Take for instance, communication styles. Gen Xers were raised communicating face to face (Boomer style), yet they’re comfortable with technology and social media (Gen Y style). They’ve also claimed the middle ground when it comes to work-life balance. They can bring home the bacon and take time to stop and smell the roses, unlike the all or nothing approach of some Boomers. Millennials tend to enter the workforce with a 9 AM to 5 PM attitude right off the bat.

Another plus about Gen X is they’re most likely filling the ranks of your middle management right now, an easily accessible and relatively untapped resource. They’ve been in the workforce about 20 years. They aren’t as notorious for job hopping as Gen Y, so they’ve usually been around long enough to know what they’re doing and to become grounded in the culture themselves. At the same time, they usually have hopped around a bit more than their Boomer counterparts, some of whom have worked their entire career with one company.

Gen Xers have definitely claimed the middle ground, which has gifted them with opportunities to negotiate and interface with different age groups, work styles and backgrounds. This experience is perfect for getting people to the table to share the information that will keep their businesses running successfully for the long term.