What Gen X Leaders Can Do For Your Business…If You Ever Notice We’re Here
Milton, the most overlooked employee at Initech (Office Space, 1999)
I get it, man. We Gen Xers are easy to ignore.
Gen X makes up the smallest percentage of the working population, at 19 percent. Baby boomers, millennials and Gen Z each have around 21 percent in this era of four generations occupying the work world simultaneously. We’re used to everyone forgetting about us, and we don’t complain much. We’re independent, often quiet, normally cynical, and always quietly cynical. Since art is a microcosm of life, the media of the mid-90s, when many of us were entering the workforce, reflects these attitudes:
Exhibit A, Lelaina’s graduation speech in the opening scene of Reality Bites:
"And they [baby boomers] wonder why those of us in our twenties refuse to work an eighty-hour work week just so we can afford to buy their BMWs. Why we aren’t interested in the counterculture that they invented, as if we did not see them disembowel their revolution for a pair of running shoes.”
Exhibit B, Peter Gibbons’s conversation with efficiency consultants (“the Bobs”) in Office Space:
“The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. It's a problem of motivation, all right? I have eight different bosses right now. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. My only real motivation is not to be hassled, that and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.”
Why Gen X Is Like This
Generation X (born 1965-1980) is known as the least-parented generation compared to the generations on either side of us. We grew up in the midst of dual-income families and high divorce rates, so we had hours of unsupervised time after school; helicopter parenting wasn’t a thing yet. Honestly, we loved it. Seriously, keep ignoring us; we know how to get away with all kinds of mess when no one is paying attention.
We’re good at working independently and entertaining ourselves. In fact, we tend to resent it if you stick your nose in our business and insinuate that we need help or attention. We learned to cook for ourselves (if Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is cooking), do homework on our own and when we were home sick, be content with reruns of Get Smart and Hogan’s Heroes because our parents refused to pay for cable TV. (Okay, so perhaps that was just MY parents.)
America’s Neglected “Middle Child” Generation
In May of 2022, David Gergen, CNN analyst and adviser to four presidents, reminded us Gen Xers just how forgettable we are in this tweet:
“Baby Boomers have been running the country for nearly three decades. Some successes, a number of disappointments. It’s time to pass the baton to younger generations — Millennials & Gen Z.”
Um, hello? Remember us? Gen Xers are 42-57 years old and still have some working years left. We occupy a lot of senior management positions. We are really good at interacting with both baby boomers and millennials, so maybe you need us. The Pew Research Center said, "Gen Xers are a low-slung, straight-line bridge between two noisy behemoths…”
You know what, never mind; we’ll just go back to our office to continue working and muttering under our breath. Don’t worry, though; we’re cynical, but we have a sense of humor about it. Because Gen Xers are also pretty tech-savvy, the Twitterverse responded to Gergen’s snub:
“What do you suggest Gen X does with the remainder of their lives? Asking for many friends.” - Rachel Vindman
“It’s like society parked Gen X in front of the TV and promptly forgot about us for 40 years. But we’re cool with that.” - April, on FIRE
or one respondent’s succinct if inelegant “What about GenX, a**hole???”
Why Organizations Should Pay Attention to Gen X
Whatever the reason Generation X is so often overlooked as “the sandwich generation” between boomers and millennials — be it our smaller group size or our tendency to put up with or even enjoy being relegated to the background — it would behoove the organizations that employ us to throw a little attention our way.
Gen Xers have “an entrepreneurial mindset and work hard, play hard thinking.” (U.S. News & World Report)
We are loyal. Only 14 percent of us have considered leaving our jobs, compared to 27-30 percent of Gen Z and millennials. (Venture Beat and Amdocs)
Having lived through three recessions and the dot-com boom and bust, we are resilient and equipped for handling adversity, like a pandemic. (Business Insider)
Our digital prowess is equal to that of millennials, and we’ve mastered conventional leadership skills akin to the boomers. (CNBC)
We’re going to be a substantial part of the workforce for the next 10-30 years. “Those that overlook Gen X in favor of focusing only on the youngest generations entering the workforce will miss out on a deep and valuable source of leadership potential.” (CNBC)
It’s Not Just Us
Look, it’s not all about us; Gen Xers know that better than anyone. We share some workplace angst with millennials and Gen Z. According to Good Hire, while Gen X is generally happy at work, we, like the younger generations, are most bothered by our managers (again, eight different bosses). We also share with millennials a willingness to sacrifice higher salaries for better work-life balance (fewer BMWs and running shoes).
But despite our acceptance of being ignored with only a few snide comments (Insider writer Rebecca Knight calls cynicism Gen X’s love language.), we could stand to be acknowledged. We’re a giant part of the workforce that occupies a high percentage of leadership positions, and we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. This also means (talking to you, fellow Gen Xers) if we are in all those leadership positions, we are part of the problem; we’re ignoring ourselves.
We’re tough and flexible; we embrace the internet and modern digital technology, but we still remember how to get along without it. We make good collaborative leaders, and despite our slacker reputation, have turned into dedicated workers in middle age. It just makes sense for organizations to consider how to best leverage our talents and unique proclivities. We might even thank you for it. Or whatever.
Sincerely,
Fundamental of the Week #10: KEEP THINGS FUN
Our day-to-day work problems are small compared to those facing most of the world. Laugh every day; don’t take things too seriously.
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