taken from businessweek (some interesting comments i'd like to keep around--after the article):
http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/may2008/ca20080515_250308.htm
10 Reasons Gen Xers Are Unhappy at Work
Corporations really need folks in their 30s to early 40s, but there is a tentative relationship at best between that cohort and Corporate America
Posted on Across the Ages: May 10, 2008 9:46 AM
I'm worried about Generation X and corporations. As far as I can tell, these two have a tentative relationship at best—and are likely headed for some rocky times ahead.
Corporations really need Gen X—folks in their 30's to early 40's, who should begin to serve as our primary corporate leaders over the next couple years. But I fear many current corporate executives are taking this small and therefore precious group for granted.
Many of you X'ers are not thrilled with corporate life. You tend not to trust institutions in general and deeply resent the Boomers' confident assumptions that you will be motivated by the same things that Boomers have long cared about. Many of you have told me that you are planning to leave corporate life "soon"—to start entrepreneurial ventures or work for smaller companies—options you feel will suite you better than the corporate roles looming ahead.
Why are many X'ers uncomfortable in corporate life?
1. X'ers' corporate careers got off to a slow start and many are still feeling the pain. You graduated when the economy was slow and the huge bulge of Boomers had already grabbed most of the key jobs. As an article in the May, 1985 issue of Fortune said: "[T]hese pioneers of the baby-bust generation are finding life on the career frontier harsher than ever…they're snarled in a demographic traffic jam…stuck behind all those surplus graduates of the past decade."
2. When you were teens, X'ers witnessed adults in your lives being laid off from large corporations, as re-engineering swept through the business lexicon. This engendered in most X'ers a lack of trust in large institutions and a strong desire for a life filled with back-up plans, just in case. Many of the adults you saw laid off and then struggling to reintegrate were in their 40's—about the age X'ers are reaching today.
3. Most corporate career paths "narrow" at the top —the perceived range of options diminishes as individuals become increasingly specialized in specific functions or roles. X'ers crave options, which assuage your concerns about being backed into a corner, laid off from one path. The sense of narrowing career paths and increased vulnerability is often most palpable at the transition from middle to upper management—just where many of you are today. This step also often brings demands for relocation and separation from established social networks—an additional assault on your sense of self-reliance.
4. Just your luck—the economy was slow when you entered the workforce and now its slowing once again—just as you are standing at the threshold of senior management. Stepping into leadership roles right now looks more difficult and the roles themselves, more vulnerable than they have at any point in the past decade.
5. And then there are those pesky Gen Y's. Many X'ers are charged with "managing" Y's which—let's face it—is an impossible task, at least if you define "manage" as controlling their channels of communication. While vying for promotions and trying to look good, many of you feel that Y's are doing an end run around.
6. X'ers are, in fact, surrounded by a love fest—and not feeling the love. As I wrote in last week's post, Boomers and Y's are learning from each other—and enjoying their interactions. It's easy to feel left out.
7. X'ers are the most conservative cohort in today's workforce—and you're surrounded by "shake ‘em up" types on both sides. In your personal lives, X'ers are not particularly keen on rules, but you had to follow them in the workplace—and you resent it when others now don't. It seems unfair to be rewriting corporate etiquette when you've had to toe the line for so long.
8. Many X'ers' are guarding a closely held secret: you're not all as comfortable with the technology that is changing the way things are done as everyone seems to think you are. While it's perfectly acceptable for Boomers to feign ignorance and ask for help, it's embarrassing for X'ers to do so.
9. And if Boomer colleagues are annoying, the Boomer parents of your Y reports are down-right over-the-top. X'ers can't believe the frequency of Y-parent interactions and are deeply turned off by parents who make their presence felt in the workplace.
10. Finally, your own parenting pressures are at a peak. You're deeply committed to spending more time with your kids than your parents did or were able to spend with you, but juggling is getting more and more difficult.
Is it time to jump off the corporate train?
I hope not—at least not for most of you. Corporations really need your leadership. But I understand that we need to create corporate environments that are more conducive to your needs and preferences.
I'm in the middle of my latest writing project—a book on career options and strategies for Gen X'ers. I'd love to hear from you about your experiences, frustrations, and success. What works? What doesn't? What do you worry about? What would you most like to know?
Tammy Erickson blogs at Across the Ages.
Leo May 19, 2008 8:49 PM GMT 41, and have been both middle management and entrepreneur. And though your article makes a lot of relevant points, it's missing something key. And that is that many Xers were forced at some point in their career to try it on their own. And a good portion of them found it to be a better path than returning to corporate life. We're in control. If it succeeds, we get the profit. If it fails, it's our fault, and that's good too. Especially when you can change things if you see if failing to work more for success. My career is no longer at the risk of corporate issues. My small company creates interactive training. We take corporate, government and non-profit contracts. We also have a line of direct-to-market products. And non of this would be happening now if corporate had worked like
Happy-Gen-X'er May 19, 2008 8:49 PM GMT I am a Gen-X'er who started his own company a decade ago, so I am pretty happy with my lot. But I can see that some of the generalizations above may apply to some of my peers. Here's an observation: there are advantages and disadvantages to graduating into a recession (as we did) opposed to a boom period (as gen Y did). Many of my peers took time to play in bands, write books, travel, and so on while in their 20s. This produced dividends: I think those of us who smelled the roses are less likely to burn out than those who did not. I would also mention that I think many of the characterizations above are true of pretty much every generation as they turn 40. You either start to realize your dreams at this age or make peace with the fact that it ain't happening. The successful people are very gratified and engaged with their work; the less successful people less so. Gen-Y kids will be having the same experience in 10-15 years. And the boomers you speak of are the successful, happy ones.
Return of the Son of Gen Y'er May 19, 2008 8:32 PM GMT X'er and Proud: Sadly, your attempts to mischaracterize my generation "in our terminology" are also an "epic fail". Y'ers, unlike your lot, do not lend ourselves to be pigeon-holed so easily, which I believe is part of your dilemma in understanding us. We don't all act like that, and I think I'm evidence that not all Y'ers are complainers, lack work ethic, or speak/type like morons. I'll leave that to the kids born in the 90s-00s. It seems like you are really bitter about something bigger than a cross-generational threat. I guess Reagan-omics hasn't worked out so well for your group, but you can't blame Y'ers for that, we were barely born yet. I think a lot of it is that, unlike X'ers, Y'ers HAVE ideals, we care about each other, are better tempered than the Boomers' generation, and that's probably why they like us better. It's why, in the next 10-20 years, you'll see us being your bosses as we gain the experience to go with our vision. And it's how we will fix the problems in America, like your generation has (so far) failed to do.
Ben May 19, 2008 7:55 PM GMT I'm so happy to have read this article. A co-worker of mine sent it to me because he knew how much it would ring true for me (he's heard my ranting for a long time). I know this is going to sound mean, but the Baby Boom generation has destroyed much of our culture, not just in corporations. I'm an amateur philosopher and I've given the subject a lot of thought. Today's corporations and governments are starving for good management. The top management of most businesses that I've come in contact with are run by completely incompetent people. I just turned 33 this past weekend. For a long time I felt that I was alone in seeing how squeezed I am between lazy incompetents in the generation above me and whiny children below me. Unfortunately, I don't think that the strength of Generation X will be enough to withstand the forces of darkness around us. :) Lookout for yourselves. Don't count on anything the Boomers set up for themselves being around for us. Get ready to fix their mistakes in a major way so that we can change the diapers of the Y'ners behind us. ;) I'd love to read your book when its out and I'd be happy to talk to you before its out.
Proud Gen X'er May 19, 2008 6:49 PM GMT "Gen Y'er" hit the nail on the head. "I enjoy ... a good culture that appreciates and rewards hard work." Idiots. So those of us who can do the same work you do in half the time should be frowned upon and bypassed for promotion? How about "work smarter, not harder"? I shouldn't be punished because I don't need to stay in the office every night until 8pm to finish my work, and because I don't need to carry around a Crackberry to reply to emails in the middle of the night or while on vacation. Unbelievable...
Tyler Durden May 19, 2008 6:11 PM GMT I'm 30 M - on the cusp between X and Y. The fundamental problem is that there are too many Boomers. Social security was designed for a ratio of 3 workers to one pensioner. We're down to 2:1 and soon 1.5:1. Moreover, they are hoarding all the resources. Wealth distribution is the worst it has been since the Gilded Age. This generally tracks with age. Thus, our medical technology is going to extending the lifespan of people who are past their productive years. There is no benefit to society to keep someone older than 65 alive and in a feeble state. Those Boomers who were irresponsible with their earnings and now have no retirement will end up being supported by their children. This is already happening to several of my friends. Now they are trying to support their own children and their parents. Massive inflation has also eroded our relative standard of living. Take my folks - they bought a 4 bedroom house that was 10 years old at the time on one middle manager's income. Now that same house which is 50 years old takes a surgeon and law partner to purchase it. The boomers have been passing the buck to the younger generations for too long.
Gen X er and prpud May 19, 2008 6:05 PM GMT I don't think you'll find a high tolerance for whining from or towards Gen Xers, Mr Y'er from Houston. Excuse us for detesting your work ethic, desire for $60,000 a year right out of college, and your general sense that you know it all even though you've achieved exactly zero apart from come up with a derivative MySpace page. Money talks. Skills talk. Your college degree means jack, and your sense of entitlement means jack. I recently bailed on an all Y shop cause you couldn't tell them ANYTHING - even though they were spending 80% of their workday fixing the problems they were creating the other 20% of the time, cause they didn't have the experience to figure out what time the clue train pulled in. Just because you just graduated and know everything doesn't give you the right to call others who call you on your crap whiners.
Paul May 19, 2008 5:42 PM GMT The one element that is missing from your list - compensation. Those of us that started working during a down economy are staring at much junior resources that make more than us for doing less work. Our income generally hasn't matched inflation, yet we find ourselves working longer hours at more complex tasks with direct reports that make more than we do. Corporate America just doesn't make it worthwhile any more to commit to careers at a single employer. We have to move around to increase our salary.
Gen Y'er May 19, 2008 5:42 PM GMT 23 years old - I have a masters' degree in Economics and have been working for a Fortune 500 company for about a year now. The experience has been nothing short of pleasurable. I enjoy great benefits, 40K+ salary, and a good culture that appreciates and rewards hard work. I can't help it if I know how to use the resources at my disposal (e.g., internet and computers) better than my older co-workers, but I sure do enjoy the rewards! I've also been told that if you work hard, you shall reap the rewards -- that's why I went the extra mile and got an advanced degree. I do not anticipate having to wait excessive periods for promotions - I've been promoted once already, and if my company doesn't want to compensate me with money and position enough to retain my skills and services, I have no problem going somewhere else. I don't view this as "entitlement," I view it as knowing what I am worth and refusing to settle for less. Gen X'ers come off as whiny and self-righteous and I can't wait to zoom right by them at my job.
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