Millennials (Generation Y) are the generation born after 1981 and before 2000. The IG generation was formed at a time when the Internet became the main means mass media.

Unlike previous generations, it is important for gamers to gain emotional and professional experience in various fields, so taking a seat in a leather chair and becoming a “big director” is not the ultimate goal for them. Therefore, they tend to quit jobs that do not bring emotional satisfaction or simply do not like. No, this cannot be called inconstancy, it is rather a thirst to get the most out of life. And in this, millennials are greatly inferior to other generations, significantly reducing their value in the labor market. It is objectively not profitable for any employer to hire an unstable employee into the company.

In addition, it is among representatives of generation Y that most often there are those who are “looking for themselves” - people who have neither ambitions, nor work, nor prospects. Such a search for your calling can drag on for many years.

What does a millennial do when they're on the hunt?

Studies. Bachelor's, master's, postgraduate, second higher education, studying overseas. 33 degrees, but no real experience. Anything to avoid working.

Why are they in no hurry to make a choice?

It's simple - millennials are afraid to grow up. The International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development (IJBD) conducted a study that showed that today's students are more afraid of growing up than other generations. They live longer with their parents and do not want to have families and children.

Rumor has it that millennials are indifferent to sex. This..

not quite like that. They are indifferent to promiscuity, and this is very good. Sex has become more accessible. It surrounds us on all sides, and in order to see someone without pants, you can simply formulate the right query on Google. Previous generations did not have such an abundance of sex around, and besides, they sought to start a family earlier than the Yers. For millennials, everything related to emotions and the imitation of stability is important, so they choose a partner wisely and do not waste their time on sex for one night. Even millennials' use of Tinder doesn't count for main goal sexual satisfaction. They tend to find an interesting conversationalist rather than a beautiful body.

What are the players striving for?

They know the value of their skills and time spent. Their schedule is planned, and their goals have long been visualized on the mood board. Millennials travel often, take a lot of photographs for social networks and know exactly what they want from this life. By at least, today they are sure of it.

Generation Y is one of the most controversial generations. Among millennials there are extremely ambitious and independent representatives, but at the same time, they can be absolutely helpless and apathetic. Zet comes to the game, who is rightly called the “golden employee” for any company. Yes, they can already work.

Generation Z: what “digital people” know, can do and how they use their skills

Generation Z is a term used for the generation of people born between 1995 and 2000. These people literally grew up side by side with technology and have not let go of Tetris, phones, tablets and computers since childhood.

Zetas process information much faster and live in what is called a world of multitasking. Of course, this multitasking is limited to the operations they do using gadgets. Write a message with your left hand, Google how potatoes are cooked with your right hand and send your resume to your dream company like Google using a voice command. They are really good at computer technology since childhood.

A six-year-old child can now complete a complex operational task using a gadget one and a half times faster than previous generations. Their priority is speed, making the Zetas valued as employees.

At the same time, there are also concerns.

What is the problem with Generation Z?

They are too practical. They don't see the point in receiving higher education, preferring to take six-month PR courses, for example, and not be distracted by developmental general knowledge disciplines.

Zetas do not know how to concentrate on projects for long. It gets boring. To prevent them from abandoning unfinished work, their schedule needs to be loaded with parallel tasks that can “switch” their attention.

If you don't respond to Zet's letter for a long time, he...

Already found new job. This generation does not tend to wait “for their time”; they know that the time has already come.

What about love?

The Zetas are turned on traditional family values. It is important for them to build not only good career, but also a strong family. The “digital generation” often builds partnerships with their parents, and sees the meaning of their family as a good and loving each other cell of society.

Their plans are short-term, their dreams do not border on fantasy, and their actions are quite specific.

Disadvantages of Generation Z

These people are always trying to make wishful thinking: on the Internet they can be funny, pretty, successful and creative. In fact, they just mastered technology well. This is about the majority.

Cover photo by Sammie Vasquez

We live in the 21st century – the century of high technology and rapid development. The world around us is changing, and transformations are affecting all areas of our society. Some people strive to keep up with innovations, while others, on the contrary, adhere to a conservative position. What behavioral strategy a person chooses in changing conditions often depends not only on personal beliefs, but also on factors such as social environment, upbringing, and generational affiliation.

The problem of “fathers and sons” has existed in our world for a long time, and the issue of mutual understanding between generations is regularly raised in various literature, both fiction and scientific. And in modern world The gap between generations is becoming more and more noticeable, as the conditions under which representatives of different generations grow up and are brought up are radically changing. This undoubtedly has a significant impact on their values ​​and attitudes: people’s thinking, lifestyle, and people’s attitude towards rest and work changes.

Many argue that representatives of different generations have difficulty understanding each other, because they grew up in radically different conditions. It is believed that the younger generation that is now entering the labor market has different work values, different job requirements and different expectations.

But do different generations really differ significantly from each other when it comes to work values? Let's answer this question by considering modern research on this topic.

X, Y, Z - who are they?

In 1991, American scientists Neil Howe and William Strauss published a book on the theory of generations, in which they described their ideas that approximately every 20 years a generational change occurs in the world, people with new values, a new mindset, who have different life trajectories.

IN lately generational theory has gained popularity, and we can often hear references to generations X, Y and Z, who are currently the most active workers and consumers of economic goods and services.

What are these generations? What makes them different from each other? Let's try to figure it out.

Defining generational boundaries is not an easy task. Some scientists establish them based only on time periods, that is, starting from the year of birth, someone focuses on similar values ​​and attitudes, common conditions of upbringing. It is worth noting that the process of determining generations is greatly influenced by social, cultural and economic conditions, which can vary greatly in different countries. Any turning point that affects the process of social development can occur in different countries with a difference of decades. For example, the wide spread of the Internet occurred in America in the 90s of the last century, and in our country it began only in the new millennium. It is obvious that such significant events influence the development of society and draw boundaries between generations.

Thus, the boundaries of generations X, Y and Z are not defined stably and vary somewhat depending on countries and the approaches of scientists. So, let’s determine the main characteristics of representatives of generations X, Y, Z.

GenerationX is the generation of people born after 1965. The upper limit of the generation varies among different authors, some scholars set it at 1976, others say 1980 or 1984.

American scientists speak of the people of this era as the “lost generation.” At that time, the “era of divorce” had begun in America, and this family event had a great impact on many people. In Russia, members of Generation X came of age during the years of perestroika, and this era had an important impact on the formation of personalities. Generation X is characterized by a high level of skepticism, social and political indifference, and lack of initiative, but at the same time, they are a very educated and literate generation. Compared to the previous generation, which was accustomed to working together, Xers are focused on hard work and individual success. They are accustomed to building their career throughout their lives, gradually moving in the chosen direction.

GenerationY, also called the online generation or the millennial generation, were born from approximately 1985 to 1995. A characteristic feature of this generation is the widespread use of the Internet, pop culture, mobile communications during their growing up period, which had a great influence on their values ​​and attitudes. Greeks are used to being constantly in touch; communication, collaboration, and cooperation are important to them. They are not ready to spend their whole lives in one place, they strive for variety of work, therefore they are ready for training and retraining throughout their lives. Players are characterized by greater flexibility, they quickly adapt to changing conditions, but at the same time, they change the conditions themselves; they are ready to dictate their own rules if they see that this will bring greater benefit and increase efficiency.

There are other points of view, some argue that players are accustomed to consuming: information, pop culture, products. They do not want to start working, they do not want to grow up, they are characterized by the “concept eternal youth" and constant narcissism.

GenerationZ– these are people born between 1995 and 2010. Now representatives of this generation have not yet entered the labor market, so it is still difficult to talk about their work attitudes and values, but some can be noted characteristic features. Representatives of generation Z grew up surrounded by modern technologies, they are less sociable than the previous generation, more self-oriented, own world. Because of this, some scientists call this generation “Generation MeMeMe,” emphasizing their focus on their own thoughts and feelings, rather than on other people. Due to the development of electronic technology, the Zetas are accustomed to visual perception of information. This makes it possible to assume that over time, new ways of learning and new work technologies will appear on the market, which representatives of Generation Z will bring.

Let us note once again that the boundaries of generations are conditional, so, for example, a person born in 1995 will be closer to someone born in 1994, that is, a representative of another generation, than to someone born in 2005, a representative of his generation. Therefore, scientists note that the boundaries are calculated with the assumption of +- 3 years, and for people at the junction of generations, the characteristics of both are often characteristic.

Comparison of work values

Many domestic and foreign sociologists have studied labor values ​​in the modern world, but it is worth noting that none of them divided the population under study into generations X, Y and Z, perhaps because such a division is very arbitrary. In addition, there is a problem of lack of information about the work values ​​of generation Z. The fact is that at the moment representatives of generation Z are from 5 to 20 years old, and mass surveys usually cover the population from 18 years old, which is why there is no relevant information about work values ​​yet and beliefs of this generation. Therefore, we will determine the differences in the labor values ​​of generations X and Y.

So, let’s look at what work values ​​are typical for representatives of Generation X.

According to research by V.S. Maguna, for representatives of this generation the main labor value is good earnings. In addition, the interest of the job and the reliability of the place of work are of great value. Other researchers also confirm that high earnings occupy a dominant position in the pyramid of labor values.

Is it possible to say that commercialism is the main trait of the X's? I think that such conclusions will be hasty and unfounded. A.N. Demin argues that in the minds of Generation X, the prestige of a job is invariably associated with high wages. Money is not an end in itself, it serves as a means to satisfy needs and is instrumental in nature, contributing to the achievement of a high position in society.

In general, it can be assumed that the desire for financial well-being and the desire for a reliable job may be a consequence of the changes taking place in the country in the 90s. The transition to a market economy, the instability of the economic situation in the country, the 1998 crisis - these events could have a significant impact on people’s work attitudes.

In addition to the above values, among the widespread answers about important characteristics the following places of work are present: the opportunity to benefit society, the ability to manage one’s own time and the desire to match the work to the person’s level of competence. We can say that by the end of the 90s, a transformation was taking place in the consciousness of Russians, which was a consequence of the transformation of society. People are becoming freer, they want to have more independence and space for action, in addition, they want to benefit not only themselves and their family, but also other people. In society, previous boundaries are being destroyed and restrictions are being lifted. If earlier, in Soviet times, earning too much was considered suspicious, and starting one’s own business was condemned by society, now work becomes free from conventions and strict rules. Naturally, in such conditions people strive for greater realization of their capabilities and want to earn as much as their level of knowledge and skills allows.

Carol Zhurkiewicz says that the opportunity for personal growth is important for Generation X. However, domestic researchers do not confirm this. This difference can be explained by the fact that societies develop at different rates, so labor factors that were important in America 10 years ago are only becoming important in our country now.

Do the work values ​​of Generation X coincide with the values ​​of their “followers,” Generation Y?

Good wages also remain top priority for the generation of players. The following positions are the opportunity for career growth and the opportunity for self-realization, which was not in the responses of the X-generation. Work continues to be perceived by people as a means of achieving success, a path to taking a worthy position in society. But now important role Not only material wealth plays a role, but also other components of labor - self-realization, position in society.

In addition to wages and self-realization, the generation of players presents high demands to the quality of work: they need good working conditions, social guarantees, work ethics.

This is a significant difference from the previous generation, whose representatives did not list these values ​​as priorities. This means that the labor values ​​of the Y generation, which were formed in completely different economic and political conditions than the values ​​of the Xers, are to some extent different from each other. The new generation is developing positive attitudes towards work, they are ready to work, improve their knowledge and implement their skills, this predetermines high expectations for decent wages and high-quality working conditions.

But can we say with confidence that differences in the work values ​​of different generations really exist?

I believe there are no such guarantees, since the difference in responses may be due to differences in the methods of collecting information, for example, differences in questions.

In order to avoid this inaccuracy, let us turn to the study “Youth of the New Russia: Lifestyle and Value Priorities”, conducted in 2007 and covering representatives of two generations: young people aged 17 to 26 years and the older generation from 40 to 60 years.

Let's compare the answers of representatives of two generations to one question: “What requirements should a job meet that could suit you?”

The most popular answers among representatives of generation X are the following (the sum of the answers exceeds 100%, since it was possible to select an unlimited number of answers): well-paid job (87.2%), interesting for me (60.0%), with good working conditions ( 42.4%). The least important were career opportunities and prestige.

For representatives of the Gamer generation, the answers were distributed in a very similar way: good pay (84.9%), interesting work (63.5%), good working conditions (29.0%). At the same time, the least popular answer for this generation is non-tiring work.

It is noteworthy that the top of the hierarchy of values ​​is the same among representatives of the two generations, although the percentage of answers differs somewhat. However, it is noticeable that other values ​​differ in importance for representatives of different generations. Thus, representatives of the Y generation have a greater focus on professional growth and a desire for creativity in the profession, while the X generation wants to be useful in society, but at the same time they want work to leave more free time, and do not strive for career growth.

It is difficult to say whether such differences are caused precisely by belonging to different generations, that is, by the conditions of upbringing and socialization, or whether they depend only on age. Naturally, by the age of 50, a person has most likely already advanced career ladder and achieved a high position if he aspired to it. That's why this direction ceases to be a priority for him, and other values ​​come first, such as free time, in order to spend it with family. The younger generation has unfulfilled ambitions, so they strive for advancement and career growth.

Conclusions

So, generations X, Y, Z do not have clearly defined boundaries, but differ from each other in their upbringing, values, and perception of the world.

The work values ​​of generation Z have currently been practically not measured by scientists, since this generation is mainly still receiving education and has not entered the labor market as active workers and consumers. Measuring the work values ​​of this generation seems to be an important task for modern sociologists, since they will soon become the main labor force of the country.

The main labor value for both generation X and generation Y continues to be high wages, but this is rather not an end in itself, but a means to achieve other goals, such as prestige and respect in society.

The work values ​​of generations X and Y are somewhat different; the players strive for self-realization through a profession, for more creative work In addition, they claim good working conditions, but for Xers it is important to have more freedom.

It is important to note that the topic is not well researched at the moment, but it has great value. The world is changing, the labor market is transforming, and it is necessary to take into account the needs and demands of younger generations in order for work to be more effective and the potential of younger generations to be realized in work.

Infographics: Natalya Sidorova

Photo source: http://www.atlantarealestateforum.com/wp-content/photos/2010/08/three-generations.jpg

It often happens that certain misunderstandings arise between modern generations. We quarrel with our children, both because of global things and completely unimportant little things. In order to understand why this happens, it is advisable to consider the well-known theory of generations. Scientists around the world have been doing research on similar topics. After all, everyone understands that the huge difference between those people who were born just a couple of years apart cannot be simply explained. Of course, there are special reasons for this.

Scientists are sure that modern people simply cannot be characterized by combining them into a single whole. This is why the theory of three generations arises: x, y, z. Each of them deserves special attention, and therefore we suggest taking a closer look at all these features.

Generation X

Other names: Xer, Xers, Generation 13, Unknown generation. Born in 1965-1982.

The term was first proposed by British researcher Jane Deverson and Hollywood reporter Charles Hamblett, and established by writer Douglas Copeland. This generation was influenced by a significant number of important events: Afghan war, Operation Desert Storm, beginning of an era personal computers, first Chechen war. Sometimes people born in these years are classified as generation Y and even generation Z (although the latter were not included in the project), and sometimes they try to unite millennials (Y) and MeMeMe (Z) with the letter X.

If we talk about the country that actually first introduced this term to the world, then the United States Generation X usually refers to people born during the period of fertility decline that came after the population explosion.

A study of British youth conducted by Jane Deverson in 1964 year for Woman's Own magazine, which showed that young people "sleep with each other before marriage, are not religious, do not love the Queen or respect their parents, do not change their last name when they get married." However, the journal refused to publish the results. Deverson then went to Hollywood to publish a book with reporter Charles Hamblett. It was he who came up with the name “Generation X”. Canadian writer Douglas Copeland liked the catchy title, and he consolidated it in the book “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture,” which was dedicated to the fears and anxieties of people born in 1960-1965: they talked about loss cultural connection with the “Baby Boomer” generation (the generation that arose in post-war times and was caused by the population explosion).

What are the characteristic features?

Generation X is the new “lost generation,” like all the other generations before them who grew up during a period when social institutions weakened and lost confidence. Individualism flourished again during this period. And the main factor for concern of this generation is the loss of guidance on spiritual values. And it's not just that all the best jobs are already filled by baby boomers. It doesn't matter, because in fact, the problem is that these positions are not of interest to Xers at all. What was valuable to the previous generation (home, work, family as a unit of society) now seems petty and not worthy of attention. They lose faith in the universe, it seems to them spoiled, rotten and even hostile. However, what is even more worrying is not that there is no alternative to this world, but that they themselves are simply not capable of building this alternative. Therefore, this generation is constantly searching for something better in the world and its place on Earth.

It is worth noting that they distinctive features is that they are skeptical about everything that surrounds them, and therefore choose the ability to rely solely on their own strengths. They are characterized by alternative thinking, as well as high awareness of absolutely everything that happens in the world. At the same time, X's are extremely flexible; they have no problem changing in any way. Their main goal is to work hard and achieve individual success. After all, this generation no longer sees the point in building any collective goals and objectives. The success of each individual is much more important than teamwork.

However, this is all just about Western culture. And I must say that it was quite different from how the worldview of generations was built under the conditions of the USSR. Of course, this contrast is due to political, economic and cultural factors. Therefore, viewing Generation X solely through the prism of the Western world is not appropriate.

So how was it with us?

If we talk about X's from the times of the USSR, they also appear in 1964 - 1984. This period is characterized by economic instability and a great tendency to the emergence of new, even more global crises.

In these times, there is a huge problem with drugs and AIDS, which greatly affects the psychological state of people after the war in Afghanistan. There is a trend of divorce, and therefore, one could see a large number of single mothers. The latter, in turn, did not have the opportunity to exclusively sit at home and take care of children. After all, they had to be provided for, so the number of women in production and factories grew, this ceased to be news to others. In addition, all these factors have led to a significant decline in the birth rate.

The USSR generation X grew up extremely active, with a great need to give their love to others. Therefore, it is not surprising that the next generations do not really understand the excessive attention or guardianship of Xs. And they, in turn, just want to give their children what they did not receive from their parents (many of them were children of war, worked hard and did not have time for guardianship or care). This need was sometimes so strong that women tried to find a partner at any cost, even if he was prone to aggression or had an addiction to alcohol.

In general, this generation grew up in a difficult time of conflict, instability and other things. Therefore, they are most susceptible to depression, inner experiences, emotional instability. However, self-knowledge and self-development remain simply necessary for Xs.

Millennials, or Generation Y

Other names: Generation Y, Generation Millennium, Generation Peter Pan, Generation Next, Network Generation, Echo Boomers, Boomerang Generation, Trophy Generation.

Various sources refer to this generation different people. Some say that these are all those born since the early 80s. Others specify: from 1983 to the end of the 1990s. And still others capture the early 2000s. Second option - from 1983 to the end of the 1990s- perhaps the most convincing.

The term was coined by Advertising Age magazine. It is believed that the formation of Igrek’s worldview was influenced by: perestroika, the collapse of the USSR, the “wild nineties”, terrorism, wars (in Iraq, Chechnya, etc.), the international financial crisis, rising housing costs and unemployment; television, pop culture, torrent trackers and video hosting, the development of mobile and Internet communications, computer technology, social networks, digital media and video games, flash mob and meme culture, online communication, the evolution of components and the like.

Features:

One of the most noticeable features of Igreks is their dependence on knowledge, which they find not in books from libraries, but on Internet resources. This is a generation that loves to learn, but the process for them is completely different from the X's. Training for Millennials is something interesting and original. They absolutely reject the already outdated canons, because in times when the information age comes, the value of the information itself changes. What previously could only be learned from teachers and lecturers becomes much more accessible to Igreks. This leads to another feature of this generation - excessive trust in information presented on online services, especially without any censorship of it.

If we talk about education, it is increasingly losing its meaning. The players leave institutions and do not see the point in them, because the professions for which they study are either already obsolete, or will become so in the foreseeable future. In addition, the teachers themselves do not inspire confidence in them, most of whom follow outdated methods. The Greeks, who saw how their parents with higher education had to go to trade in the market or do something similar, were simply disappointed in education. They are more interested in self-development.

Millennials pay significant attention to their own comfort. For them, self-realization comes to the fore. This is not to say that they are not interested in family, however, career growth still comes first. This also happens because Yers live in conditions of constant instability, they do not know what will happen tomorrow, and therefore do not see the point in planning anything for the future.

The theory of “eternal youth” is also characteristic of this generation. Millennials are trying to delay the arrival of the adult stage until the last minute. This situation is due to the fact that being an adult means taking responsibility. And this doesn’t fit into the Igrekov’s plans. However, this tendency is characteristic of this generation solely due to the fact that they have seen all the mistakes of their parents, and therefore simply refuse to be responsible for anyone’s future.

In general, Igrek is a generation of freethinkers. Sort of hipsters. They love freedom, value it most of all. They follow modern trends - in fashion, food and digital trends. Glamorous parties, constant “movement” with like-minded people - best option rest. However, their negative characteristic is that they want to have everything at once. If a career is something very important for them, then long-term development and professional growth is something completely meaningless. The Greeks have never been interested in hard work and the long process of getting the best position. They want to get everything right here and now. In addition, profitable acquaintances are not the least important for them, because, in their opinion, this will help much more than higher education. This generation does not like strict boundaries, and therefore flexible work schedules and comfortable working conditions are prerequisites for high productivity of Millennials.

The same can be said about money; for Millennials, it is the path to opportunity. If there is money, there is a road to success. Therefore, in addition to being individualists, they also have a thirst for everything material.

Of course, social networks deserve special attention from the players. Virtual reality is what they need for a successful existence. On such online platforms you can create a new image for yourself, even if it does not exist in real life. Millennials love to find friends based on their interests, and on social media. This is easiest to do on networks. As for food, they know absolutely everything about the amount of calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, however, they are often not even aware of the origin of the products and their composition.

Despite all the possibly negative features of this generation, it is interesting and extraordinary in its own way. The players have enough positive thinking, believe that life is beautiful and diverse, and all people are brothers. They expect significant results from their work, and therefore give it their all. However, it is important for them that what they do is a real passion.

Generation Z, or Generation MeMeMe

Other names: Generation YaYA, Generation Z, Net Generation, Internet Generation, GenerationI, Generation M (from the word “multitasking”), Homeland Generation, New Silent Generation, Generation 9/11

So, Generation Z (or Generation YAYA) are people born in the early 1990s and 2000s (Business Insider writes that Gen Z is born from 1996 to 2010). Their philosophical and social worldview was influenced by the global financial and economic crisis, Web 2.0 and the development of mobile technologies. Representatives of Generation Z are considered as children of Generation X, and sometimes as children of Generation Y, that is, millennials.

Features:

Generation Zeta is shining example people who appeared during times of great globalization and postmodernism. Their characteristic feature is that with all modern technologies they are on first-name terms since early childhood. Moreover, it often happens that the baby has not even learned to speak, but knows perfectly well how to turn on the computer and open his favorite game. So, the Zetas are the children of the Internet and modern technology. Due to this, they did not have a typical childhood “in the backyard”, and therefore are not team players, they need to be taught this.

This generation is distinguished by the absolute absence of a clearly defined life position. Unlike all their predecessors, the Zetas are not motivated by money or career advancement. Moreover, they are not at all independent and constantly need someone to tell them what they should do. However, there are enough freedom-loving people, they cannot be forced to do anything. After all, they will never do anything they don’t want to do themselves. Even from childhood, it is important for them that their opinions are listened to. They love to learn and quickly absorb new knowledge. Large amounts of information do not present any difficulties for them.

They receive the vast majority of knowledge from Internet resources. However, this is where a problem arises. The Zetas' horizons are quite superficial. Due to the fact that they do not see the point in school or university, they do not receive basic knowledge and skills. Everything they learn online is purely situational. Despite this, Zetas are distinguished by their incredible multitasking and creativity. They love finding solutions from difficult situations and solve the most unusual problems.

There are quite negative traits in their character. They are prone to whims and hysterics, they want everything to be exactly as they say. They have pronounced arrogance, egoism and narcissism (let’s just remember the “Selfie” culture).

Generation Z are travelers. They don't need comfort, work and money. They strive for everything new and unknown. Therefore, they will be indifferent to where to spend the night, what to drive (even if hitchhiking), and there is no sense of danger at all. The main thing is the emotions that they can experience.

Quite often, Zetas oppose bad habits (smoking, alcohol), and are also vegetarians. They believe in world peace and strive to solve environmental and social problems.

How to win the attention of the Zetas?

One thing is certain - they need to be motivated. Everything they do requires a reaction from others, whether negative or positive. The main thing is attention to their personality, they are simply eaters of emotions. All the tasks that you set for this generation need to be formulated clearly and in detail. But for every completed task, you will immediately give a reward. They do not like to work for a future result; they need motivation for every completed task. Despite the fact that Zetas are individualists, they also love parties and co-working spaces, so they should always be involved in teamwork. So that their work gives best result, it is necessary to offer them creative tasks, the most interesting for the most Zetas. In addition, make sure that they truly believe that what they do is beneficial to others.

So the generations are very different. Therefore, when communicating with your children or parents, it is necessary to take into account all the features characteristic of this generation, and also take into account the events that could affect the person. Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid possible conflicts and save great relationship with each other.

Generation Y

Generation Y(generation "Greek"; other names: millennials - generation of the Millennium, generation "next", "network" generation, echo boomers) - the generation born after 1980, who met the new millennium at a young age, characterized primarily by deep involvement in digital technologies . When the term was coined, Generation Y was contrasted with Generation X, which corresponds to the previous demographic generation.

Demography

The characteristics of a generation vary from country to country depending on political, economic, social and other conditions. While the “Greek” generation in the United States usually includes those born in 1981-2000, in Russia it includes the generation born in new socio-political conditions, with the beginning of Gorbachev’s Perestroika, the collapse of the USSR - 1984-2000. However, sociologists do not have a clear starting date for this generation.

In the United States, the Y generation is associated with the rise in birth rates that began in 1982, the so-called “echo boom.” These are mainly children of the baby boom generation, hence the name “echo boomers.” However, as far as developed countries are concerned, the downward trend in the number of children in families continues, so the phenomenon of the “echo boom” is not as widely known as the “baby boom” itself.

The majority of the Y generation belongs to a liberal culture, however separate groups hold more conservative views. Research conducted in 2006 in the United States showed that 48% of “echo boomers” believe in God, 20% do not believe, and 32% are not sure of his existence.

It is also worth mentioning the fact of loyalty to more radical political movements. Among the Y generation, neo-Nazi, communist and monarchist ideas are widespread. Democrats are also present, but their percentage is relatively small.

Peter Pan generation

The “Yay” generation also correlates with the so-called “boomerang generation”, or “Peter Pan generation”, due to the fact that its representatives tend to delay the transition to adulthood for a longer period than their peers in previous generations, and also longer stay live in parental home. Sociologist Kathleen Chaputis called this phenomenon “full nest syndrome.” The root cause of this trend can be attributed to economic conditions: the international financial crisis, widespread increases in housing costs, unemployment.

However, economics is not the only explanation for this phenomenon. Among sociologists, the question of definition has not yet been fully resolved: what is considered “adulthood”? A study by Dr. Larry Nelson noted that the Y generation is slow to make commitments. adult life due to the negative example of the previous generation.

“Previous generations started families, started careers - and did it immediately. And today young people see: having this approach to life, their parents divorced and have jobs they don’t like. Most Gen Yers want a family, but they want to make the right choice the first time, and it’s the same with work.”

Communications and Integration

The Millennial generation, like other generations, was shaped by the events, leaders, and inventions of their time. However, some Russian commentators claim that he does not have his own heroes.

Ygrek is the first generation that has no heroes, but has idols. We assume that they will not have heroes. They will become them for other generations, despite the fact that they do not always want to be heroes.

Coordinator of the project “Theory of Generations in Russia-Rugenerations” Evgenia Shamis

It was influenced by the development of network communication technologies such as email, short message service, instant messaging and other new media resources like video hosting YouTube and social networks (Livejournal, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). One of the most important distinguishing features of the communication psychology of “echo boomers” is their multitasking in the use of communication tools: they can chat with several people at the same time, read a website on a different topic, follow updates on Twitter and blogs. Among them, the consumption of media such as television and radio has been reduced tenfold.

Self-expression is extremely important to this generation. For example, in China, with a population of over a billion people, the desire to stand out from the crowd, to be individual, has become the cornerstone of the culture of Chinese youth. In countries around the world, only thanks to access to the Internet, people are asserting themselves in online role-playing games of the MMORPG genre and virtual worlds like World of Warcraft and Second Life. The most expressive members of the Y generation earned recognition by organizing online communities, launching Internet memes or organizing flash mobs. Other, more socially shy people have found anonymous online communication to be more liberating.

Pop culture

The Y generation emerged at a time when the Internet caused a global upheaval in traditional media. Compared to previous generations, this is characterized by the universal availability of any information, music, cinema, which could not but affect the business of television channels, recording studios and the entertainment industry as a whole. In countries with stricter laws, the distribution of unlicensed content online has become a problem, and copyright is enforced by the state and authorized bodies. However, torrent trackers are winning markets from copyright holders, and now music lovers are no longer hunting for new discs, but can easily download them (legally or illegally) from the Internet directly into their pocket digital audio player.

Conditions for cultural understanding

In the USA, a kind of “bridge” in realizing a certain similarity of tastes and preferences, cultural continuity of generations X (1965-1980/83) and Y (1981/84 - 2000) took place: the “Y” generation also loves films about Spider-Man (1962, comic book) and “Star Wars” (1976, promotional book), as once (in the 1970s) “Xers” loved comic books and films about these characters (about successful idols who came out of a layer so close and familiar to them "non-heroic" life).

This cannot be said about the USSR and Russia. Generation X until the end of the 1980s objectively used the cultural signs adopted by the Russian generation of baby boomers (1946-1964) - the “cult of heroes.” Moreover, these cultural signs were bipolar: on the one hand, the heroes of the Great Patriotic and Civil Wars, on the other, the images of the heroes of the sixties from films and literature of the 1960-1970s. (smart, ironic, apolitical). Only in the second half of the 1980s did contemporaries jump on this “hero bandwagon” of the “X” generation - Viktor Tsoi (b. 1962), Igor Talkov (b. 1956) with their tragic destinies.

But already the beginning of the 1990s “cancels” the “cult of heroes” in mass consciousness Generation X: a very, very painful breakdown of cultural and value guidelines taken from the “heroic eras” is taking place, as witnessed by children born (from 1984-1985). Their presence during this process quite likely caused a state of culture shock and an age-related desire to “hide your head in the sand.” Computer networks and communications technologies have accelerated this desire.

Job

Millennials' economic prospects deteriorated markedly during the 2008-2009 economic recession. Some states have had to take special measures to employ young people due to social tensions, such as the prolonged unrest in Greece in 2008 caused by soaring unemployment. Youth unemployment in Europe remains high (40% in Spain, 35% in the Baltics, 19.1% in the UK and over 20% in many other countries). In other regions, unemployment is also high, in particular, in the United States, youth employment statistics have been kept since 1948, and unemployment in this population group reached a record in July 2009, amounting to 18.5%. In Asia and other regions the situation is somewhat different, but the problem of unemployment is still relevant.

Another name for the “Greek” generation is “trophy generation.” This term reflects a tendency in competitive sports, as well as in other areas of life, where there is no winner or loser, “friendship wins,” and everyone receives “gratitude for participating in the competition.” A survey among employers confirmed that the younger generation of “Greeks” manifest themselves in corporate culture in the same way. Some employers are concerned that young people have too high expectations from their employment, and they prefer to adapt their working conditions to their lives, rather than vice versa. However, they are able-bodied, want impact from their work and greater participation in decision-making, and prefer to use flexible working hours.

Already now and in the future, according to expert forecasts, representatives of the Y generation will often change jobs. The personnel departments of some large organizations are aware of this psychological conflict and are trying to remove it by helping managers of older generations understand the younger ones and create more comfortable conditions for the latter.

Notes

Links

• Natalia Sokolova Generation Igrek // Profile. - September 20, 2010. - No. 34 (685).

• Evgenia Shatilova Generation Y: Managing with Many Unknowns. - January 11, 2012.

• Lyudmila Pushkina Igrek people. - March 13, 2012.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

» Sergey Kokarev and Anastasia Karimova wrote a column for the site about six types of millennials - people born between 1980 and the early 2000s, accustomed to technology, a fast pace of life and new experiences, and how to use this knowledge to brand promotion.

Interest in generation Y has been actively exploited recently by the media, covering this topic either in the context of marketing and branding, or in the context of sociology, psychology and HR. And thanks to the mass media, many have formed a kind of chaotic idea about these people.

Genius and stupidity, egocentrism and love for one's neighbor, entrepreneurial abilities and infantilism as characteristic features“Yagreks” are sometimes condemned, sometimes encouraged, but always cause a lively reaction - after all, in the descriptions someone will definitely recognize themselves, their friend or colleague.

We decided to sort everything out: clarify controversial issues and tell how the theory of generations helps build your work on social networks.

Fathers and sons: another look at the problem of generations

One of the main points on which there are discrepancies not only in the media, but even in the materials of significant researchers is the boundaries of generation Y. Some consider people born from 1980 to the early 1990s to be “Yers”. And those who were born in the late 90s are already considered representatives of generation Z. Others shift the boundaries to 1985-2005. In search of truth, let's turn to the source.

The boundaries of generations are clearly defined and justified by the so-called theory of generations, developed in the early 90s of the last century by the Americans Neil Howe and William Strauss. Later this theory was adapted to other countries.

According to the theory, the “duration” of one generation is 20-22 years. Every 20 years, a new generation of people appears whose values ​​are fundamentally different from the values ​​of their parents and grandparents.

It is curious that the change of generations occurs only four times, forming a single 80-year cycle. The four generations within the cycle change like the seasons and repeat again. This has been happening for hundreds of years. The study by Howe and Strauss describes this pattern from the late 16th century - the birth of the United States - however, the researchers argue that this pattern was relevant long before that.

The 80-year cycle is represented by four generational archetypes: “Artists”, “Idealists”, “Nomads” and “Heroes”.

The personality of the “Artists” is formed in an era of reaction and strict authoritarian control from external forces, be it the government or parents. “Idealists” grow up in an era of economic growth and stability. “Nomads” - at a time when the winds of change begin to blow and old values ​​are crumbling. The "hero" appears in a crisis to the ruins " old life» create a new world. As Franklin Roosevelt said, much is given to some generations, much is expected from others.

And what archetype do the “I-Greeks” belong to?

Heroes of our time

The “Hero” archetype was embodied in two different generations in the 20th century. This is the so-called "Greatest Generation" - people born from the 1900s to the 1920s.

“Heroes” in the truest sense of the word, who defended, changed, and built a new world. Born in an unstable era of changes in power, revolution, and global upheaval, representatives of the “Greatest Generation” went through at least one war.

80 years later the cycle repeated itself. The heroes of our time are the Yers, or millennials. Coworking space, smoothies, startups, beards, cats, that's all.

But no, not everything.

The “Hero” archetype, of course, manifests itself differently than it did 80 years ago. The heroism of the “Igreks” lies in the denial of authority. In believing in yourself and your capabilities. Unprepared to spend decades in a boring job. In dynamism, a thirst to know the world. In the predominance of spiritual values ​​over material ones. In an entrepreneurial spirit.

The Greeks grew up during a period of epochal changes: perestroika, the collapse of the USSR, liberalization and transition to a market economy, globalization, the rapid development of digital technologies, the rapid spread of the Internet and the global financial crisis.

Hence the readiness of millennials for change, disbelief in long term prospects and rejection of authority. Cynicism, self-confidence, infantilism and optimism: the “Greeks” found a period of relatively prosperous 2000s.

The information revolution makes young people free and self-confident. Technology allows one person to compete with large organizations: hackers against corporations, bloggers against newspapers, terrorists against states, YouTubers against film studios, app makers against entire industries.

Five years will pass, and the “Igreks” will find themselves at the most economically active age. They will produce the lion's share of GDP, spend money on quality clothing, travel, invest in children's education and get mortgages.

A business that does not learn to communicate with them cannot be successful.

Various "Greeks"

The situation is complicated by the fact that there are many “Igreks” and they are different. Millennials are considered the most diverse generation in history. Hence the contradictions in the characterization of the “Igreks”, which we mentioned at the very beginning. Today there are 30 million “Igreks” in Russia. It is obvious that, in addition to common features inherent in the generation as a whole, it is possible to identify certain features by which it can be segmented.

In 2012 year The Boston Consulting Group conducted a study called "The Millennial Consumer." Four thousand “Igreks” aged from 16 to 34 years old, as well as representatives of older generations, took part in it.

Not surprisingly, the answers varied among Yers of different ages, social status, income and gender: their attitudes towards technology, communication, media consumption, marketing and outlook on life differ. The result of the study was the identification of 6 types of “Igreks”. Distinctive Features social behavior formed the basis for the conventional names of these types:

• "Aware" (Hip-ennial);
• “Advanced” (Gadget Guru);
• “Green and Fluffy” (Clean and Green);
• "Conservatives" (Oldschool);
• Millenial-Mom;
• "Anti-Millenial".

We at the April agency were perhaps one of the first in the entire digital community of the RuNet to seriously delve into working with the audience based on the theory of generations. Our approach is of greatest interest to companies seeking to establish a dialogue with their audience, instead of “shooting sparrows from a cannon,” increasing media pressure and, possibly, draining the budget.

The right approach to millennials will “rock” the community in social networks, find or grow your own brand advocates.

Each of the above types of “Greeks” has its own characteristics of network behavior. Let's go in order and find out how, with whom and what is better to talk about.

Hip-Ennial or "Aware"

The global insight of this audience sounds like “I can change this world.” However, they talk much more than they do. Among the “Aware”, girls predominate. They are very active on social networks, but they would rather “like”, “share” and comment than write their own thoughtful (or not so thoughtful) texts.

“Aware” is a very fertile ground for the spread of all kinds of viral activities. For example, from charitable organizations. Remember who most often reposts calls for help for dogs, grandmothers and children among your friends, and you will find a prominent representative of the “Aware”.

Gadget Guru or "Advanced"

“It’s great to be me!” - immodest, but they really think so. These guys, and mostly they are guys, strive to be independent, earn good money and buy advanced gadgets with this money. It seems that a considerable part of the site’s audience will recognize themselves in “Advanced”, but can you answer what interests you in Digital?

That’s right, the main thing is not to be led, but to lead yourself. You create the most content to highlight your success and trend-following. And you will be especially pleased if the brand shows a special personal touch, listens to your advice and communicates with you.

And it’s even better if among your friends (completely by chance, yeah), you find an “evangelist” of the brand and big secret will tell you about the most secret new products and share a promotional code.

Millennial Mom or “Millennial Moms”

“I love playing sports, traveling and spoiling my child.” “Igreki Moms” are very active. For them, a child is not only not a reason to stop taking care of themselves, but, on the contrary, a driver of personal growth and development. When it comes to behavior on social media, they find enough time to produce tons of content.

However, the topics that interest them are limited to a completely understandable range: travel, health, family, education. Politics and economics are not of interest to “Moms” until some events begin to affect them directly.

“Millennial Moms” are a very interesting audience who spend money with an X2 coefficient on themselves and their children. If you want to reach them, try setting up communication through bloggers and celebrity moms who are influential in their circle. It is possible to communicate with them directly, but it will take effort to earn trust.

Clean and Green or “Green and Fluffy”

“I care not only about myself, but also about the world that surrounds me” - they crowd around vegan trailers and bring in lamps and batteries. We called them "Greens" absolute truth and “Fluffy”, which sometimes is not entirely true. Because sometimes they can be quite belligerent.

Once it touches a nerve, they are ready to catch the wave and boldly get involved in a scandal on Facebook pages. The Greens won't trust you until you can prove that you've actually reduced your emissions. Hello, .

If you want to consolidate the Green audience, give them the opportunity to work for you for free. Let them bring batteries, come up with a recipe for a new dish, or tell your friends how great you are.

Anti-Millennial or "Anti-Millennials"

“I’m too busy with business and family to think about anything else” - yes, they don’t care about politics, ecology and public organizations, and at the same time, to your Facebook with VKontakte. Of course, they use the Internet, perhaps they even have profiles on social networks, but they are, as they say, “empty”: a picture instead of an avatar and 10-20 friends.

If your product is of interest to these tough guys, they will subscribe to it, but don’t expect much engagement from them.

Old-School Millennial or "Conservatives"

“Communication on social networks is too impersonal, but let’s better meet and have coffee!” - these are “Xers” who simply pretend to be “Yers”. Well, they love live communication, well, they don’t feel comfortable on social networks, well, they don’t understand how to call a taxi through the application.

Perhaps some of them even have a home phone. And TV. If “Anti-Millennials” fall out of the classification, then “Conservatives” are at the other extreme in relation to “Advanced”.

If your target audience is “Conservatives”, try to use more classic media - UN, TV, newspapers, magazines - otherwise there is a risk that you simply won’t get them.

As you can see, six groups of millennials or “Yers” quite succinctly describe the main types of those who are now between 14 and 33 years old. Generational theory is most useful in two cases: firstly, when you are looking for consumer insight into your target audience, and secondly, when you want to set up a dialogue with your audience through social networks.

Just describe your target customer as accurately and without illusions as possible and find the definition that they fall under. Many answers will come by themselves.