HR Insights on Navigating Generational Differences

I want to dust off my two-year hiatus and reconnect myself with this social network, LinkedIn.

Why not use this platform for writing notes, which I enjoy a great deal?

So, I reasoned and immediately started penning down this text. The merits are obvious:

• My audience here is double the size of Instagram :)
• The audience here is professional, implying a greater propensity for contextual comprehension
• The main content was written with substantial help from a trending AI, which forms a new modus operandi for collaborations where my non-linear mind celebrates structural tandem.

For 5 years, I have had fascinating interactions with IT specialists. I noticed the perceptual differences among generations for the same job offers from the same company, needing a fundamentally different approach when recruiting Millennials and Zoomers, and soon, Alphas will join the companies.

Millennials, my dear friends, are currently aged between 20 to 36. Often, they (we) are deemed as one of the heaviest generations for societal acceptability, being born at the brink of a millennium.

Here are my observations:

• Mostly they care about themselves; thoughts about family and children don't materialize before they turn 30;
• Self-realization is their credo in life. For them, the intent of obtaining a university education loses significance – hence, refrain from requesting a diploma (a project manager may not possess a higher education degree yet boast of more than 5 years of project experience);
• They abstain from climbing the career ladder from the very bottom. They coveted prestigious positions and hefty salaries right away;
• Unlike their predecessors (Generation X), they can bravely resign without securing an alternative job or take a sabbatical to "contemplate";
• They pick coffee shops instead of conference rooms for work calls;
• If you want to engage millennials, interpose some creativity into their work routine, for instance, conduct a strategic planning session in the countryside, a different city, or even better, in another country.For Zoomers (born between 2000 – 2015), transparency carries an altogether different quotient. This is the generation of start-ups and creative entrepreneurship:
• Capable of memorizing and processing significant volumes of information;
• A refusal may propel them into a fit, yes - even at work, even to a supervisor;
• Instead of comfortable conditions, stability, and financial perks, they gravitate more toward new, unfamiliar, and above all, intriguing things;
• One thing is certain: they need to be motivated.

Alphas (12-13-year-olds) seem like our children (Children of Millennials I imply). Alpha Generation is one I believe in more than Santa Claus:

• For the first time in history, they stand technologically equivalent;
• They are not restrained to ask "why?" at any given instance;
• They quickly lose interest in things and can be challenging to amaze;
• Informed and competent, even on issues that were beyond their comprehension a decade ago;
• Alphas swiftly browse through tons of information and analyze it in depth;
• They struggle to retain the received data. Some cannot even memorize their living addresses. This very promising generation, Alpha, will propel our world forward.

For me, these three generations are a tremendously interesting topic, I love reflecting upon these subjects.

Looking forward to continuing the conversation in the comments.

Especially if you are Zoomers or even Alphas, or their parents, witnessing their evolution right now.