Attitudes Regarding Respect and Authority

Obeying the management comes naturally to Traditionals, while X-ers complain about their ideas being ignored, and often admit that they did something just because their management had told them to do so.

The younger workers usually complain that they are not getting the respect they deserve from other older members, and similar is the complaint from the older members against the younger ones. However, such generalized behavior patterns are always tagged to a particular generation but are only shared among a few members of that generation.

It is also worthwhile to mention here that the younger employees’ behavior changes as they get a chance to play the role of an authority. Normally, X-ers and Y-ers are not affected by the position and status of their employer; rather they are quite comfortable dealing with the authority.

The definition of respect varies for younger and older employees.

• For younger ones, respecting them is hearing their ideas and taking them seriously.

• Older employees feel respected when their ideas are put into practice.

Unlike Traditionals and Boomers, X-ers and Y-ers interact with their superiors freely. Y-ers, especially, are of the view that respect is supposed to be earned so they denounce authority who’s undeserving of their respect.

Y-ers don't believe in unquestioning obedience and assert their right of asking questions of the management, without worrying if it intimidates the management.