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From latchkey kid to leader. Boomers are making way for Gen X, the independent-minded cohort born from 1965 to 1980, to start calling the shots. With an average age of 54, newly minted CEOs are supporting more flexible, informal work habits. Given the choice, workers over 55 (boomers, for the most part) would want to spend roughly 35% of their working hours at home; workers in their 20s (Gen Zers) approximately 45%; and workers in their 30s and 40s (including millennials and Gen Xers) 50%, a Stanford University study found. [NYT]
Don’t ‘circle back.’ Millennials and Gen Z workers have one request: please stop with the business jargon. Overrelying on idioms such as “herding cats,” “boiling the ocean,” and “out of pocket” are annoying younger colleagues and confusing workers who aren’t native English speakers. This could hamper workplace inclusivity, according to research by LinkedIn and Duolingo. A survey of 8,000 workers in eight countries found that nearly two-thirds of millennials and 60% of Gen Zers long to hear less jargon in the office. [Fast Company]
Not so different. As multiple generations work side by side at the office, people are paying more attention to age-based differences. New research on generational preferences at work reveals some interesting nuances between different age cohorts, but overall, every generation shares remarkable similarities. At all ages, employees want meaningful work, real connections with coworkers and managers, broader purpose, and fair compensation, partner Bryan Hancock and McKinsey alumnus Bill Schaninger explain.
More than a paycheck. Because Gen Z talks so openly about compensation, managers might assume that’s all that matters to them, Schaninger says. Although money is a critical factor in younger workers’ employment decisions, it’s not their main priority. In the workplace, Gen Zers are motivated by having flexibility, opportunities for career development, and a supportive work environment, McKinsey analysis finds. See how well generational stereotypes stack up against our actual research.
— Edited by Belinda Yu, editor, Atlanta
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