.

The generation was born into the lap of information age. While they are natural at the internet revolution, our generation was expected to learn in while the generation before had no expectations on them. If they learned the way around the digital world, it is always considered as a bonus rather than the norm.

While the generation before us is valued for the core competence, and the generation after us is valued for the digital savviness

Yet, we are digitally adept, we have learned the tricks of leadership and find our way in the corporate jungle. We have kept the work-life management close to our heart and have juggled the work & life beautifully to give the Gen Z a stable and purposeful life. You find us as entreprenueurs and leaders of fortune 500 companies. You find us fighting for a cause and leading a purpose.

Why are we then forgotten? Why are we overlooked?

This article from HBR - https://hbr.org/2019/07/are-companies-about-to-have-a-gen-x-retention-problem says it all.

My generation takes it all- the responsibility of leaving a better generation, the obligation of taking care of a generation before us, living purposefully, keeping up to date with the technology and adapting to change & tolerant of alternating lifestyles, loyal to the organizations and people focused.

Pic courtsey - https://www.ddiworld.com/genxreport

However oft we are overlooked for experience in favor of baby boomers or for millennials in favor for retention.

We have it all, we are the best of both generations, yet why are we forgotten?