According to a recent study by staffing firm Robert Half, the more things change, the more different generations of workers are similar.
The recession has reduced the gap between the expectations of generations X, Y, and the baby boomers, revealed the Canadawide study of 1,400 21 to 64-year-old workers.
The first priority for everyone was job security. Across all age groups, working for a financially sound company and having a stable job ranked first. The same was true for job hunting— salary, stability and benefits (e.g. health insurance, vacation days, pension plan) were identified as the most important factors in a job.
There were other parallels, as well as some differences. For instance, as regards post-recession career plans, 36% of generation Y respondents were more likely to consider looking outside for new opportunities as soon as the economy picks up, vs. 30% for generation X and 24% for baby boomers. The Xs seemed more likely to be considering improving their skills than other age groups, while more baby boomers planned to work after retirement age.