Are you tearing your hair out dealing with someone from

another generation? Is the gap between you and Gen Y (or

X or the Boomers) wider than the Grand Canyon? Fear not. This handy pullout is packed with tips and info about the

various generations that will wise you up.

19 -26pages to help you bridge that gap

January/February 2013

BABY BOOMERSBorn: 1940s – 1964Characteristics: Optimistic, loyal, ambitious Work attitude: It’s a lifestyleMotivation: Money, titles

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bit.ly/dJ2gOV

Beat generation American author Jack Kerouac introduced the phrase “Beat Generation” in 1948 to describe an anti-conformist youth movement. It now refers to a group of American writers in the 1950s who embraced Eastern philosophy and non-traditional values.

Generation of €700 Called “twixters” in America and “parasite singles” in Japan, the Generation of €700 refers to those caught between adolescence and adulthood in Greece. Educated but unemployed, this generation spends time in temporary jobs, earning the bare minimum of €700.

KNOW YOUR GENERATIONS

WTF MEANS…

GENERATIONS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT

It refers to differences in values and attitudes between people from different generations – most commonly, parents and children.

WHAT IS THE GENERATION GAP?

The older generation thought nothing of getting up at five every morning and the younger generation doesn’t think much of it either.– John J. Welsh

GENERATION X(MTV GENERATION)Born: 1965 – 1981Characteristics: Pragmatic, individualistic, risk-taking Work attitude: It’s a necessityMotivation: Freedom

GENERATION Y(THE MILLENNIALS OR GENERATION NEXT)Born: 1981 – 1999Characteristics: Tech-savvy, confident, goal-oriented Work attitude: It should be interestingMotivation: Meaningfulness

GENERATION Z (NET GENERATION)Born: After 1999Characteristics: Individualistic, self-directed Work attitude: Freelance work is normalMotivation: Flexibility

DadMessages (1) Edit

Call

Nov 30, 2012 7:30 PM

Hi, I am fairly new to Facebook. Mind accepting my friend request?

What does “WTF” mean?

you made a facebook?WTF!!

oh it means welcome to facebook

Send

Contact Info

THE

GAPISSUE

WHICH GENERATION DO YOU BELONG TO?

#first world problemsDO YOU

REMEMBER?

Take this quiz to f ind out.You haven’t seen your friend in a while, and you wonder how he’s doing. What would you prefer to do? Call Text Facebook message

You see an interesting article your friend would like. You: Ask him if he’s seen it Link it in an email Tweet him or tag him on Facebook

You want to watch a movie, but it’s no longer showing. You: Rent the DVD Ask a friend to download it for you Stream it online

Your thoughts on online shopping? You shouldn’t put your personal details online I’m not sure I can fit what I buy I know all the best blogshops & the best places for sprees

What about blogs? Don’t have one Sure, I blog for professional reasons I blog to record my thoughts

How to calculate score: Mostly = Boomers = Gen X = Gen Y

A tongue-in-cheek Internet meme about the frustrations that can only be experienced by people in First World countries. We imagine what the different generations might have tweeted in their time.

Service 1711 1711 used to offer services from finding out the local time, world time, to arranging wake-up and reminder calls. The service was

finally disabled in October 2012.

“Be Kind, Rewind” When people still rented video

tapes, “Be Kind, Rewind” was a popular slogan to

remind them to rewind tapes before returning them.

70s – Hustle Popularised by John Travolta in the film Saturday Night Fever Originally a catch-all name for disco dances in the 1970s, The Hustle is best known for John Travolta’s gyrating hips and classic disco pose.Learn how to do it here: bit.ly/learn2hustle

Mambo Jambo may have moved out of town, but here are the iconic dance moves of each decade.

80s – Moonwalk Popularised by Michael Jackson in his music video Billie Jean

This classic Michael Jackson move creates an illusion of the dancer gliding backwards, while trying to move forwards. Takes some practice before you can do it smoothly, though.Learn how to do it here: bit.ly/learn2moonwalk

Boomers

XY SHAKE YOUR BOOTY

Baby boomer @babyboomerWaited for two hours at the new shopping centre because I couldn’t contact my friend

Gen X @GenXPaging my friend but he isn’t replying

Gen Y @GenYCouldn’t figure out which of my three phones was ringing!

Search #firstworldproblems on Twitter for real-life examples.

Dads for Life Dads for Life is a national movement with resources, events and other platforms to help fathers step up and bridge the generation gap.dadsforlife.sg

Chindian Diaries This initiative gets the younger generation involved in capturing forgotten stories about how their parents met, and the struggles of inter-racial marriages.www.facebook.com/TheChindianDiaries

90s – Macarena Popularised by the Bayside Boys remix in 1995

Possibly the easiest of the dances, the Macarena won fans with simple, synchronized steps done to a catchy beat. Most fun when done in a huge group.Learn how to do it here: bit.ly/learn2macarena

2000s – Shuffle Popularised by LMFAO’s song Party Rock Anthem

An evolution from the Melbourne Shuffle, this dance contains the familiar “T-step” and “Running Man”, but is more fast-paced, energetic and infectious.Learn how to do it here: bit.ly/learn2shuffle

2010s – Gangnam style Popularised by Korean singer Psy in his music video Oppa Gangnam Style

The signature move in this dance involves galloping and pretending to ride a horse, and switching between holding the reigns and spinning a lasso.Learn how to do it here: bit.ly/learn2gangnam

SHAKE YOUR BOOTY

Lo-fi glasses Fit these spectacles with coloured cellophane paper and see the world through filters, without Instagram!

“Like” stickers Clicking a button and sticking a sticker may seem to be similar actions, but these stickers make “liking” things far more sincere. Plus, they make great conversation starters!

Here’s help for those addicted to their smartphones and social networks. Socialrehab.sg has a toolkit that’ll get you sociable again – in real life.

Twitter notes Forget DM, pass notes the good ol’ fashioned way.

Draw Something paper Play the popular Draw Something smartphone game with your friends in real life. Best part is, these pictures make good keepsakes.

AT THE WORKPLACE

1 2 3APPS TO KEEP YOU

UP TO SPEED

How to engage the Gen X boss Know what matters to your boss. If your boss is a numbers person, then quantify your results. More importantly, know which numbers matter most to him.

Talk like your boss. If he likes to email, email. If he likes seeing you IRL, then show up IRL.

Seek new responsibilities. Your boss is there because he’s good at something. Your best bet is to fill the gaps that he can’t, so he can’t do without you.

Called “strawberries”1 and “freeters”2, Gen Y gets lots of flak for being too weak for the workplace. Here

are some things we can appreciate about them: The youngsters are already onto them.

Shouldn’t you be too?

1Strawberries - A Chinese expression that likens Gen Y to the delicate fruit that looks good but is easily bruised – meaning they cannot handle much pressure.

2Freeters - A Japanese expression for young people who prefer freelance work as opposed to working full-time.

How to engage the Gen Y employee Assign mentors. Gen Y likes interacting with the older generation, and learning hands on. It also gives them a channel for feedback, which they love.

Be authentic. They can smell insincerity from a mile away.

Challenge them. They don’t want to waste time making coffee if that won’t get them anywhere!

Some tips on how the Gen X boss can work with the Gen Y employee, and vice versa.

Productivity Growing up in the digital age means they’re adept at finding and sorting information, fast. So while they expect things to happen fast, they deliver fast, too.

Ability to multi-task They’ve grown up juggling multiple CCAs, tuition, school and friends and family. Handling more than one task at a time? Easy peasy.

TeamworkProject work is a fixture in the school curriculum these days. These kids know what it means to work in a team!

Things to Love

BumpShare contact information, calendars, pictures and become Facebook friends by bumping your phone with another that has the same app! Price: Free Compatibility: iOS and Android

reQall Touch-screen phones tough to type on? ReQall records tasks and ideas using your voice. It’s also smart enough to organise the information, and can sync with Outlook or Google Calendar. Price: Free Compatibiilty: iOS, Android and BlackberryCamcardIt’s a tad pricey, but you can kiss your rolodex goodbye and scan all your business cards with character-recognition technology! It also recognises Chinese characters. Price: US$6.99 for iOS, US$11.99 for Android OS, US$9.99 for Blackberry. Lite version free Compability: iOS, Android and BlackberryAsana Delegating work has never been easier. This app is great for synchronizing tasks for your whole team. Payment kicks in when there are more than 30 members using the app. Price: Free (up to 30 users) Compatibility: iOS*Prices as of Nov 3

Bump

reQall

Camcard

Asana

X Y

ABOUT GEN Y

How do the baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Y view social media at the workplace? A 2012 global survey by a consulting group has the answers.

Baby boomers are the most sceptical about social media. About 49% of them think the use of social media at work can lower productivity.

Q&ATHE ROAD LESS TAKENQuek Siu Rui, 24, turned down corporate job offers to start his own business. The creator of Carousell, a new iPhone application for peer-to-peer buying and selling, shares why he chose start-up life over a corporate job.It’s a risky choice! Why on earth did you choose to run your own start-up? It’s less routine and there’s accelerated learning. You get thrown in at the deep end and learn how to stay af loat juggling product, marketing, fund-raising, user support, all concurrently.

How does it compare to working in a regular office? I get to wear bermudas and T-shirts everyday. But it is also long hours. We start at 8 or 9 am and wrap up at 1 or 2 am. I’ve also got to worry and think twice about spending every cent, as the number one rule of start-ups is to not run out of money. I never had to worry about something like taxi fares in a regular office!

Do you regret not taking the regular route, then? It’s important to do what you’ve always dreamed of doing. Even though the default state of a start-up is failure, you’ve already failed if you decide not to pursue your dreams. I would feel terrible if I had decided to go the get-a-job path. My peers are ahead of me in terms of salary and corporate prestige but the satisfaction and adrenaline from re-imagining peer-to-peer buying and selling for the mobile and social media era with Carousell make up for it all.

Gen Y is the most accepting of social media. Some 36% of them think it’s okay to use social media for personal reasons at work.

Gen X is the most secretive when it comes to social media. About 58% of them don’t want their employers looking at their social media pages.For more, go to bit.ly/gen_gap

social media: yay or nay?

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY

WE SURE DON’T MISS THESE...

If you haven’t already heard, giving a pay rise isn’t the sure-f ire way to motivate staff to do better – especially for Gen Y. Show appreciation in simple ways.

• Say “please” and “thank you”. A simple note or email can make all the difference.

• Respect time. If you know they have other appointments, don’t be late for your meetings, and don’t make them late for theirs.

• Remember important dates. If your co-worker is celebrating an anniversary, ask how it went. If it’s Valentine’s Day, give out flowers – and score some brownie points.

Five and a half day work week No TGIF. Up till the early ‘90s, most people including professionals worked 5.5 days, going into work on Saturday mornings. Imagine that.

Stricter dress codes In the ‘80s, most offices only allowed women to wear trousers at work on dress-down Saturdays.

MON

WORK

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN NO WORK

9AM - 12PM

9AM - 6PM

9AM - 6PM

9AM - 6PM

9AM - 6PM

9AM - 6PM

Stick a small piece of clear tape over the laser of an optical mouse of a colleague and wait to watch the fun.

HARMLESS OFFICE PRANK

13 Going On 30 (2004) Teenager Jenna (Jennifer Garner) wakes up 30 years old, with a dream job, apartment, friends and boyfriend in tow – only to find that being an adult isn’t at all what she expected.

HAIRSTYLES Check out these

hairstyles from the past that have made

a reappearance in the 21st century.

COMINGFULLCIRCLE

What was popular in

Dad ’s time is now

coming back in fashion.

Freaky Friday (2003) It’s a freaky Friday for Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her daughter, Anna (Lindsay Lohan), when they switch bodies and find that only selfless love and understanding can help them reverse the situation.

18 Again (1988) Millionaire playboy Jack Watson (George Burns) sees his family in a whole new perspective when he accidentally switches bodies with his 18-year-old grandson.

FILM CAMERAS With their distorted

colours and grainy effects, Holgas and Blackbirds are winning fans with their simplicity, and the excitement of developing each

new roll.

NERD-SPECS Who could’ve

guessed those thick black frames on

your primary school Chinese teacher would one day be attractive?

Permed hair

(1980s);

The Auntie

The Pompadour

(1950s and

1980s); The

Ah Beng

Pixie cut

(1950s); The

Tomboy

IN REEL LIFE Walking a mile in the shoes of another generation can make all the difference.

STILL POPULAR

ART THAT HAS SURVIVED THE GENERATIONS

ROJAK OF

Singapore Food TrailA food court set in the 1960s, with all the famous food stalls from the past.@Singapore Flyer. Try: ice balls, the old-school version of ice-kachang

Three food places that appeal to the generations alike.

From Boomers to Gen Z, everybody loves these characters.

Hello Kitty She might not have the same fame today as she did in the ‘90s, but this furry white cat has claimed the hearts of generations in a way Felix the Cat (who?) has not.

TransformersThe battle between the Autobots and Decepticons hasn’t gotten old. In fact, it’s one of the most successful metaseries around. Perhaps Megan Fox had something to do with that.

BatmanFirst seen in 1939, Gotham City’s caped crusader has moved from comic books to the big screen – and is still a popular superhero despite having no superpowers.

A 50-year-old mother tries out pole dancing, while her 24-year-old daughter dabbles with Chinese painting. MediaCorp programme Chakia and Sneakers is the one place in real life where family members get to switch roles for a day.

The Songkok artistSongkok wearing will outlive traditional songkok making. With his newspapers, satin cloth and thread, Abdul Wahab at Tanjong Katong Shopping centre is one of the remaining songkok makers in Singapore.

Tay Guan Heng Manufacturers Crafting traditional Chinese figurines with just wood, incense, clay and popsicle sticks is no mean feat. But for the Tay brothers of Tay Guan Heng Manufacturers, it’s a skill that’s been passed down four generations.

Tiong Bahru BakeryIt’s got old fashioned decor, but the bakery carries over 200 items from one of Paris’s top artisan bakers, Gontran Cherrier.@#B1-11, Raffles City Shopping Centre/ 56 Eng Hoon Street.Try: Squid-ink bread

OLD STORIES WORTH LISTENINGSince 1979, the National Archives of Singapore’s Oral History Centre has recorded and preserved social memories of people from all walks of life. The recordings are selectively supplemented with transcripts and available at the Archives Reference Room. Read more: bit.ly/RHkhUe

Ya KunSet up as a simple, family-run stall by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, it’s now a huge franchise serving traditional Singaporean breakfast at affordable prices@18 China Street. Try: Crispy, thin brown toast and soft-boiled eggs

OLD & NEW

Eric Khoo, 47Role: Director, producerAchievement: Put Singapore on the international film map with his film Mee Pok Man (1995). He’s also been recognized with the Singapore Youth Award for his contribution to the Singapore film industry.

Joscelin Yeo, 33Role: SwimmerAchievement: Holds four SEA Games records, and has won a good 40 medals. Also competed in four Olympic Games – the most for any Singaporean to date.

Alfian Sa’at, 35Role: Writer, poet, playwrightAchievement: Published his first book of poetry at age 21. The book was hailed as a “landmark” in the Singapore literature scene. But his many awards aside – what we really like is how Alfian writes fluently in both English and Malay.

1964

Boo Junfeng, 29Role: DirectorAchievement: Made his mark in the Singapore film scene when his debut feature film Sandcastle had its world premier at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010.

Jasmine Yeong-Nathan, 24Role: BowlerAchievement: Became the first Singaporean to win the AMF World Cup Champion in 2008. Just a year later, she was named Singapore Sportswoman of the Year 2009.

Laremy Lee, 29Role: Playwright, freelance writerAchievement: A former teacher at St Andrew’s JC, Laremy is versatile in writing for many genres, but focuses on the stage. His plays, Full Tank! and Radio Silence, were staged at the OCBC Singapore Theatre Festival 2008.

Ivan Heng, 49Role: Actor, theatre director, founder of W!LD RICE theatre company Achievement: The first Singaporean male actor to break into an English-speaking role in a Hollywood film. His big break was in The Fifth Element (1997) with Milla Jovovich.

Fandi Ahmad, 50Role: FootballerAchievement: Captain of the Singapore team from 1993 to 1997. He also has three SEA Games silver medals under his belt. He’s also the first Singaporean footballer to play in Europe.

Catherine Lim, 70Role: WriterAchievement: Best-selling Singaporean author with stories on Singapore society and traditional Chinese culture.

BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X GENERATION Y1981

People We Love A C R O S S T H E G E N E R A T I O N S

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