The Generations in the Workplace: Do you agree?

[Jason]

I guess I'm technically a classified as a millennial, however, I don't feel that I relate to them based on my understanding of millennials.  I was born in '81 and have considered myself a Generation "Y"er, as it has been defined in the past.

Gen Y and Millennials are one and the same:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials

Yeah, the more digging I do, it seems that they are considered one in the same.  I still don't feel the average 30 something would identify with the 20's and teens of today.  IMO, millennials are the age group that are hitting the workforce now while my age group is raising families.  My 16 year old son is DEIFINTELY a millennial. 

[Jason]

I guess I'm technically a classified as a millennial, however, I don't feel that I relate to them based on my understanding of millennials.  I was born in '81 and have considered myself a Generation "Y"er, as it has been defined in the past.

My age group started with the basics of the technology we enjoy today, however, were not defined by it.  We were the first to use the stuff that is mainstream today but, for the most part, we still see the technology as a tool to be used when needed versus constantly staying plugged in like today's millennials.

Interestingly, a lot of the technology we enjoy today is actually older than one thinks. The first home computers appeared in the late 70s, video game consoles even earlier, Smart phones also pre-date the Iphone by quite a few years.

I feel that one advantage of having grown up along with technology, you get a better understanding of how things work underneath the GUI level.

Looking at the young kids, the use of technology is definitely more widespread (also due to it being more affordable), but I think  that what is referred to as "technology savvy" most often only means using technology rather than understanding it.

Looking at my 18 year old nice and her friends they are all very comfortable using their Smartphones and all the social media apps (or video creation tools). But when things stop working, they are just as lost as my Mum. 

Agreed.  The tech has been around for quite a while but it was becoming mainstream in the late 80's thru the 90's.  We saw the beginning of the boom and were the first to feel the effects on a wide scale. 

I think what I am trying to say is that the criteria behind these "generational labels" seems outdated.  Based on the sharp uptick of technological advancements within the last 30 years, we should be categorizing generations on a much smaller timeline.  That said, if I am a millennial then the folks hitting the workforce today most certainly are NOT and should be categorized differently.

Would should we call them!? 

[Tacachale]

I guess I'm technically a classified as a millennial, however, I don't feel that I relate to them based on my understanding of millennials.  I was born in '81 and have considered myself a Generation "Y"er, as it has been defined in the past.

Gen Y and Millennials are one and the same:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials

Yeah, the more digging I do, it seems that they are considered one in the same.  I still don't feel the average 30 something would identify with the 20's and teens of today.  IMO, millennials are the age group that are hitting the workforce now while my age group is raising families.  My 16 year old son is DEIFINTELY a millennial. 

Actually, your son may be Generation Z, or "Post-Millennial".

The generational labels are good for generalizations only. No one can agree when one stops and the next starts, and most of the time people's real similarities are with people born within a few years of themselves than members of their "generation", which may include people 15-20 years apart from them.

The only thing people agree on is that the new generation, whichever one it is, is worse than their own.