Build bridges between generations: Generation X characteristics.

The workplace environment has never been as diverse as it is today, primarily due to the simultaneous presence of multiple generations. As a result of increasing life expectancy, six different generations now coexist—from the Veterans to Generation Alpha—an unprecedented phenomenon in history. This situation presents unique opportunities while also posing significant challenges for everyone involved. Let’s be honest—at least once, you’ve probably had the thought cross your mind that you don’t understand the behavior of today’s youth. Haven't you?!

Adapting to the rapid changes in the world and fostering harmony and collaboration across generations—whether within families or workplaces—is key to success and prosperity.

Now, let’s take a deep dive into this topic, because we’ve reached a point where even HR professionals are facing desperate leaders standing anxiously at their doorsteps, emotionally overwhelmed, saying:

- We don’t speak the same language, and we don’t even live on the same planet, please help! - These were the words of an X-er about their Gen Z team. I had never been asked such a question before, but it also rang a bell not only for me, but for all HR people and managers that it needs to be addressed.

For a successful leader, recognizing generational differences is crucial, as varying values, work styles, and expectations influence how employees work, how they can be motivated, and how they should be managed.

If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to dive into The Battle of Generations – How to Understand Each Other by Krisztián Steigervald. I highly recommend this book to leaders, HR professionals, employees, parents, young and older generations alike—essentially, anyone who hasn’t read it yet. You’ll find it insightful, and you will keep slapping your forehead at how true every word is, you just have to look at it from a different perspective than you have been looking at it. One of the most impactful phrases from the book that has stuck with me is, "Not better, not worse—just different!". This applies to every generation. Keep repeating it to yourself because you’ll need it—especially when it feels like Gen Z or Gen Alpha are regularly making a sport out of getting on your nerves!

In this blog series, we will explore the concept of generations, introduce the characteristics of each generation, and provide practical tips for managing generational differences in the workplace. The more you learn about different generations, the better you’ll understand not only those around you, but also yourself. Stay tuned!

What does "Generation" mean?

A generation essentially refers to a group of people born within a specific time period. It reflects the reality they are born into—what the world looks like at that time, the prevailing social, family, and technological environment, and what is considered normal or natural in that era.

Generational characteristics are highly localized, meaning that the experiences of a Hungarian Gen X individual may be very different from those of an American Gen X, even if there are similarities. This article is written from the perspective of Hungarian Gen X characteristics.

The acceleration of generational changes

A few decades ago, a single generation spanned approximately 25 years. Today, however, we can observe the emergence of a new generation every 15 years on average. The primary driver of this acceleration is technological advancement. The digital revolution has reshaped the world so significantly that the differences between generations have become much more sharper compared to the past.

While older generations experienced slower and more predictable changes, today’s younger generations are growing up in a rapidly evolving world shaped by technological progress. This fast pace does not only impact young people; older generations also face the challenge of keeping up with constant change.

For each generation, humility means something different, as does work capacity, punctuality, commitment, and loyalty. Communication must be handled differently, as must giving feedback, and the list goes on—there are countless things that need to be approached differently. These differences can all lead to conflicts in the workplace if we fail to keep up with generational changes. However, through mutual understanding and cooperation, these differences can be transformed into strengths. The question is, how?

Overview of generations

Veterans: Born before 1945; Baby Boomers: 1945–1964; Generation X: 1965–1979; Generation Y (Millennials): 1980–1994; Generation Z: 1995–2009; Generation Alpha: From 2010 onwards

Characteristics of generation X

In most workplaces today, Generation X culture is the dominant influence. Therefore, we will begin our overview by examining the key characteristics of Generation X.

Generation X: Maximalists and heroes

From early childhood, Gen Xers were raised to be highly independent and responsible. Since their parents had to work, they were placed in daycare at an early age, grew up as so-called "latchkey kids," and were largely left to fend for themselves. By the age of 7 or 8, they were already walking home from school alone, often finding nothing more than a note on the kitchen table saying, "The meatballs are in the fridge, and don’t forget to do your homework." Once their homework was done, they could go outside to play with the other kids from the housing blocks. If they didn’t come home on time, their mother might shout from the window, "Dinnertime!"—or, if they were too late, they might even get a slap. The world of Gen X was entirely community-focused. They played with their friends and neighbors, listened to music together on cassette players, and roller-skated on the concrete in front of their homes.

At school, learning was primarily centered around reading and writing, with teachers and books being their main sources of knowledge. If they didn’t understand something and needed to look it up, they had to consult the Hungarian Explanatory Dictionary—if they had one at home—or take a trip to the library. Reading fostered deep thinking, helping them to better understand cause-and-effect relationships and how to solve problems logically and efficiently.

Parents tried to teach their children life skills, and kids often watched as their fathers crawled under the Škoda 100, back when fixing a car at home was still possible. Mothers taught their daughters how to cook, calling them into the kitchen to bread chicken. They didn’t care much about how much homework their daughters had, even though the girls desperately tried to use it as an excuse to escape the breading process.

In the evening, if they wanted to watch a cartoon on one of the only two available TV channels, they had to sit down in front of the screen exactly when the TV Teddy appeared, gargling and spitting. If they missed that single cartoon of the day, tough luck—there was no second chance, no other channel, and no alternative show to watch.

This high level of independence during childhood laid the foundation for Gen X’s success- and achievement-oriented mindset later in life. However, it also brought emotional challenges, as their relationships with their parents were not always balanced. Their parents worked long hours, which is why Gen X is often referred to as "the abandoned generation." Instead of turning to their parents for guidance, they relied on friends for advice or life lessons—though these weren’t always the most reliable sources of wisdom. The emotional distance from their parents created a sense of insecurity that, over time, led to their strong drive for perfectionism and the development of the "lone hero" mentality—the belief that things are only done right if they do them themselves.

Due to their childhood experiences, members of Generation X are highly susceptible to emotional influence, as their longing for love and attention remains a defining aspect of their personalities even today.

From a technological perspective, Generation X was the first generation to grow up with audiovisual content, as television had already become a part of their lives. They take pride in having learned to use modern technology and smart devices, as they have always valued learning new things and continuous development. However, technology has now far outpaced them. They consider themselves modern because they use Viber and Facebook, yet in the world of digital natives, they often feel like outsiders. At times, they face the reality that younger Millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z subtly smile at their efforts to keep up. However, this does not prevent them from adapting to changes. That said, some members of Generation X have become less open to the opportunities provided by the digital world.

Generation X at workplace

Generation X was raised by their parents with the belief that education would lead to an easier life. They studied hard to get into college or university and then did everything possible to secure a good job—even if it meant humbling themselves just to succeed in an interview. It was during this period that multinational companies began to emerge in the job market, which was a novelty at the time. These companies sought young, educated, multilingual talents. At that time, organizational structures were much more hierarchical, and leadership styles were significantly more autocratic.

Generation X entered the workforce around the time of the political transition in Hungary. Back then, hard work, education, and dedication were the keys to career advancement, and members of Generation X perfected this philosophy. They are characterized by conscientiousness, diligence, careful planning, and strong perfectionism. This often manifests in their reluctance to delegate tasks—they prefer to handle everything themselves because they believe they can do it best. From their perspective, this is also the most efficient approach, often saying that by the time they explain the task to a colleague, they could have just done it themselves.

Their perfectionism is not only evident in their reluctance to delegate but also in their approach to work-life balance. They are the ones willing to work overtime and may even look down on colleagues who do not share this mindset. They tend to see those who do not sacrifice themselves for their work as lazy.

However, this attitude can lead to conflicts with younger generations, such as Millennials (Generation Y) and Gen Z, who prioritize efficiency, quick results, and work-life balance. One of Generation X’s fears is that younger generations have better digital skills and language proficiency, which could push them out of leadership positions.

Currently, in most workplaces, an organizational culture shaped by Generation X is still dominant, with most senior leadership positions occupied by Gen X members. However, younger generations find it increasingly difficult to relate to this culture.

At the same time, Generation X excels in building workplace communities and fostering team spirit. When it comes to collaboration, they are eager to organize social events to strengthen team cohesion.

The center of their lives: Family, friends, and work

For Generation X, family, friends, and work are all important, but they often struggle to balance their professional and personal lives. As parents, they tend to be perfectionists—not only do they want to be present in their children's lives, but they also strive to become the best possible parents. They read every book and online article about parenting, which sometimes leads to feelings of insecurity.

Friendships also play a crucial role in their lives and hold special value. In their youth, their social circles were shaped by house parties with vodka-orange cocktails and wine mixed with cola, as well as deep conversations—many of which have remained strong to this day. This generation grew up in a world where personal interactions and spending time together mattered more than virtual communication. They still prefer handling things in person or over the phone rather than via chat or email.

The legacy of Generation X

Another significant milestone for Generation X was the emergence of career opportunities for women. They were the first generation for whom balancing work and family life became a real, however still limited, possibility.

Genx: The first generation of career-oriented women

Generation X grew up during a time when the world was slowly but surely shifting from a community-focused mindset to a more individualistic one. They were raised with a strong sense of community but also witnessed the rise of individualism. For them, shared moments of listening to music on a boombox were gradually replaced by personal experiences with a Walkman, and group photos eventually gave way to selfies.

Generation X serves as a bridge, a connection between eras. Their story represents a balance between the values of the past and the challenges of the modern world. They set an example of resilience, adaptability, hard work, and dedication to community. Even today, they play a crucial role in society, offering experience and values that every generation can learn from.

Try to understand Generation X, find common ground, and engage in conversations with them. Learn from them, and let them learn from you. They have knowledge and experiences that you might not possess, just as you have skills and perspectives that may be unfamiliar to them. Talk to them, understand what matters to them and why, and share what is important to you as well. Be curious and open-minded and remember, once you have the connection point, the key is in your hand.

This was just a small taste of the book and the fascinating stories about generation X that you can discover through reading or listening to the podcast. Consider this a book recommendation—or even better, a must-read. If you are looking for an insightful and valuable book, head to the bookstore and get your copy! And don’t forget the podcast—the engaging delivery makes it an unforgettable experience. You can even listen to it while breading chicken, making cooking much more enjoyable!

In the next part of this series, we will take a deep dive into Generation Y. Don’t miss out—subscribe to our blog for more insights!

Source: Steigervald Krisztián: Generációk harca – Hogyan értsük meg egymást  (Krisztián Steigervald:The Battle of Generations - How to Understand Each Other)

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