Generation Y Wants it All!
...And Will They Get It?Please read our Blog entry discussing the important differences of Gen Y, what needs to change and what needs support.
They’re talented, quick learners, technologically savvy, and in high demand. Members of Gen Y have been nurtured, pampered, and kept busy their whole lives. Growing up, a lot of Gen Yers were rushed from school to tutoring to soccer practice to music lessons. Now, Gen Y workers want responsibility and autonomy right away. For the most part, members of Gen Y grew up independently—they taught themselves most subjects by surfing the web rather than sitting in lecture. In colleges today, most lectures consist more of discussion and opinion than factual material. "Critical thinking" is the new big thing in education—not memorizing what the professor says but oftentimes questioning authority opinions. As Generation Y, aged 14-30, emerges from college into the work force conflicts have developed between older and younger workers, and between Gen Yers and company policies. A USA Today Article by Stephanie Armour, titled "Generation Y: They've arrived at work with a new attitude," reports that older workers tend to be dismissive of younger workers, doubting their abilities and giving them less respect than they would older colleagues. On the other hand, Gen Y employees are perceived as having a sense of entitlement—they want the high paying job, benefits, and a nice office right away. These two contrasting perceptions have caused tension and conflict in the workplace between the generations. Like a true member of Gen Y, I "Googled" the same topic to review other opinions. I found an interesting article on the "7 Things to Look Past When Managing Gen Y" by Ryan Healy on employeeevolution.com. Healy writes, "Don’t be surprised to see Facebook, Twitter, Brazen Careerist, ESPN, Gmail, Word, Excel and Powerpoint all open at the same time on your Gen Yer's screen. ...But it’s OK. We can still get our work done. All that stuff is open because, quite frankly, we’re all a little ADD." While using YouTube at work may be crossing the line, and possibly jeopardizing the company’s network, it is important for employers to remember that Gen Y has brought multi-tasking to a whole new level. Gen Y grew up in an environment of intense overstimulation—they play video games, do math homework, and watch TV all at once. They play loud music and video games while talking with their friends. The computer, TV or stereo is on most of the time. And while it might seem insane, it's how Gen Yers function. Some critics argue electronic multitasking is harmful to learning and productivity, but most Gen Yers disagree. While many Gen Yers suffer from "helicopter parenting," creating inability to problem solve for themselves, others are high functioning quick learners. Today, members of Gen Y lead busy and fairly productive lives. Of course, too much social networking or personal web surfing will hurt productivity at work, but a little might even improve it. They want flexibility, too. The more Gen Y members feel valued and respected as part of a team, the harder they will work. Part of feeling respected, for Gen Y, means personal internet use at work. If forced to work in a strict and impersonal environment, Gen Y workers will inevitably be unhappy, if not outraged. Having been raised by a "new breed" of parents, they need different mentoring in the workplace.
Please see our related media articles and workshops on this subject! |