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4 generations of talent in the company: differences and characteristics
Generation Z, Generation Y... Discover the characteristics of each talent generation and what makes each one different.
Marcos Lopez
HR Consultant
31 of March, 2025
Generation X, Generation Z, Generation Y (or what is the same Millennials) and Baby Boomer Generation. Four explosive mixtures of talent that strongly define today’s coexistence with their personalities and particular traits. More tech-oriented profiles, innovation-based profiles, profiles with clear goals and strong ethical principles, and profiles seeking growth, professionalism and a perspective of future health value. These are the main traits shared by generations X, Z, Y and Baby Boomer.
As we verify, demographic data and interests are what differentiate each generation of talent. With their strengths, their weaknesses, each one of these generations has marked personal and professional territory, both in the public and private sectors of companies. Talent acquisition and proper people management are determining factors for an entity’s success since effectively managing them makes an organization richer.
At present, it might be a good idea to accomplish this arduous task with HR software aid to save a lot of management work.
From the Baby Boomer generation to Generation Z via Millennials
One mistake the HR department can make is not knowing how to differentiate between the generations and the types of talent that exist today. For this reason, today we will reflect on the four talent generations that coexist in our day-to-day, which are as follows:
- Baby Boomer generation, the predecessor of the traditional generation or generation T. If this generation stands out, it is for its rigor, its professionalism, and the future value it gives to well-being and health.
- Generation X, known as the bridge generation or as the generation that advocates teamwork.
- Generation Y which is the Millennial generation, the generation of self-confidence, flexibility, versatility, and self-reliance.
- Generation Z, the future generation where everything is yet to be described, but with a myriad of challenges and expectations in their hands.
With all this data on the essential traits of these great generations, we will go on to reflect a little more about their beliefs, principles, and differences compared to the previous ones.
Baby Boomer Generation, strictly professional generation (1946-1964)
Their name is an inheritance collected for being the generation following the post-war period. This generation owes us the lifestyle that has been instilled in our society over the years. This generation is the one that starts to claim individual freedoms. Here feminism irrupts, the fight for LGTBI rights.
Main characteristics:
- Work Ethic: Baby Boomers value hard work and dedication. They are known for their commitment and willingness to work long hours to achieve success.
- Loyalty: they tend to be loyal to their employers, with many of them staying in the same company for much of their careers.
- Experience: this generation possesses a vast amount of accumulated experience and knowledge, making them valuable mentors for younger generations.
- Resistance to change: although they can adapt to new technologies, they generally prefer more traditional work methods and can display resistance to rapid changes.
They are the habit generators of purchasing products, those who accumulate more wealth, especially in the US. Unlike their successors, the Baby Boomer generation will have to adapt to new technologies, which is why they will be considered digital immigrants.
Generation X, the generation that has fostered collaboration (1965-1979)
Between Millennials and Baby Boomers, Generation X marks the seventies and eighties. It groups the spirit of collaboration as an engine for growth to the success of a company. They are not considered natives in digital because the technology back then was quite limited and they are not considered Baby Boomers because they were not born immediately after the end of World War II.
Main characteristics:
- Adaptability: Generation X is highly adaptable to technological and economic changes. They have lived the transition from analog to digital.
- Focus on balance: they value work-life balance and tend to look for jobs that offer flexibility and quality of life.
- Independence: they are self-sufficient and value independence in the workplace. They prefer to have control over how and when they do their job.
- Collaboration: they have fostered a culture of collaboration and team work, seeing value in the exchange of ideas and cooperation among colleagues.
This is what makes them a bridge generation, but unlike the rest, they stand out for their power of conciliation and their dialogue virtues. It is a generation that shows commitment to the world and has lived marked by the emergence of consumerism.
Generation Y, the Millennials as digital natives (1980-1994)
Known for being digital natives, this generation has been in companies’ crosshairs due to their “little experience”. And in this context, we cannot forget that it has been one of the generations most affected by the great economic crisis of 2008.
Main characteristics:
- Digital competence: Millennials are digital natives, which means they are very skilled with digital technologies and tools.
- Purpose and meaning: they look for jobs that not only provide income, but also offer a sense of purpose and contribute to society.
- Flexibility: they prefer flexible work environments that allow for working remotely and adaptable schedules.
- Feedback and development: they value constant feedback and opportunities for professional development. They look for employers that offer training programs and growth opportunities.
In any case, Generation Y or millennial has an unparalleled digital capacity. On a personal level, they have a strong core of empathy and leadership. It is one of the most diverse and academically trained generations.
Generation Z, the generation of social networks and digital language (1994-2010)
Generation Z, iGen, Gen Z. There are many names for this generation, but if there is one thing that perfectly defines it, it is their comfort and security with respect to digital environments and social networks.
The Generation Z despite everything, is a preserved generation in terms of their personal life. Compared to the millennials, they are more aware of the negative effects of overexposure in the digital world.
Main characteristics:
- Extreme digital natives: they have used technology from a very young age and are very comfortable with mobile devices and social networks.
- Multitasking: they are experts in multitasking, thanks to their constant exposure to simultaneous information flows.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship: Generation Z values innovation and has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Many seek opportunities to start their own projects or work in dynamic and creative environments.
- Diversity and inclusion: they value diversity and inclusion in the workplace and expect their employers to align with these values.
They are particularly self-taught people, who control digital language perfectly. At the same time, they are the ones who have inherited the social consciousness of previous generations, marking strong social activism.
And what about the future generations?
The known generation T, tactile generation or Alpha generation will face the challenges of the future, especially those related to the educational and environmental field.
Children of the X generation or the Millennial generation, this will be the generation inheriting the world, and it will be up to them to define the future.
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I'm Marcos López, HR consultant at Sesame HR. Book a meeting with my team to help you.