Features of generation y. Generation Y: Characteristics of Modern Workers

Generation Y is continually joining the ranks of organizations. How to manage freedom-loving people who almost always measure the world through the prism of high expectations, read the article material.

From the article you will learn:

What kind of work Generation Y chooses

Y representatives are very different from X employees and baby boomers. To manage gamers, you need to understand, understand how to attract them, retain and motivate them. It is required to determine which values ​​are in the first place. It is important to take into account that the theory of Neil Howe and William Strauss is still not losing ground. Managers must take into account the specifics of all specialists.

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Hays researched the portrait of gamers based on their views on Gen Y motivations, aspirations, future plans and careers. The results of a large-scale survey of thousands of respondents of generation Y, born in 1983-1995, living in Russia, helped to answer the questions of interest.

Generation Y today accounts for about 21% of humanity.

According to forecasts presented by leading experts, by 2025, gamers will be up to 75% of the total work force in the world. In Russia on this moment working for full time between the ages of 18 and 30, half. This is a large indicator when compared with other countries, where no more than 40-41% of young specialists are officially employed in the staff of organizations. Therefore, we can conclude that almost all representatives of Y in Russia choose full rather than part-time employment.

About 11% of representatives of generation Y admitted that they do not work full-time, but choose only part-time employment... Work experience of 44% of participants is more than three years. As a rule, they work in sales, banking, consulting, and manufacturing. A relatively small percentage of those surveyed work part-time.

What Generation Y Considers When Choosing A Job

Generation Y employees are selective - they strive for development, movement forward. It is for this reason that they try to choose positions that match their ideas of the ideal job. In general, one can single out the basic principles that they follow.

Generation Y values

The players want to travel, take part in large international projects... Young employees have a preference for work with an international background. Moreover, 93% of the players employed in the Russian Federation, show interest in transnational projects. At that time in the world this figure reaches only 78%.

The international status of the work manifests itself in different dimensions:

1. 37% of people dream of living and working in Russia, making only short-term business trips abroad;
2. 7% prefer to work exclusively within their own country.

The gamers in China think the same way. Young specialists strive to broaden their horizons, to make business trips with the aim of traveling, to get acquainted with the history and traditions of other countries. Only a small percentage of young people choose a job that has nothing to do with business trips.

New Generation Y - employees who can get job satisfaction, but on condition that they have a decent salary and interesting functionality. 65% of respondents note that the main condition is the financial factor. But they noted that the remuneration cannot be at the expense of an interesting work activity.

The work must be not only interesting and exciting, but also varied. We can safely say that the gamers do not perceive the monotony. Young professionals wish creatively approach assignments, realize that they are appreciated and recognized.

Generation Y traits

The characteristics of the representatives of the Y generation are:

in an effort to find interesting work, moreover, more than 72% of specialists put functionality in the first place;

in the desire to get a position with a flexible work schedule, a pleasant environment;

in the ability to go up the career ladder, and not stay in one position;

in the need to work under the leadership of a just manager.

Gen Y traits include accounting for personality traits manuals. It considers that it will be an experienced and fair manager who sets tasks correctly, knows how to distribute duties and responsibility between employees. 51% of gamers want to work with a clear leader who can give clear instructions. This desire contradicts the games from other countries, who see the leader in a different light, choosing managers-mentors.

The years of the birth of igrykov fell on the beginning of perestroika, when the USSR collapsed, then the theory of generations Y appeared. Representatives of the Millennium, echo-boomers and next are characterized by involvement in digital technologies. The Y gamer is a generation that lacks heroes, but has idols. Self-expression is important to him. Young people show themselves in corporate culture organizations, work harmoniously in a team. But they put their lives at the head, so they prefer to look for work, the conditions of which they like, do not violate their usual way of life.

The gamers are ardent fighters for justice. The quality is clearly manifested in the attitude of young people to their superiors. More than 50% of those surveyed named fairness as the main factor of a leader. Representatives of Y in Russia do not know how long they wish to remain in their first job. But a third of the respondents say that they want to work with the first employer for about two years. About 6% of the respondents say that it is enough to work for only six months to gain experience. More than 50% cannot name the timeframe, but think that for working career will replace at least six employers.

Gamers are eager to open their own business in order to work for themselves. The main focus is on entrepreneurship. About 11% of specialists managed to open their own firms. As successful development careers they see the expansion of a small business.

Y are active users of social networks. Young professionals believe that simple and affordable way organize communication within the organization - use the instant messaging system. As a means of communication, a mobile phone is called.

How to attract, retain and motivate Gen Y professionals

According to Hays experts, in order for specialists to remain in the organization for a long time, they need to be interested.

All working conditions and personal opportunities are told when applying for a vacancy. The system of motivation and retention is quite simple. A materialistic picture, the ability to develop and learn, to see goals and ways to solve them are the basic needs of Y.

Generation Y: how to work with it

If we consider how to work with Generation Y, it can be noted that it is impossible to keep the players with only high salaries. About employees igrek, characteristic features and how to work with them was told by Olga Emelyanova, ex-leading specialist of Grossnab Group (Yekaterinburg)

Our organization went to international level... Therefore, it became necessary to develop markets and regions. In order for employees to accomplish this task, it is necessary to increase their involvement and motivation, as well as encourage them to deliver better results than before. We analyzed the staffing and saw that mostly employees are representatives of Y. Their age range is from 25 to 33 years old. Therefore, you need to find methods that will act on them. For this, the peculiarities of generation Y, the worldview of specialists, thinking, and attitude to work must be taken into account. We use a game format, short-term goals, assessment systems, and understandable remuneration. We decided that we would put together a game that engages employees and leads to better results.

The essence of the game: the team needs to climb to the top high mountain breaking the levels

They took as a basis popular game- "Mario". That was the name of the protagonist. His task is to quickly find where the mushrooms are hidden, catch and collect them. As soon as the hero collects everything, he switches to new level... The principle is the same in the game. Only the hero is the company's employees. Their the main task- get at least six mushrooms. Then the organization will switch to high level... There are four levels in total. Therefore, you need to go through everything to collect 24 mushrooms. Only in this case the team will be on the top of the mountain.

The goal of the workers is to conquer the top by all means. It is not the command itself that moves from level to level, but it is delivered there Balloon... We represent that company employees settled in the basket. All people in the team are in one basket, not in different ones, otherwise they would have competed with each other.

Moreover, each unit takes part in solving a specific task that must be completed in order to pick up the mushroom. For example, you want to win a tender. The department employees are also assisted by suppliers. They process applications, carry out preliminary purchases. Also involved are lawyers who check the contract, as well as accountants. Department specialists act as a team and everyone sees the result.

Having developed the game, do not leave only virtual rewards for achievements in work. Be sure to include real benefits too, so that Generation Y employees don't lose interest in the game. Try to sum up the results at short intervals, for example, every quarter. Reward employees for completing tasks each time.

Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z - these expressions often appear in articles by sociologists and demographers, HR managers and marketers. What do these letters mean?

For the first time, two people spoke about the peculiarities of age differences in 1991 - researchers from the United States Neil Howe and William Strauss. They created a theory that was based on differences in values ​​between people of different generations. These differences were studied, as well as the underlying reasons, for example, the situation in economics and politics, technological development society, etc. Some time later, the theory began to be applied in practice, because it has proven to be very effective in business. Today this theory is being used more and more often.

Representatives of the following generations now live in Russia (the years of birth are indicated in parentheses):

• The Greatest Generation (1900-1923).
• The Silent Generation (1923-1943).
• The Baby Boomer Generation (1943-1963).
• Generation X ("X") (1963-1984).
• Generation Y ("The Game") (1984-2000).
• Generation Z "Zed" (since 2000).

Scientists note that the boundaries are calculated with the assumption of plus or minus 3 years, and for people at the junction of generations, the features of both are often characteristic.

Post-war generation. Photo from the site dochki2.tmc-it.net

Baby boomers

Baby boomers are people born between 1943 and 1963. The generation received the name because of the post-war surge in the birth rate. The events that had the greatest influence on the formation of the values ​​of the people of this generation are, of course, the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet "thaw", space exploration, uniform educational standards in schools and guaranteed medical care.

They grew up in a real superpower. These people are optimists, team people, collective people. Best sport for them it is football, hockey. The best rest- tourism. In other people, they greatly respect curiosity. Now representatives of this generation, "boomers", are quite active, go to fitness centers, swimming pools, master new gadgets and the Internet, travel to other countries as tourists.

Most baby boomers are currently retired, although there are some who still work. A distinctive feature of this category of people in Russia is good health and enviable endurance.

Generation X. Photo from pikabu.ru

Generation X

Generation X are people born from 1963 to 1983. Generation X is also called the lost or unknown generation. They grew up in the background cold war, deficit, the beginning of perestroika. Many X's grew up in an incomplete family, and working parents allowed independent life... This generation is often called "". V political life X's are not very active because of their individualism, less patriotic than their fathers.

Their distinctive features are the ability to rely only on themselves, alternative thinking, awareness of what is happening in the world, the willingness to choose and change. By and large, the people of this age category are loners who are dedicated to hard work and individual success. They move through their careers throughout years adhering to the chosen direction.

Generation Y

The “autumn” generation Y, who was born from 1983 to 2003, grew up against the background of global shocks: the collapse of the USSR state, terrorist attacks, epidemics. But the passage of time has introduced new symbols - rapid development information technologies... Thanks to the internet and cellular communications, the generation of gamers have been nicknamed the “generation of the thumb” for their ability to type text messages with the finger of one hand.

Gamers can easily communicate with strangers online, but in real life have communication problems. In the virtual world, gamers create their own perfect world where their rules and laws reign. Therefore, the generation is distinguished by great naivety and ignorance of the realities of this world.

Gamers do not like to start their professional growth from the lowest levels, they want to receive awards and high fees right now, just for what they are. At the same time, they strive to achieve professionalism in several areas at once, strive to obtain versatile information, which is a plus in the modern world.

Gen Y jokes

We were born - the USSR collapsed, went to school - defaulted, entered the university - the crisis began, found a tolerable job - the end of the world. Straight to the lucky generation.

Generation Z

Those who were born after 2003 belong to Generation Z. They saw the restoration of the power of our country, they supported our athletes who won the Olympics and World Championships. Their school has computers, renovations have been made, the courtyards are clean, new playgrounds and sports complexes have been installed.

Gen Z people are actively using tablets, iPads, VR and 3D reality. Generation Z is often seen as synonymous with digital human. Gen Z is interested in science and technology (for example, it is assumed that many members of the generation will be involved in engineering, biomedicine, robotics), as well as art. The generation is expected to be frugal and lead healthy image life.

Gen Z jokes

When I was a child, I was not accepted as a Padawan, at the age of 10 I did not receive my first Pokémon, at the age of 11 I did not receive a letter from Hogwarts ... If by the age of 33 my uncle does not give me a ring of omnipotence or at 50 he knocks on my door magician, I will stop hoping and go look for work ...

Generationnext

If we follow the theory of Strauss and Hove, then the generation that will replace the zero (representatives of this generation will begin to be born in 2023-24) will be the generation of Artists, the “new silent generation”. We cannot predict exactly what it will be like, but we can remember what the previous one was. This is what the Times wrote sixty years ago: “In anticipation of the pointing finger of fate, today's youth are working tirelessly and without murmuring. Most amazing fact in this young generation it is their silence. With very rare exceptions, you will not see them in the stands ... They do not write manifestos, do not make speeches and do not walk around with banners. "

In the same way as for the silent twentieth century, for the “new” the main values ​​will be collective values ​​(social networks will play important role in their life); they will probably work hard, and in free time go to virtual worlds, not only books (like 100 years ago), but computer games.

For the first time the term "generation Y" appeared in Western sociology, where the theory of generations is very popular. According to this hypothesis, developed by the Americans Neil Howe and William Strauss in 1991, the entire history of mankind can be divided into several regularly repeating cycles. They correspond to a period of about 20 years.

The origins of the term

The new generation Millennium (translated from English - "millennium"), or Y, are people born in 1981-2000. This gradation may fluctuate depending on which country and which society is being discussed. Western sociologists try on this model primarily in the United States. There is also a Millennium generation in Russia. Its boundaries are determined approximately in the framework of 1985-2000.

Howe and Strauss wrote in detail about the phenomenon of "gamers" in their book The Rise of the Millennium Generation: The Next Great Generation. It was published in 2000. At that time, the senior representatives of this were just celebrating their majority and graduating from school. The authors predicted that in the coming years, new youth would radically change the concept of youth.

Children of a new era

The emergence of generation Y is associated with several reasons. The main one is in the early 1980s, when the birth rate in the United States rose sharply. It is also called "echo boom", which is why members of this generation are also known as "echo boomers".

Demographic fluctuations have occurred periodically throughout human history. Therefore, a much more important feature of the people of the Millennium was their upbringing during the inception and rapid development. modern means communications. It is about e-mail, mobile phones, SMS, Internet, in social networks... All these attributes modern life today they already seem commonplace, but only twenty years ago they were all in their infancy and were not available to everyone, even in the United States.

Generation Y was lucky to be the first to become the owner of new technologies, with the help of which it is possible to communicate freely with a person on the other side of the world. All modern institutions - states, nations, cities, families, churches, corporations, etc. - are forced to constantly change and adapt to new conditions. For young people, this skill to change and get used to changes is elevated to the absolute. Generation Y, already in their youth, received a unique experience that previous generations did not have.

Ability to handle information

Today everyone can publish their work and express their views without any barriers. There is in this feature modern era and minus. The flow of information has become so large that it is already worth a lot of effort to filter it. At the same time, what we know today may become hopelessly outdated tomorrow. Technologies and projects that only yesterday seemed to be the invention of science fiction writers have become reality. This pace of change continues to pick up steam. In a world where nothing is constant, only the quickest response becomes really important. The older a person is, the more difficult it is for him to accept such principles of existence in the information age. But people of the new generation understood these rules from the very early age and can navigate the modern world without any problems.

Why do young people easily live in such conditions? Because she did not know that it could be otherwise. Constant variability has always been the environment of their existence, and the growing globalization makes it possible to feel like citizens of the world, while in the older generation it causes a feeling of strangeness and in some places even rejection. Those born in the middle of the 20th century struggle to keep up with the accelerating technological boom, while young people take what is happening for granted.

With the help of the Internet, young people can quickly and easily emphasize their individuality. They have a habit of absorbing the ever-growing stream of food for their mind: texts, pictures, sounds - today there is no end to information formats. The number of reasons to learn something new is also growing. It can be study, self-education, news, entertainment, health, life planning, everyday life, searching for spiritual foundations, etc. If their parents had to go to the library and spend several days to find the right book, then these young people can find the one they need. source of information in a matter of minutes. The limit of knowledge that can be absorbed by one person is growing by itself. It happens naturally... Generation Y people can represent the most unexpected mixture of views, theories and ideas.

The habit of change

In the modern world, authorities and those in power can literally change before our eyes. But even such changes do not frighten Generation Y. They are accustomed to the heroes of one day and considers this state of affairs to be the norm. Even a stormy flow of information does not bother young people. If older generation is lost in it, then representatives of the Millennium generation are able to grasp the agenda on the fly and feel like experts in all matters.

The researchers note that the new youth grew up in the limelight, with the habit of being confident in children being taught. Perhaps this pattern is the reason for the calmness with which Generation Y looks into the unknown future. It is not crushed by the environment of total control in which X's previous children grew up.

Interests and priorities

According to UN estimates, today the Millennium generation accounts for about a quarter of the world's population (1.8 billion people). Now these people are between 18 and 35 years old. The researchers note that they are not interested in religion - at least a third of the young population considers themselves to be atheism. Another half of the “gamers” are indifferent to politics, do not support any party and do not go to elections. In addition, these young people do not want to associate their lives with one and the same work.

According to opinion polls, two thirds American students want to be millionaires. Because of this and for many other reasons, the next generation is accused of capriciousness and narcissism. The desire to make money among young people is really great. According to the same American statistics, 47% want to retire before the age of sixty at the expense of their own fortune, and about 30% believe that they will become millionaires before forty. All of these Gen Y traits are true not only of the United States. The fruits of capitalism are noticeable in Europe, and in Russia, and in other developed countries - Japan, Korea, Canada, etc.

Education

Young and active members of Generation Y belong to the most racially diverse segment of the world community. There are other fundamental features as well. They noticeably distinguish the generation "next" from the previous generations - X (with the age of 35-49 years) and baby-boomers (with the age of 50-70 years). Education for today's youth is more important than starting a family. So, only a quarter of Americans aged 18-32 have already tied the knot. At the same time, the dynamics is such that the share of married people continues to fall consistently.

The postponement of starting a family is most often associated with the desire to learn to live and provide for oneself. Regardless of the reasons, we can confidently state that the entry into adult life it is much more difficult for today's youth than for their older relatives. At the same time, the generation of "Yigrek" faced a serious problem in finding a job. 25% of French youth live without work, in Italy this figure is 40%, in Greece and Spain - almost 50%, in Russia - 23%. Many people make money unofficially.

Attitude to work

What does Millennial Generation mean for employers? A lot of research has been devoted to this issue. Modern youth for the most part wants everything at once, they do not want to put up with uninteresting, routine work and do not want to tear them away from their own creative self-realization. All characteristics of Generation Y indicate that it is idealistic and even childishly infantile. This means that young people are not happy with the fact that today you need to endure hardship in order for everything to be good in an unknown future.

"Gamers" care little about the formal component of their work (rank and position). They are much more interested in physical and mental comfort. According to their ideal, work should be pleasant and evoke a sense of their own growth and development. The lack of personal movement is of great concern to those in the Millennial generation. The need for physical comfort translates into the need to spend money, travel and live with dignity. "Igrekov" can be called idealists of the past era with the needs of the generous XXI century.

Getting to a new place of work, new young people are not looking for a way to adapt to it, they, on the contrary, adapt the work “for themselves”. Increasingly, young employees refuse to believe that the corporation will help them out in difficult situation and therefore are not ready to make big sacrifices for the next vacancy. The modern career of a young person is a collection of many small deals with different employers, where all parties get what they want from each other. Such professional relationships are based solely on the principle of mutual benefit. Generation Y is more likely to disagree with management decisions than the more inert previous generation X. Young people tend to ignore the usual hierarchy of power in corporations. At the same time, she has much more respect for decent and comfortable working conditions.

Positive generation

With all the spoiledness and individualism of the "Y" generation, its representatives can easily rebuild when they find themselves in completely new, unfamiliar conditions. Researchers note that today's youth have a lot in common with the youth of the early 20th century, when Europe was going through its “magnificent century” and man-made revolution, while not knowing the horrors of world wars.

At the same time, the “gamers” have a noticeable gap with their parents and grandparents. This abyss is especially noticeable in our country. The millennium generation in Russia does not know and does not remember the turbulence of the 1980s and 1990s, when Soviet Union, and then the Russian Federation found itself in a difficult political, economic and social situation. Hence the cynicism of the elders, which came with experience, and the belief in the bright future of the young.

Egoists or Individualists?

In Russia, the egocentrism that distinguishes modern youth is often condemned. The millennium is a generation that has become a mirror response to the previous generation that grew up in the Soviet Union and was highly dependent on what the surrounding society thought about it. Some sociologists propose to consider “gamers” not selfish, but rather self-oriented. Several previous generations lived within the framework of the official ideology, when to realize their own project, condemned by society, it was extremely difficult. People who fought off the "general line" became marginalized. Today, when such rigid frameworks no longer exist, young people have more scope for self-realization.

New capitalist economy together with the culture of consumption, it naturally fosters a craving for everything that is individual. As a result, representatives of generation Y are much more likely to think about themselves and listen to themselves. They believe that collective interests should not infringe on their own individual interests. Such egocentrism is not destructive - it simply denies universal equality.

Youth and money

Due to the widespread desire for education, generation Y is burdened with much more debt than their parents at the same age. Therefore, today's youth face serious economic challenges. Research shows that about 85% of Millennials have already learned how to save money every month. At the same time, only a third have a specific long term plan to manage your funds. Today's youth only save up, while their parents and grandparents were eager to invest. 75% of American students believe they are unable to make financial decisions on their own.

In the rich countries of the first world, a pattern is developing to reduce their spending on financing social support programs for young people and their education (instead, the infusion of funds into pension programs is increasing). Therefore, people of generation Y increasingly need to rely on themselves and on their abilities or family support. So, in the United States, senior citizens receive from the state 2.5 times more money than the young. These patterns are explained by the democratic structure of developed countries. It is the old people who choose politicians, and the state course is guided primarily by the needs of their voters.

The future of "gamers"

Already today, sociologists are trying to understand what the world will be like when key location it will be occupied by the finally grown generation "next". Globalization and the simplification of communication between different parts of the world should lead to a more tolerant attitude different cultures to each other. The same goes for race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender. They have much less prejudice than their parents. They are much more mobile and productive. First of all, this leap is associated with the technical revolution, which radically changed the nature human life in just the last twenty years. The number of innovations during this period is equal to the progress that people have gone through over decades and centuries. The generation "Y", accustomed to changes, will accept future changes much less painfully than their predecessors from the "X" generation did.

Youth mobility faces many challenges. Some of them create political authorities... The openness of the world is hindered by registration - about 60% of states put obstacles in front of their population. The conflict between "fathers and children" is expressed not only in this. At the same time, the whole history of mankind shows that in the confrontation of generations, sooner or later, the youth wins, who come to replace the old.

People who have one way or another in the selection of personnel, more and more often today can hear about certain generations X, Y and Z. But what does this mean? Who are these people and why should they be involved in cooperation? According to HR professionals, the young generational theory opens up wide boundaries for staff recruitment and management.

Date of birth question

For the first time, two people spoke about the peculiarities of age differences in 1991 - researchers from the United States Neil Howe and William Strauss. They created a theory that was based on differences in values ​​between people of different generations. These differences were studied, as well as the reasons for them, for example, the situation in the economy and politics, the technological development of society, etc. Some time later, the theory began to be applied in practice, because it has proven to be very effective in business. Today this theory is being used more and more often.

Age theory includes three main components (generations X, Y and Z) and one additional (baby boomers). Let's consider them in more detail.

Baby boomers

Baby boomers are people born between 1943 and 1963. As a rule, they collective work and team play. Self-development is understood by them as an increasing ability to achieve collective goals.

Most baby boomers are currently retired, although there are some who still work. A distinctive feature of this category of people in Russia is their enviable endurance.

Generation X

Generation X are people born from 1963 to 1983. Their distinctive features are such traits as the ability to rely only on oneself, alternative thinking, awareness of what is happening in the world, readiness to choose and change. By and large, people in this age group are loners who are dedicated to hard work and individual success. They have been moving through their careers over the years, adhering to one direction.

Generation Y

Gen Y people are people who were born between 1983 and 2003. Their understanding of dedication and success is different: in most cases, they do not like to start their professional growth from the lowest levels, hoping that in a few years they will be promoted. Their main reference point is immediate growth. This is also considered their disadvantage.

However, this disadvantage can be partially justified by the desire for maximum awareness and professionalism in several areas at once, since it is impermissible for these people to be experts in one thing. Generation Y is hope modern business since he is characterized by the highest technical literacy, a desire to work outside the classroom and a thirst for knowledge.

It can also be added here that, according to some experts, for example, Mikhail Semkin, executive director of the Labor Market Experts non-profit partnership and Olga Pavlova, HR specialist at MDM Bank, in the next decade, generation Y will become the main workforce.

Generation Z

Those who were born after 2003 belong to generation Z. It is too early to assess these people from the point of view of professionalism, given their age. And it is not possible at this time to say what values ​​will prevail in their minds.

But what is all this information for?

"Personnel hunting"

If we approach the question of “hunting” for employees correctly, then it suggests an answer to why human resources specialists need to know about generations of XYZ, because HR literally sounds like “Human Resources”, which means “ Human resources", Which means that a person takes a leading role here.

The attention of modern HR specialists is increasingly focused on human capabilities. And it is the potential of employees, and not the material base of companies and corporations, that becomes their main wealth.

In addition, the personnel market is witnessing an increasingly fierce struggle for applicants, and in order to emerge from it as a winner, it is necessary to provide talented representatives of each generation with only the most Better conditions... Plus, it is extremely unacceptable to evaluate these people on the same scale, because they may have diametrically opposite ideas about "the work of their life." And the staff can be understood the best way only from the standpoint of the theory of XYZ generations.

What conditions are acceptable for each of the generations?

When working with staff, you need to understand that people of different generations will have different needs.

Baby Boomers, as a generation with stable demands, are primarily focused on sustainability. It is stable conditions that are of decisive importance here, and it is possible to motivate these people without even resorting to using material benefits.

The main motivation for Generation X is the desire to be confident in the future and a clear knowledge of all the details of their work. In addition to this, it is recommended to use the provision of the opportunity to constantly be in the process of learning and personal growth as a motivation. If we talk about the financial side of the issue, then for people who belong to generation X, the most interesting is a fixed salary, and the system of commercial incentives does not cause them very positive emotions.

Considering that generation Y is often referred to as the “network generation”, it is possible to engage them very successfully through the Internet, in particular, through social networks. For Generation Y, the basic motivation is monetary reward, the absence of bureaucratic "troubles" and a technological component, for example, the presence of high-tech equipment at the workplace. In the same case, if the organization does not introduce new technologies and the work process is not optimized, then this may adversely affect the interest of applicants in this company and activities in it.

Among other things, Generation Y prefers those organizations that have the least amount of prohibitions and restrictions. A relaxed atmosphere, a free style in communicating with colleagues, the ability to dress in a familiar manner, etc. are important here. And it will be even better if the work routine is somewhat reminiscent of a game, because this generation was raised on computer games.

What else is important to consider?

Everyone is free to adhere to their own opinion, and many may consider the XYZ generational theory a mere "fairy tale" not worthy of attention. However, any company that does not focus on modern trends (like any company that blindly takes everything on faith) slows down its development. According to Olga Pavlova, mentioned above, HR specialists must certainly take into account the interests and characteristics of the baby boomer generations, X, Y and Z. If a company needs a person from generation Y, then X or baby boomer will never replace him. An ideal situation is considered in which person-X leads person-Y, while paying attention to his point of view and.

If you do not pay due attention to the theory of generational differences, there will be a high probability of negative consequences for the company, tk. practice shows that very often a completely unsuitable person is hired for a vacant position. Striving for quick results, employees personnel service can "fit" the applicant to the template, which subsequently causes disappointment for both the company and the employee, and the person who approved his candidacy, and you will have to look for a new person.

Undeniably guided by the principles of theory generation XYZ, the company can spend much more time on its assessment, compilation and analysis of personal and professional characteristics, etc., but the result is worth it, because the company gets not only the opportunity to implement strategic plans, but also a satisfied and grateful employee.

The theory of age differences can also be used to advise existing staff, as well as job seekers. If a recruiting specialist is able to correctly convey information to the applicant, in case of refusal, the applicant will understand that the reason for this may not be his personal indicators, but the totality of the peculiarities of the labor market and the specifics of the company. In addition, knowledge about the theory of generations will help a person who is looking for a job to correct their actions and start moving in a new direction, if it did not work out in the old one.

As for corporate culture, then the theory of generation XYZ helps to build it properly, because focusing on the features of the differences between generations, you can make a bias towards those values ​​that are important for the representatives of the predominant generation in the company. But the interests of others, of course, must always be taken into account.

In their work, personnel officers should be guided by traditional methods of recruiting personnel, and by new trends and trends in this area, because the success of the company depends on the use of the most effective strategies, and such can be found in any period of time - both in the past and in the present.

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

Interest in Generation Y is actively exploited in Lately Mass media, covering this topic in the context of marketing and branding, then 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 signs"Igrekov" are sometimes condemned, sometimes encouraged, but they always cause a lively reaction - after all, in the descriptions someone will definitely recognize himself, his friend or colleague.

We decided to put everything on the shelves: to clarify controversial points and tell how the theory of generations helps to build our work in social networks.

Fathers and Sons: A Different 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. Someone refers to the "Igreks" people born from the 1980s to the early 1990s. And those who were born in the late 90s are considered already representatives of generation Z. Others move the boundaries until 1985-2005. In search of truth, let us turn to the source.

The boundaries of generations are clearly defined and substantiated 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 for other countries as well.

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 those of their parents and grandparents.

It is curious that the generational change occurs only four times, forming a single 80-year cycle. Four generations within the cycle change, like the seasons, and repeat again. This has been the case for many hundreds of years. Howe and Strauss' study describes this pattern since the late 16th century - the birth of the United States - however, 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 the era of reaction and strict authoritarian control by external forces, be it the authorities or parents. "Idealists" grow up in an era of economic recovery and stability. "Nomads" - at a time when the wind of change begins to blow and old values ​​are crumbling. The "hero" appears in crisis, so that on the ruins " old life»Create a new world. As Franklin Roosevelt said, a lot has been given to some generations, and a lot is expected from others.

And what is the archetype of the "Games"?

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 power change, revolution, global upheaval, representatives of the "Greatest Generation" have gone through at least one war.

After 80 years, the cycle was repeated. The heroes of our time are "Games", or millennials. Coworking, smoothies, startups, beard, cats, that's all.

But no, not all.

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

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

Hence the willingness of millennials to change, lack of faith in the long term, and denial of authority. Cynicism, self-confidence, infantilism and optimism: the "gamers" found a period of relatively prosperous 2000s.

The information revolution makes young people free and confident. Technology allows one person to compete against large organizations: hackers versus corporations, bloggers versus newspapers, terrorists versus states, YouTube users versus movie studios, app makers versus entire industries.

Five years will pass, and "Igreki" will find themselves in the most economically active age... It is they who will produce the lion's share of GDP, spend money on quality clothing, travel, invest in children's education and harness the mortgage.

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

Various "Games"

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

In 2012 year The The Boston Consulting Group conducted a study called "The Millennial Consumer". It was attended by four thousand "Gamers" aged 16 to 34 years, as well as representatives of older generations.

It is not surprising that the answers varied among the "Igreks" of different ages, social status, income and gender: their attitudes to technology, communication, media consumption, marketing and outlook on life differ. The result of the study was the selection of 6 types of "Gamers". Distinctive features social behavior formed the basis of the conventional names of these types:

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

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

The right approach to millennials will rock the social media community, find or grow your own brand advocates.

Each of the above types of "Gamers" 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 "Informed"

The global insight of this audience is “I can change this world”. However, they say much more than they do. Girls prevail among the "Informed". They are very active on social networks, while they rather prefer to “like”, “share” and comment than to write their own thoughtful (or not so) texts.

The “knowledgeable” is a very fertile ground for the spread of all kinds of viral activities. For example, from charities... Remember who most often repost calls for help to dogs, grandmothers and children among your friends, and you will find prominent representative"Informed".

Gadget Guru or "Advanced"

"It's great to be me!" - immodest, but they really think so. These guys, mostly guys, strive to be independent, make good money and buy advanced gadgets with this money. It seems that a considerable part of the audience the site recognizes itself in the "Advanced", but can you answer what is interesting to you in Digital?

True, 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 attitude, listens to your advice and communicates with you.

Better yet, if among your friends (quite by accident, yeah), there is a "evangelist" of the brand and big secret will tell you about the most secret news and share a promotional code.

Millennial Mom or "Millennial Mom"

"I love to play sports, travel and pamper my child." "Moms Igreki" are very active. A child for them 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 social media behavior, they find enough time to produce just tons of content.

However, the topics that interest them are limited to an understandable circle: travel, health, family, education. "Mom" is not interested in politics and economics until some events begin to relate directly to them.

Millennial Moms is a very interesting audience that spends money with a coefficient of X2 on themselves and their child. If you want to reach out to them, try setting up communication through their reputable bloggers and celebrity moms. It is possible to communicate directly with them, but it will take an effort to earn trust.

Clean and Green or "Green and Fluffy"

“I take care not only of myself, but also of the world that surrounds me” - they crowd around the vegan trailers and carry their lamps and batteries. We called them "Green", which is absolutely true and "Fluffy", which sometimes does not quite correspond to the truth. Since sometimes they can be very belligerent.

It is worth touching the quick, ready to pick up the wave and boldly get involved in a scandal on Facebook pages. The greens will not trust you until you can prove that you have actually reduced emissions. Hey, .

If you want to consolidate the audience of the Greens, give them the opportunity to work for you free of charge. 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, the environment and public organizations, and at the same time, on your Facebook with “VKontaktek”. 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 these tough guys are interested in your product, they will subscribe, but do not expect much involvement from them.

Old-School Millennial or "Conservatives"

"Communication on social networks is too impersonal, but let's better meet and have a coffee!" - this is "X", which is just pretending to be "Games". 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 a TV. If Anti-Mellenials drop out of the classification, then Conservatives are at the opposite pole from 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 will not get them.

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

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