Generation Y and the Workplace Annual Report 2010 - Haworth

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Global WorkPlace Innovation
Who is the Generation Y in the USA?
In all countries around the world, there are apparently too few of them. This is true even in countries like
the US, where they are the largest generation since the Baby Boomers - The post-World War II generation
responsible for social change and unprecedented wealth creation. According to the 2006 CIA World
Fact book, around 27% of the world’s population is below 15 years of age. Tammy Ericsson (http://
tammyerickson.com), writer about the Generation Y in the US, argues that Generation Y will dominate
the workforce for the next forty years and beyond.
In 2005 in the US, the Generation Y was the fastest-growing segment of the workforce — growing from
14% of the workforce to 21% over the past four years to nearly 32 million workers.
1 in 5 young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 is unemployed, compared with a 7 percent
unemployment rate for those over age 30. Twenty-somethings are also graduating from college with
more debt than their predecessors did and taking jobs that don’t always come with health insurance
(20). Some even said that America’s younger generation is in jeopardy.
Figure 3: USA – Demographic pyramid, 2009 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base
“Despite their shaky finances and breezy approach to workplace demands, the cohort’s strong affinity
for personal fame and wealth are likely to translate into serious financial clout over time, to the tune of
some $3.5 trillion by middle age. A penchant for instant gratification and customizable products, along
with demand for socially responsible corporate policies.”
The Adults of Generation Y in the U.S.: Hitting the Demographic, Lifestyle and Marketing Mark, 2008,
http://www.marketresearch.com
Copyright © 2010, Johnson Controls. Confidential. All Rights Reserved.
Intellectual Property Johnson Controls, Haworth and iDEA.
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