Bridging the Generational Divide
Loosely defined, a generation is a cohort of people who share common characteristics, values and notable events over the course of 20-25 years. A generation is shaped by historical and cultural life experiences, family, and the technological innovations of the time.
How will the new workers we hire be different from those who are retiring? Beloit College publishes an annual list of the "mind-set" of incoming students. For example, the computer is older than some of the new employees we may hire, as they were born at the same time as Macs and PCs. Instead of the lighters my generation held above their heads at rock concerts, the younger generations use the lights from their cell phones. Women have always had tattoos, and Toyotas and Hondas have always been made in the United States.
