I have been with my current employer for five years and feel that loyalty (when earned) is paramount, both personally and professionally.
I value the time I spend with my family and the advice and counsel they give me when I’m faced with life’s biggest decisions. Their opinion is important to me.
I believe that if I work hard, my contribution should be acknowledged and possibly rewarded- but certainly noticed- and not necessarily in 30 years when I retire.
I value media, art, food, Twitter, the internet, Facebook, politics, growth, intelligence, the power of one’s network, and that everything I do in life should be challenging and fun. Why waste my time on anything else?
I want success for myself. To me, this is defined by financial freedom, emotional well-being, and enjoying the fruits of my labor.
I am a Millennial. A Gen-Yer. And I am the future of the workforce.
With all this talk about multiple generations entering the workplace, I feel like I have to weigh in. After all, I am one of the 79.5 million Gen-Yers who make up the largest population subgroup- and soon, the largest segment of the workforce. We have the unfortunate and inaccurate reputation of being lazy, entitled, spoiled, disloyal and even indifferent. But stop and ask any member of today’s young workforce what they contribute to society, and you’ll likely hear such words as change, loyalty, diversity, commitment, ingenuity and integrity. How can there be such disparate descriptions of one group of people, and why is it such a hot button issue?
Are the Boomers right? Are we entitled and lazy? Or are the Gen-Yers right? Can we do it better and faster than those who came before?
Like most things in life, you have to dig a little deeper to get the real answer.
I believe the cold hard truth is that we are just different. We are not like our parents, and in turn, we do not think in the same way that our predecessors in the workplace do. Haven’t we been taught all of our lives that different isn’t bad or incorrect, different is just….different? And if so, shouldn’t we find a way to harness the Millennial potential in order to make every business the most productive it can be? Conversely, shouldn’t the Millennials be open to adapting to certain “traditional”, yet necessary, workplace practices?
From a recruiting perspective, I see both sides. I see the frustration that comes with communicating with a potential Gen-Y candidate when their emails are riddled with texting acronyms, spelling errors, and are sent at 4am, no doubt while catching the latest episode of Tosh.O. But I can also relate to the Millennials who want to work for a company that is progressive, competitive and views them as an asset, not a necessary evil.
One thing is for sure: an oversimplified description of any group of people is considered a stereotype, and generational groups are no exception. Assuming that we are all the same, all think exactly alike, and will all affect the business world in the same [apathetic] way would be short sighted.
So how do we bridge the gap between yesterday’s business practices and today’s evolving workforce demands? Between the past and the future? Between “the right way” and “the wrong way”?
Stay tuned for Part II: How Companies can attract, integrate and retain Gen Yers.
Special thanks to the following resources for providing information & inspiration:
Gen Y Now – You can find them here, here and here
Millennial Marketing Blog – Giving Gen Y a voice
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