Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y?: Policy implications for defence forces in the modern era

In recent years there has been discussion in the management and organisational literature on generational differences and how they may impact on the design of workforce strategies. However, much of the discussion appears to be based on observation rather than large empirical work. Indeed, I would argue that wider support for the requirement to manage the workforce around X and Y issues is absent. For example, employers of choice are looking to win talent by tailoring employment policy to capture the dynamism of the modern era rather than discrete generational values. Significantly, the bulk of generational data cited by popular writers is subjective, non‐representative, makes use of single‐point‐of‐time data and uses retrospective comparisons. Importantly, scholarly literature does not draw arbitrary and abrupt lines between generations. In seeking to determine a preferred workforce strategy organisations would be better served by acknowledging the technical, economic, political and social dynamism of modern life rather than the flawed conclusions of popular generational literature.