Every time a new generation begins to wedge itself into the status quo of the older generation, the pundits issue reports, surveys and op-ed pieces, (and I guess blogs now) about how the new generation is so different than the one it is succeeding. Included in those assessments are the predictions of how it will change society forever. But first, the new generation has to be given a name.
And so we have Generation Y. Depending upon what you choose to read, this generation, (born between 1977 and 2002), is: going to break absolutely everything that has been built up by the entrenched and venerable earlier generations; or going to finally define a healthy mix of personal and business life; or going to deteriorate into homelessness and despair as they simultaneously carry the weight of the previously negligent generations while stubbornly holding onto their total nonacceptance of how the world really works, at least how it works according to the older generation.
If you want to know more about this generation in a short article you can read it all here. But perhaps of all things that impact modern capitalist societies, it's how people affect the workplace that catches the most attention. As they say, just follow the money if you want to really understand a societal trend.
I have talked to employers, human resources professionals, project mangers, first line supervisors, department managers and others who have Generation Y on staff. I've supervised a few myself. Are they really that different? Here are some of the things being reported that they want.
*Flexible work schedules
*Recognition for jobs well done
*Creative challenges
*Fair and direct managers
The truth be told, most people would want those things. The ones who say those are the things they want are the ones to hire since they are the confident producers who will deliver if they are given the encouragement and tools. Other things being reported that Generation Y wants, include:
*Promotion within a year
*More vacation and personal time
*More pay
The ones who cling feverishly to the demands on this list are the ones you should ask to check back with you in a few years. By then, if they have been earning their way in the world and have amassed enough experience and skills so their contribution to your business will be significant, they should be ready for those perks.
They said the Boomers were going to change everything. Well, they didn't. They said Generation X was going to break everything. Well, they didn't, or at least not yet. Mainstream Generation Y probably wants what everyone else does, but with a slightly different emphasis. The one I'm getting concerned about though is Generation Z.