Implications for Employers Hiring Generation Xers

The generation X is considered to be a period in the history that subsequently followed the Baby Boomers and is characterized by the period of ages 29 to 40 (McMahan 2006). These are the people who are considered to be, from the case study presented, the people in the labor market who thought that they graduated in time for the economic aspects of the country are at their best. They had several options of work where the organizations would provide them with higher salaries from their previous work and thought that they would, indeed, have the best of the jobs wherever organization they join.

It has become harder for them to realize that it is not always the same situation as there are changes that they have not anticipated that led to differences with the privileges they are trying to enjoy. For the period where the Generation Xers existed, the most influential circumstances are that of the “Ronald Reagan presidency, the personal computer, and AIDS” that they always had to deal with in the society (McMahan 2006: 29). These are among the issues that they commonly see during the period where they first existed.

In addition to this, consumerism is also considered to be an element where they see that the members of Generation Xers “are very savvy consumers… far more knowledgeable about and suspicious of advertising than earlier generations” (Frank 1997: 233). They are defined by the way they deal with the material world surrounding them in addition to the different issues they are facing. Aside from these issues, this is also the time where both of the parents are given the chance to work outside (McMahan 2006).

Likewise, this period also witnessed the highest rate of divorce among parents that led to several adjustments including the need to transfer from one home to another and other complications for the children (McMahan 2006). Values of the Generation Xers There are core values that the members of the Generation X hold in relation to the instances where they are born. These core values include “diversity, thinking globally, balance, technoliteracy, fun, informality, self-reliance, and pragmatism” (Zemke, Raines, & Filipczak 2000).

These are the values they adhere to and characterize them. In a way, these define who they are and what period they belong to. Implications for Employers Employers have to define the generation to which a particular applicant belongs to. This is for the purpose of assessing the grounds that they step into and the values and ideals that are attached to this particular person. There are a lot of human resources development functions that can be affected by the values and characteristics of the Generation Xers and one of these is the motivation factors.

Likewise, the working environment would have to enable these people to work according to the attitude that they have with the right mix of rules and regulations. There are several advantages that the management could reap out of the attitudes, characteristics, and values of the Generation Xers with regard to work and this should be given focus. There is much dissatisfaction that is coming from the Generation Xers and the employers also have to be cautioned about this.

There is the need to address the problems that the Gen Xers hold in order to realize a better working condition and harmony for the other people in the work place who belong to a different generation.

List of References Frank, Thomas. (1997) The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip Consumerism. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. McMahan, J. (2006) The Handbook of Commercial Real Estate Investing. USA: McGraw-Hill Professional. Zemke, Ron, Raines, Claire & Filipczak, Bob. (2000) Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplac