the danger of labels at work

Excerpt from a recent conversation with a business leader who has just passed on his business to his two sons: “We who were born in the 1950s spent our time working. Today, it’s different: the younger generations take time to take care of their family or their hobbies.” This remark seems well confirmed by the media which see a very different relationship to work depending on the generation: “The shock of generations in the face of teleworking” (The Echoes) ; “Millennials, Gen Z, Gen X… discover the expectations of your young employees” (France work) ; “Why Generations Y and Z are disrupting business” (The new factory)… The theme is about to become a chestnut in the professional press! But what is it really?

First a quick reminder: baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, generation X between 1965 and 1979, generation Y between 1980 and 2000 and generation Z from the year 2000. For baby boomers , work would be a value in itself that deserves respect, they would therefore be engaged in their professional activities, with great esteem for the institution and would even be ready to put the interests of their company before their own. They would have a sense of organization, would seek security especially at the end of their career, with a need for recognition for the results obtained.

Generation X would happily accept authority, they would need a clear hierarchical structure, they would be sensitive to material benefits, moments of conviviality and cooperation. By occupying more than half of management positions today, she appears to be more ethical than competitive, with “open and honest communication, good acceptance of criticism, an ability to work in a team as well as ease with technology , without being dependent on it.” Generation Y, who were born with new technologies, would have a greater need to balance professional and personal life, would be sensitive to group dynamics, ethical commitment, novelty, personal development, because work would represent for she the means to flourish. She would consider herself a partner rather than an employee.

By preferring informal relationships and humor, the flexibility of working conditions seems to be the most important criterion of generation Z, who would be – according to business leaders – less invested than previous generations, less dedicated, less ready to work unpaid overtime. A funny article from the British newspaper The Guardian reports absence messages left by Generation Z employees: “On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never come back,” says one, “The bad news is that I’m not at office The good news is that I’m not in the office,” said the other. Or: “Contact literally anyone other than me.” Previous generations cringe at such messages! Although 80% of 18-28 year olds consider it essential or important to balance personal and professional life, this generation also says they are motivated by useful work for society, fair remuneration, and do not reject the most important values ​​of work. of older generations. She therefore often feels misunderstood.

In the RepublicPlato describes a society which fuels an insatiable desire for freedom leading to making youth a model in its own right:

The young imitate the elders and violently oppose them in words and deeds, while the elders, stooping to the level of the young, gorge themselves on antics [563b] and jokes, imitating young people so as not to appear unpleasant and despotic.

More than 2,000 years later, these words of Socrates alert us to the fact that we must not overvalue freedom or devalue experience. Used uncritically by human resources and marketing, labels can be dangerous to the extent that they create intergenerational animosities, or provoke self-fulfilling behaviors: Since I am of this generation, I am therefore like this. It also happens that we recognize ourselves in several generations. Above all, there is good and bad in each. Even among Generation Z, that of the bad students! Their provocative casualness can certainly become unacceptable. But doesn’t it also hide a fair awareness, namely that work is not the only goal of life? Let us be wary of sweeping judgments.