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Generational differences re: promotion

post #1 of 7
1/23/10 at 2:40pm
Thread Starter 
At my work there is about 4-5 of us that all started within the last 2-4 years, we're all between the ages of 25-30. There is also about 4-5 people that have been in this job for about 10-15 years. I find that the people may age are always talking about promotion, looking for other opportunities, guessing who will get promoted where when someone senior moves on. I also find that other 4-5 who are much older pay no attention to this and are quite happy with their jobs. We're all very good at our jobs and we all work well together, but it seems the older folks have no interest in moving anywhere.

I've heard this is a generational things, that older generations aspired to stable employment with good work-life balance, whereas my generation is always looking for something new and to move up in an organization, change fields, etc.

Do you find this to be true in your workplace?
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post #2 of 7
1/23/10 at 3:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LVoer View Post
At my work there is about 4-5 of us that all started within the last 2-4 years, we're all between the ages of 25-30. There is also about 4-5 people that have been in this job for about 10-15 years. I find that the people may age are always talking about promotion, looking for other opportunities, guessing who will get promoted where when someone senior moves on. I also find that other 4-5 who are much older pay no attention to this and are quite happy with their jobs. We're all very good at our jobs and we all work well together, but it seems the older folks have no interest in moving anywhere.

I've heard this is a generational things, that older generations aspired to stable employment with good work-life balance, whereas my generation is always looking for something new and to move up in an organization, change fields, etc.

Do you find this to be true in your workplace?

I think you need to rethink things. If those guys are around my age, 40 give or take, and they've been in the same job for 10-15 years, they are just people that don't like to change. Until my current organization, I changed organizations about every two years (post undergrad), building my resume and improving my lot. You might want to examine globetrotter's career path too.

On the flip side, my VP of HR is just past 30, your generation. She was hired by my organization right out of undergrad, and has never moved, with no plans to move.

I think you're mistaking differences in people for differences in generations and also, phases of life.
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post #3 of 7
1/23/10 at 3:24pm
It's easy to become one of those people. I guarantee to you that they were just like you at your age. You enter a job thinking it will be a stepping stone to bigger and better things. You do a good job and believe the promises of promotions and raises. You get a decent yearly raise and bonus and realize you are quite comfortable at the job. You get married and have kids and suddenly taking risks dosen't seem so appealing. You get your yearly raise and bonus, can provide comfortably for your kids. Suddenly changing jobs as you did before to get big raises seems like too much of a risk.
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post #4 of 7
1/23/10 at 5:05pm
^yup
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post #5 of 7
1/23/10 at 7:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LVoer View Post
At my work there is about 4-5 of us that all started within the last 2-4 years, we're all between the ages of 25-30. There is also about 4-5 people that have been in this job for about 10-15 years. I find that the people may age are always talking about promotion, looking for other opportunities, guessing who will get promoted where when someone senior moves on. I also find that other 4-5 who are much older pay no attention to this and are quite happy with their jobs. We're all very good at our jobs and we all work well together, but it seems the older folks have no interest in moving anywhere.

I've heard this is a generational things, that older generations aspired to stable employment with good work-life balance, whereas my generation is always looking for something new and to move up in an organization, change fields, etc.

Do you find this to be true in your workplace?

for a long time, I was always the youngest guy in the room, working with people who had kids that were older than me. I have always been very interested in the Gen X/Y/i relationship as it relates to work enviorment. What you describe jibes with a lot of things I have read over the years about our generation. We are always looking to move up, move on, we have little patience for the 25 years and a watch that defined our parents generation. I dont know that I can pinpoint where it comes from, or if it goes away with age, but yes, people our age seem to be very impatient when it comes to this. Let me see if I can find this really good article that talked about this (from 2005 or 6).
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post #6 of 7
1/23/10 at 7:07pm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/workpl...06-gen-y_x.htm This is the article I was referencing.
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post #7 of 7
1/23/10 at 10:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
I think you need to rethink things. If those guys are around my age, 40 give or take, and they've been in the same job for 10-15 years, they are just people that don't like to change. Until my current organization, I changed organizations about every two years (post undergrad), building my resume and improving my lot. You might want to examine globetrotter's career path too.

On the flip side, my VP of HR is just past 30, your generation. She was hired by my organization right out of undergrad, and has never moved, with no plans to move.

I think you're mistaking differences in people for differences in generations and also, phases of life.

+1

I moved around a lot when I was younger, and now I am in a job that I could stay for years or decades, but I agree with P, it could be the people. this group has been in place for a while, and the more ambitious have left them behind.
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