That's My Generation Baby!
Born between 1925-1945 this generation was influenced by the Great Depression, WWI & WWII, Korean War and the GI Bill.
Note: Grouping people based on their year of birth may be reliable for a large population and the
characteristics for that group may be interesting and informative; however, the general characteristics
will not fit every person born during the same span of time.
1930Rosina Tucker helped to organize the first Black labor union — the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
1933Frances Perkins is appointed secretary of labor by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, making her the first woman member of a presidential cabinet.
1941A massive government and industry media campaign persuades women to take
jobs during world War II. Seven million women respond becoming industrial
"Rosie the Riveters" and over 400,000 join the military.
1935The National Council of Negro Women is formed to lobby against racism, sexism,
and job discrimination.
1935
National Labor Relations Act 1935
Social Security Act
1938The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), also Federal Wage and Hour Law,
establishes a national minimum wage for men and women alike.
As you read more about the characteristics of the Traditionals think about and identify what unites us? What divides us? How can we build bridges across the generational divide?
Generational Characteristics of Traditionals
• Worked together toward a common goal
• Delayed gratification
• Self-sacrifice for greater good
• Are patriotic and civic-minded
• Tend to be conservative; risk adverse
• Are dependable, reliable, and self-reliant
• Have obedience and respect for authority
• Have strong work ethic—work is duty
• Value dedication and commitment
• Value tradition, rules, and conformity
• Are considered forerunners, trendsetters, and pacesetters for Baby Boomers
View of Authority
• Value loyalty, dedication, and commitment to the organization
• Experienced command-and-control leadership in hierarchical organizations
• Seek clearly defined specialized roles and a strong central authority figure
• Have respect and trust for authority, leaders, and institutions
• Value rules and traditions, uniformity, standardization
• Experienced the power of unions and collective action under strong leadership to protect frontline
• Sacrificed individual needs for the greater good
• Are patriotic and civic-minded
• Are keepers of organization’s history and founding principles
• Have strong beliefs in law and order
Technology
• Grew up in a manufacturing era where physical manpower and assembly line work were more common than knowledge work
• Increasingly common usage of electrical appliances and new technology in transportation provided more mobility
• Developed skills with new technology slowly
• Tend to be uncomfortable with new electronic technology and may find it intimidating and
confusing—but will adapt to it if necessary, e.g., ATM cards, voice mail
• Prefer personal contact or live person on the telephone rather than voice mail message
Relationships
• Pleasant and at ease with customers
• Personal sacrifice—put aside individual needs for common good
• Respect for authority
• Prefer formal communication that is limited to work issues only—may be uncomfortable
discussing personal life issues
• May get stuck in "we’ve never done it that way" mentality or seek one right answer
• Reticent when they disagree
• Later Silents produced leaders known more for their human relationship skills and their ability to negotiate than for their decisive leadership
Diversity & Change
• Value conformity, consistency, rules, and duties
• Grew up during shift from agriculture to manufacturing economy
• Experienced racial and gender inequality
• Gender roles stereotypical—dad was breadwinner, women worked as nurses, teachers, secretaries
• Maintained traditional values and history of organization
• Male-dominated workplace—left-brained, rational, with confidence in scientific approach
• Uncomfortable with ambiguity and change
• Uncomfortable being around people with a different backgrounds or lifestyles than theirs
Job/Career; Retirement
• 29% have lifetime careers; not quick on reinventing their careers; waited for employers to create career path
• Strong union loyalty to protect workers, i.e., limit on hours worked and minimum wage
• One income family—dad worked; mom stayed at home
• Retirement is well-earned reward after lifetime service
• Partnered with institutions to get things done
• Work is duty; didn’t take job for granted—were grateful for it
• As senior citizens, many are safeguarding their entitlements (Social Security, Medicare)
• Moved up the ladder through perseverance and hard work
• Do not demand "deep" meaning from jobs—having work is satisfying in and of itself
Work Ethic/ Work- Life Balance
• Intrinsic value of work; it is a duty; sacrifice will pay off over the long term
• Periodic layoffs impacted blue-collar workers but did not last and workers were often called often called back to original employer
• Sacrificed individual needs for the greater good
• Dependable—on time and ready to come to work
• Did not believe in rocking the boat, i.e., do not voice concerns and frustrations or complaints out loud or publicly
• Strong work ethic; work is noble and ennobling
• Work life and family life are separate and distinct
Motivations, Rewards & Recognition
• Delayed rewards; driven by duty before pleasure
• Expect to receive a paycheck for job performed
• Seniority and age correlated
• Move up the ladder through perseverance and hard work
• Satisfaction of doing job well
• Rarely received praise and recognition; were grateful to have a job and did not take it for
granted
• Older workers want to be rewarded with travel time, challenges, money, flexibility
• Want financial gain and security
Traditionals share widespread loyalty to unions that helped protect workers against unfair labor practices, tyrannical bosses, and unsafe working conditions.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_labor_issues_and_events
http://www.dol.gov/100/timeline/#9
http://www.kenblanchard.com/img/pub/Blanchard_Next_Generation_of_Workers.pdf
Next week we will take a deeper look into the lives of the Baby Boomers.
~MORE~
http://www.bergermarks.org/resources/SteppingUpSteppingBack.pdf
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