So it's been a while since I last wrote anything and if you waited and waited for a new blog from me I am so sorry. Between going to Mexico (I'm definitely going to share my experiences with young people there soon) and work, it's been hard to get time to write. I decided to post this for you just so there was a new blog from me this year :-) Hopefully it's not that bad.
Here's an article I submitted for a magazine. Not sure if it will get published but it was sure fun writing it!
Ask anyone who works with young people about their thoughts on this generation of workers, sometimes referred to as Generation Y or Millennials, and you are bound to hear about all the things that they find frustrating. Millennials come into the workforce expecting too much. They ask for too much money and need too much attention. They are easily distracted, never without their cell phones, and are egocentric. The list of negatives goes on and on but has this generation gotten a bad rap because that’s how they really are or because they are just different from every other generation?
Let’s see how different they really are. Read the list of qualities and see if you can decide who this is describing;
• Looking for meaningful work
• Seeking challenge
• Chance to prove themselves and show they can perform well
• Enjoys contact with people
• Desire to be in a position of responsibility
• Resents being looked at as though they have no experience
• Tends to be more job mobile
• Less respectful of authority
Sounds like Millennials, doesn’t it? They want to know that their work means something. They need to be challenged and want the chance to prove themselves to others. They like working in teams and want to be the CEO of the company the week after they are hired. Of course, we’re already seeing too just how mobile they are in their jobs. Now here’s the kicker, would it surprise you to know that this information was taken from an article in the November 1970 edition of Training and Development Journal? That’s right Baby Boomers, it’s talking about you!
Let’s start with the understanding that Millennials are different, at least on some levels. They think and act different. They have grown up unlike any generation before them. Technology has always been a regular part of their lives. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Google…these are all second nature to Millennials. Their parents taught them they could do or be anything and they believed it. Growing up, everyone got a ribbon just for participating. They were raised to be confident, to ask for what you want and expect to get it. Reality for them has been whatever they saw on TV or the Internet. Millennials don’t know anything else and now as they enter the workforce, they are incorporating how they grew up into how they work.
Of course, Millennials want what everyone else wants in a job. According to four Fortune 500 case studies, when asked, "What influences you to join an organization?" the most important elements across all age groups were:
• Mission, values, ethics
• Pay and benefit package
• Challenge and interesting work
• Opportunity for career development
When asked, "Why do you stay with an organization?" the most important elements across all age groups were:
• Challenge (the work itself: interest and variety)
• Being treated with respect by managers and co-workers
• An ethical organization
Clearly, we all want the same things to be satisfied in a job. The difference for Millennials? They ask for it. They want higher entry level pay and more vacation. They want a flexible work environment that allows them the freedom to work from their office or a coffee shop (who doesn’t want that). Our biggest difference is that we feel like we have earned those things. We’ve paid our dues and worked up to our fringe benefits. Millennials haven’t but push to get what we get. This can be frustrating and discouraging to other workers who may feel that Millennials don’t deserve what they ask for. They should have to earn it, right?
There is nothing new happening here. Every generation enters the workforce and causes a ripple. Many of you would probably say that Millinnials have made more of a hurricane rather than a ripple, but I remember when Generation X was going to destroy the workforce with their laid back and lazy attitudes. Guess what, we assimilated. Each generation will always have different ideals and sets of values that shape them as people and as workers. That’s not a bad thing. It just means that we all need to adjust some to what is happening, and yes I mean Millennials too. We sometimes have to compromise and sometimes in the end, the workplace changes for the better.
As Baby Boomers ready themselves for retirement…eventually, Millennials will need to step into the open positions that are created. To do so, they must be prepared for the work environment. This can be accomplished in many ways but generally this happens best when Millennials are provided opportunities to gain experience while they are still in school. Internships can allow young people to learn solid work habits and understand the reality of what the “real” working world will be like. This can be critical to their success and may eliminate some of the issues that employers see from younger employees. Now it is important that you and your employees set good examples for these young people so be sure to provide good mentors for the students to learn from. Internships can be great but if students are provided experiences that teach them bad work habits then they may struggle to be successful and that can be counter-productive. Once you have Millennials trained, remember to use their strengths. Technologically savvy, multi-taskers, team players, task-oriented and enthusiastic and spirited, are all phrases you could use to describe many Millennials. If you can harness their energy and keep them engaged in your company, you will have young person who can shaped and molded into the kind of employee that makes you and your company successful.
Ultimately it comes down to one basic rule; treat others the way they want to be treated (notice I said they not you). Get to know all your employees, not just the Millennials, and know how they want to be managed and incorporated into the workplace. Don’t assume everyone fits into the stereotypes you read about. Every individual is different. Whether you are thrilled about it or not young people are the future of your company and by helping them be great employees you are helping your company be great.
