Generation Y – the Millennials are coming
A survey of more than 2,500 employers and managers by recruitment website CareerBuilder.com has identified huge generational differences between Generation Y and their managers. This isn’t anything new to readers of this blog site, but ongoing research is now validating what we have been saying for many years. A lot of generational differences relate simply to expectations and perceptions.
The survey found that there was a particular gulf when it came job expectations, between Gen Y and older generations.
Nearly 90% of hiring managers and HR professionals said some or most Generation Y workers felt “entitled” to demand greater compensation, benefits and promotion than older generations.
Nearly 75% said younger generation workers expect to be paid more, with 60% demanding more flexible working hours and structures. More than 50% of employers believed Generation Y workers had a more difficult time taking direction or responding to authority than other generations of workers.
“Generation Y workers are an important segment of the workforce and literally the future of companies and organisations,” pointed out Rosemary Haefner, vice president of HR for CareerBuilder.com. “They grew up in a technology-driven world where standards and norms have changed and often operate under different perspectives than older co-workers.â€?
Having said this, I think that a lot of these comments reflect what managers perceive, rather than reality. Gen Y workers are likely to be as committed and prepared to work for a good work-value exchange as older generations. But they are generally misunderstood. The key here is not only to make some adjusts in the workplace, job descriptions, conditions of employment and remuneration packages of younger workers, but to also help older managers adjust their mindsets, management styles and attitudes.
Probably the best one article introduction to the Millennial generation was written by Fortune magazine earlier this year. Get it here.
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I’m finding that most organizaitons and HR leaders are talking about the millennials–I’ve been tasked with doing something about them. How do we develop programs to help manager’s manage millennials and how do we start developing millennial’s into managers?