Generation Y’ers have overtaken the job market by storm and they have brought their own agenda with them. They aren’t hard to spot either. You may see them armed with casual attitudes, flip flops or earbuds stuck in their ears. To be frank, things are changing in the workplace. Fast. Current college graduates and the flooding pool of new and viable workers are redefining what it means to be productive at work. These changes mean big things for every player in the workplace, employee or boss.
But why should you be concerned? As we speak there are sixty year old employees working side by side with the twenty somethings. The generational transition between the Millennials and those who are currently in the work force is a dramatic one. For many workers in management as a Generation Y it can be awkward for them to manage older employees since they are so much younger. 22 year old employees report lying about their age to command respect from their colleagues who are 2-3 decades older.
Successful companies are adapting their management styles in order to meet the needs of these new employees.
Let’s get down to business
- Millennials ask questions. Lots of them. For those of you who identify with the population I speak of, you know what I mean. Talking back to your parents, questioning motives, gathering information and squeezing knowledge out of every facet of life. To the older generations this can seem disrespectful. To the young whipper-snappers, this is how they generate meaningful connections and relationships in the workplace. Be as understanding as possible when dealing with questions. Even if you’ve addressed the same question until you’re blue in the face, remain patient.
- No expectation of stability. Our new worker bees are not expecting to stay in one job for very long. In fact, the average worker should expect to occupy at least 8-12 jobs in their entire lifetime. Each of these jobs being no more than 4 years in length. This means there is a higher pressure on management to train their employees with higher efficacy. Utilizing procedures that train employees to communicate effectively like the TrueColors assessment will teach Y’ers to identify the nuances of navigating their new environment.
- Don’t wake them up before noon. Studies have shown that whether we like it or not, we are hard wired genetically to be either night owls or early birds. For a progressive company this means destroying the 9-5 philosophy. 2.8 million Americans telecommute today and the number is expected to increase. Telecommuters have the convenience of developing their own schedule and this philosophy can easily be adapted for Millennials who need more coddling in the daily scheduling department. Work load may not be the same every day. Try balancing out your hours or allowing your workers to set their own deadlines for projects. Working together one on one is the best way to create harmony with your boss.
- The fine line between work and play is now even finer. Expectations of flexibility on the job is at an all time high. Did someone say more vacation time? Yes, and sprinkling the hours of the day with variable productivity. Growing up with technology in hand created an expectation of instant gratifications in the workplace and with project feedback. Next time your team completes a project, respond as quickly as possible with a pat on the back or ideas for improvement. Immediate progress reports help to keep Y’ers on track.
- Cut the fat out of everything. Every aspect of the Gen Y work day is centered around doing only the most pertinent tasks. When efficiency is the name of the game, you’ll find that long and drawn out procedural strategic sessions will become more focused on getting the information necessary to proceed, then off to detox before beginning on the project. Encourage Y’ers to strive for the efficiency they crave.
GenY in not special at all.
They are the same self-assured, i’m gona change all the rules, i’m special and you orders are dinosaurs as we (GenX) were, our parents were, and our grandparents were.
It’s just normal and they will mature as every damn generation did since the civilization emerged.
You bring up a good point about change between generations. There are certainly many aspects are similar between the two and maturity is a factor, since many of the individuals in question are in their 20′s. Some major differences of course are the fact that Gen Y grew up with cell phones in hand and have a different response to the world around them. Technology from the 1960′s-2000′s has drastically changed.
Another late and grossly generalizing “Gen-Y in the Workforce” article.
I think this article serves as a reminder to the changing economic climate especially in regards to a more organic work force. Where I grew up in the Silicon Valley area, there are a large demand for these kinds of workers because they produce revolutionary products and services.
Not to say the old system didn’t work either, but is a testament to progress.
Yes, I could see that each new generation is changing jobs and fields more frequently than the previous one. Long gone are the days of staying with one company for life. These changes do present some very interesting challenges for companies. While some companies expect this and make no fuss about it, there are still many fields out there which involve a huge investment in time and training dollars for a new employee. Having them stay for only a few years is certainly going to be a problem particularly in fields where it takes at least the first year to get settled into a role.
Management in these companies will have to come up with incentives to make more of the Gen Ys willing to stay at their companies. Of course, all of these incentives will have to be equally applied to the other employees as well otherwise there will be a backlash from the older generations.
Tricky issues if companies have multi-generation workforces but like any other issues in business, the ones who are able to adapt to the changes will be the ones who are successful.
I agree with what you said about becoming adaptable to change and retaining Gen Y employees. Of course there are certain industries that are affected more or less by this population of workers but especially in the web and tech industry there is a high demand for workers with the skills unique to Millennials.
You are certainly right. My past industry was in pharmaceuticals where like many other high level corporate sales fields, it’s about long term business relationships. These are areas where relatively rapid turnovers are not appreciated by the customer/client base. I recall when I was in the industry that our customers told us that they don’t want to see new sales reps walk into their offices all the time like revolving doors.
Fantastic input, Clint. It’s true that there is a lot to be said about turnover rates in the industry. Sales is a very dynamic field and there’s even a higher demand for folks who are passionate about the products they are selling with personal accountability to accompany it.
What kind of challenges do you see the industry has in retaining business relationships and client relationships?
I’m no longer in that industry but I was hiring manager and many of my colleagues are still in pharma. I think the industry as a whole has hesitated in hiring Gen Ys unless they can demonstrate some evidence of stability. It takes a good year to really know a pharma sales territory and customers (doctors) tend not to really listen until they’ve gotten to know you which can take the year. So the first year is often an investment year. Companies do want to get a few years more at least after that of very positive results. Therefore, unlike say in tech fields where they can tolerate more turnover, in pharma, they would prefer candidates who have been relatively stable in their work experience. This of course would put many recent grads at a disadvantage.
Great article. While there are certain qualities that are common to youth, they all want to change the world, they all question their elders, etc, each also has its own personality. The Ys grew up in a very different, constantly changing environment. They’ve seen their parents get laid off and treated like commodities, and they want to do it differently. Why should they offer stability? The companies that want to hire them don’t offer it, life is a two way street.
And, the Internet has always existed for all but the oldest of them, and that is a game changer. The world is much more interconnected than it was, which, oddly, allows for much more decentralization than was possible, and they are adapting to it, naturally. David Kaiser, PhDSacred Time Coach to C-Level Leaderswww.DarkMatterConsulting.com
Let’s change the silly name given to “Gen Y.” I suggest iGen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGen
Let’s change the silly name given to “Gen Y.” I suggest iGen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGen
Don’t like GenY? How about Generation Why? Leaving aside that, if his photo is any clue, this article was written by a member of this so-called down-to-business cohort, I accept only a few of his premises, and none of his observations. I’ve been a university professor for twenty-years. I teach this hippest-of-all-possible age bracket, and I can tell you I don’t recognize one characteristic Mr. Ambron . . . Sorry, I mean Devin . . . claims for the Why-ers. Not one. Oh, and I’m one Boomer who’s not stepping aside until some twenty-something can out think and out work me. Maybe when I’m eighty.
The workforce of Gen-Y is not as hard working when compared directly to past generations because the standards for work had different expectations. When more labor intensive jobs were required and the nine-to-five mentality was first born there were many other factors in play. As society moves to a more intellectual age, our discussion is likened to comparing apples and oranges.
Life as we know it is in a state of growth.
And the modern attitudes and expectations for the world to bend to suit them, is why they do not get hired in many areas, especially where discipline and leadership is required, and it also explains why they are the highest unemployed group in many areas.
As things get tougher, and the jobs become scarcer, so will the attitudes and restrictions be in the workforce.
Many made find they need to take work, and life, a little more seriously to hold on to what they may have.
Not a bad thing in my opinion.
There are definitely many changes that need to take place especially in regards to workplace efficacy. Workers that are expecting to be bottle-fed are not going to be valuable assets to the companies they work for. There are certainly many benefits to productivity in the future.
Look at all these genY losers talking about themselves…
We started a nonprofit documentary project to chart what is happening to young, talented people in the wake of the traditional career. It’s called Fortnight (www.fortnightjournal.com).
Devin, I would encourage you and your readers to take a look and provide us with feedback. But generally, we have found that authenticity is now more valued in Gen Y than mundane careerism.
This is probably a backlash against over-scheduled childhoods. The pre-recession “self esteem” culture–which encouraged us all to aspire to be astronaut, rock star, i-banker or Spice Girl–is simply not viable. At the same time, Gen Yers are turning to history for inspiration, reviving traditional “vocations.” There’s a big emphasis on craft, slow food, community and storytelling. We’ve made mentorship between generations a big part of Fortnight because of this.
I’ve sent you an e-mail regarding this.
Wow, excellent article. This hits it right on the head. I’m a Gen Y’er and all of these things drove me to start my own editing and proofreading business… well, that, the economy, and my strong independent streak. I ask lots of questions; I know there won’t be stability in the future, in both the workplace and the marketplace; don’t call or email me before 10am; I like trips to the grocery store and Qdoba during the day; and although I was and continue to be an overachiever, excess isn’t my cup of tea. And I really don’t think this is a bad thing, depending on the person. I don’t think I know more or better than anyone else, regardless of generation. I like to learn new things from humble people who know more than I do, and I respect people, again regardless of generation, who may know less about a particular subject. So maybe it’s a generational thing, maybe it isn’t… I do know that I didn’t enjoy the company of a lot of fellow Gen Y’ers in college… but don’t worry, there are some decent, down-to-earth Gen Y’ers out there, too.
Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”