Why Generational Labels Might be Redundant

The oldest Gen-Z (28) is a manager now

Hello,

You know the one thing I get bored of these days - people generalising generations. ‘Oh, they are a GenZ’, ‘Oh, Gen Alpha is already like this’ - this is a generation that knows what it wants and that is a generation that does not.

Think about it, what if it is not about a generation, but about the ‘times we live in?’ - what about if generations keep adapting to circumstances and share traits - despite being of different age groups?

Here is a short piece I have written about it. With some parallel tracks we can consider.

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Lately I’ve realised we’re over-generalising entire generations - and it’s limiting us more than helping.

I’ve met Gen-Z managers who are deeply reliable, Millennials who avoid responsibility, and Gen X folks who are still the hardest workers in the room. So, maybe the traditional labels have expired.

Perhaps it’s time to shift from age-based generations to context-based generations, shaped not by birth years but by what people have lived through.

Think in terms of:
• Economic climate you entered adulthood in
• Tech environment you adapted to
• Cultural openness you were exposed to
• Work systems you were trained under

They shape work ethic and mindset far more accurately than “Gen Z is like this” or “Millennials are like that.”

A more useful future lens could look like:
• The Crisis-Shaped Workforce
• The Global-Exposure Cohort
• The High-Adaptability Group

Entire workforces have been laid off - from GenZs to Gen Xers - of course they share similarities despite age and experience - hence labeling is a bit unfair in times that are unfair.

People aren’t defined by when they were born.

They’re defined by what they’ve had to adapt to and their circumstances.

What do you think?