Gen X’ers Finally Coming of Age?
Posted On May 16, 2013
It’s taken a good long while, but it seems Generation X is finally starting to settle down and act its age. At least according to a new study conducted by the MetLife Mature Market Institute.
The findings indicate that Gen Xers are now as “affluent, stable and responsibility-ridden as their parents were at the same age” as reported by the MediaPost News. The first generation to show signs of delayed adulthood, Generation X is now more typical than ever before. Or are they?
It would be easy to read a report like this and assume that Gen Xers are becoming more like Boomers in many ways. But as I’ve shared before, generational norms are created during the formative years. Gen Xers are still skeptical of authority (even as they become the authority); they still value self-sufficiency; and they are still extremely loyal once a person or organization has earned their trust.
So, if you are a Boomer in the workplace, don’t mistake “responsible, grown-up behavior” for “they finally accepted the world as I see it.” You may take solace in the fact that 50% of the kids once viewed as slackers are fully confident in their retirement savings, and a solid 40% have worked for the same employer for at least 10 years. However, while their actions may look similar, the underlying intention and the path to get there are still different.