For several years Johnson Controls has been sponsoring a survey of younger generations and their workspace requirements. The most recent results have been released as a report Generation Y and the Workplace Annual Report 2010. It includes results for Generation X and Y and some for Baby Boomers.
Generation Age Group
Gen Y 15-29 yrs
Gen X 30-44 yrs
Baby Boomers 45 – 64 yrs
Traditionalists 65-74 yrs
It is also multi-national including respondents from the US, Germany, the UK, India and China.
The survey cites a couple of reasons for the importance of understanding Generation Y.
- Aging/Shrinking workforce – In the US and Europe as the Baby Boomers retire, there are millions fewer young people to replace them.
- Generation X, Y is a technology savvy generation, the report calls them “furious digital innovators”. They have grown up with 3D gaming technology, the internet, and for the youngest among them social networking. Generation X and Y technology skills are crucial to keep our economies going.
One of the most interesting conclusions of the report is the importance of sustainability to the 18-45 year old age group. About two thirds of respondents in this age range require an environmentally friendly, as opposed to just an environmentally aware, workplace.
- 57% of respondents aged 18-25
- 67% of respondents aged 26-35
- 74% of respondents aged 36-45
But it is also interesting to note that a sustainable workplace is significantly more important to the oldest respondents than to the youngest.
It found it intriguing to see that an environmentally friendly workspace is more important to respondents from China, India, and the UK than to the US respondents.
The survey also asked respondents to select their preferred mode of transport for getting to and from work. I found it interesting that the automobile was far and away the top choice for the youngest age group and decreased with increasing age to where for the eldest age group, 55-64 year olds, the top choice was walking.
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