Generation X, Y, Z - how are they different and what sets them apart?
Tips
24 March 2023
Why are there differences in communication between adults and teenagers? Among the main reasons is the age difference. However, this answer raises further questions: why is it so important, and is it possible to come to a common understanding between the generations despite the differences? To understand this, it is first necessary to find out what generations X, Y and Z are.
Generation X, Y, Z - what is worth knowing about each generation?
What is a generation? It is a group of people coming from one age category who share certain characteristics, life experiences, culture and values. There are currently four main generations: baby boomers, X, Y, Z.
A generation - how old is it?
Every how many years is a new generation born? Defining this figure is only conventional, but the most popular theory is that every 20-25 years or so - a period sufficient for a child to become a young adult of reproductive age.
For this reason, it is recognised that there are three generations in the standard family model, which includes grandparents, parents and children.
Generation X, Y, Z - years
In what years were the currently living generations born?
- Generation X - 1960 to 1975;
- Generation Y - from 1975 to around 1990;
- Generation Z - from around 1996 onwards (2012 is considered the definitive vintage).
The generation preceding Generation X is considered to be the so-called baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Generation X, Y, Z - conventional characteristics, matched to the general population
Features of Generation X:
- are committed to tradition;
- believe in authority figures, especially teachers, senior staff and religious figures;
- prefer to communicate in a traditional meeting rather than via smartphones and computers;
- are independent;
- believe that all relationships can be repaired (particularly evident in the context of marital relationships).
Features of Generation Y:
- are confident;
- are open in their interpersonal relations;
- are mainly driven by self-interest or family interest;
- do not take traditions and authorities as seriously as Generation X;
- live longer with their parents, compared to generation X (less independence);
- participate actively in the globalisation process.
Features of Generation Z:
- are extremely confident;
- They lack openness in face-to-face interpersonal contacts;
- feel a strong need to belong to a social group;
- do not want to work more than necessary (work-life balance);
- are rarely guided by traditions and authorities;
- feel a lack of stability in their lives.
It is important to bear in mind that these are not universal characteristics that can be attributed to every individual who falls into a particular generation. Within each generation there are individuals who live their lives very differently.
Generations X, Y, Z on the labour market
How important are generational types in the labour market? Big. Each of them has its own specific characteristics that determine the way they approach the performance of their professional duties.
For example, Generation X and baby boomers value tradition, experience and loyalty to their employer. They perform their tasks and look after the company's welfare, often pushing their own into the background. Millennials and Generation Z, on the other hand, focus mainly on work-life balance and, moreover, their jobs change easily when they get a better offer.
It is colloquially said that generation X lives to work; Y works to live; and Z only works if the profession is interesting.
Where do the names of the generations come from?
Since when did generations get their individual names? The first attempts date back to the 1950s-80s. It was then that a distinction began to be made, in terms of functioning, between the silent generation, the baby boomers and the X generation.
These names originated from the cultural changes that took place in America. They quickly gained popularity and were adapted in other countries and further developed to include the next generations: generation Y (millenials) and Z. 
Differences in communication between generations X, Y, Z
It is easy to see the differences in communication between the generations. Younger people often talk in a direct manner, going 'you' even with people who are their superiors. Such behaviour is unthinkable for older people, who believe that hierarchy in society is important and that paying respect in casual speech to their authority figures is not only a courtesy but also a necessity.
What influences this state of affairs? First and foremost:
- life experience;
- communication skills and linguistic competence;
- beliefs (including religious beliefs);
- the economic situation during the teenage years;
- internet access;
- globalisation;
- education (access to education);
- ability to use technology;
- respect, or lack thereof, for tradition;
- traumatic memories.
Technology as a reason for communication differences
Generation X people tend to be more inclined towards conventional modes of communication, such as face-to-face, sending letters and faxing.
Generation Y prefers digital tools, including: email, text messaging and social media as a quick and convenient way to communicate.
Generation Z, on the other hand, is completely immersed in digital culture, benefiting from media pluralism. Therefore, for the Zetas, online communication is often the only way to make contact.
These differences need more attention and understanding, especially in situations where these generations work together in work or family relationships.
Generation X - the ghost generation
Generation X, also referred to as the ghost generation and the communist generation, are people born between 1965 and 1980 who experienced, among other things, the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the computer revolution and the beginnings of globalisation.
These are people for whom technology and popular culture have become an integral part of their daily lives, but at the same time they do not tend to conform uncritically to this trend, especially because of the unravelling of a past that was very different.
Generation X entered adulthood at a time when the emphasis was on values such as individualism (the early capitalist years), collectivism (the communist years), success and traditions.
They are characterised by a more critical approach than young people to different forms of government, as well as to socio-political situations.
They are people with a unique need for freedom, although this is sometimes associated with a sense of loneliness and alienation; dealing with difficulties on their own. The spectrum generation has contributed to the flourishing of the creative and technological industries, as well as the development of the labour market and business (the creation of new professional positions).
Generation Y - the millenials
Representatives of the millennial generation are people born in the 1980s and 1990s. They are people who grew up in the era of the early days of the internet and the dynamic globalisation that now rules the world.
Millenials have a rich cultural experience because they have had access to different countries and cultures since childhood, something their ancestors had to wait many years to do. They are free-spirited, creative individuals who focus on personal development and understand what makes them happy and strive to do it.
Millenials tend to be well educated, due to the easier accessibility of specialised education. They are politically, culturally and ideologically diverse;
Their common denominator is usually the pursuit of freedom, tolerance and equal and fair cooperation between people.
Generation Z - or who?
Representatives of Generation Z were conventionally born between 1996 and 2012. They are people who have been surrounded by technology, the internet and media influences from an early age.
As a result, they are very familiar with modern tools, especially social media. They are very versed in issues related to: ecology, equality of social strata, tolerance and are open to cultural diversity.
On the one hand, they are people who inhabit the virtual world, spending a lot of time on it, but at the same time they are also very socially engaged and take to the streets to protest and fight for their rights. Generation Z is a society of young, active people who are now increasingly influential in shaping the future of our civilisation.
Modern life is becoming increasingly complex and the acquisition of knowledge and skills is becoming a key element of navigating today's society. Each generation is shaped differently and adapted to current realities, which often makes communication and understanding between different age groups difficult. Shared experiences and respect for different points of view are key to improving intergenerational contact.
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