So by now I’m sure you haveread up on where you fall, on the age demographic scale. Five years ago this was a “theory’ it wasn’t taken as seriously or more so seen as a fad, but we are facing an age where we have five generations in the workplace. By 2020 Millennials will make represent 40% of the total working population. Traditionalist (born between 1900-1945), Baby boomers (born between 1943-1960), Gen X (born between 1965-1976), Millennial AKA Gen Y (born between 1977-1997) and Gen 2020 (born after 1997).

Each generation brings their own work ethic, their own values and their own perception of how things should run in the workplace. Once we get past our differences and learn that our differences are what make us a diverse group of people and what makes us stronger, we develop and grow. I think most blogs or articles you read have described Millennials as being spoiled, crybabies, they want to come and go as they please and be the CEO in a matter of months of starting a new job. I am here to say…cut the crap! That is steotypical and absorb, we will settle to be the CEO within 6 months’ time. I’m joking, what they take as spoiled I see as self-worth, what they see as crybabies, I would say is being vocal, what they see as what to come and go as we please, I call that a flexible work schedule. By the way, who doesn’t want to be the CEO, Millennials is the age of entrepunrers (here comes the name dropping…..) Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sophia Amoruso CEO (Nasty Gal retail store), David Karp(Tumblr) and me EJ (this awesome blog)J. So with all that said we need to start somewhere and that means being successful in the workplace that is mostly likely ran by a Traditionalist or Baby Boomer CEO.

I can tell you from experience working with the different generations can be challenging if you don’t understand what exactly makes them tick. What are their pet peeves? How do they envision the workforce to look like? I am a Millennial, so I had to learn how to work with the three generations that came before me. At the end of the day it’s about communicating and respect.