November 21, 2009
UTNE READER

The Kid in the Corner Office

(Page 2 of 2)

November / December Issue
by Julie Hanus 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

“Three years down the line, there’s going to be a crisis for midlevel leadership positions if organizations fail to engage this generation,” says Carolyn Martin of the management training group RainmakerThinking. Some employers are already giving it their all, hiring praise consultants and celebrations assistants, at least one of whom is charged with throwing 25 pounds of confetti every week, according to the Wall Street Journal (April 20, 2007).

RELATED CONTENT

For those watching from further along in their careers, the times they are a–chafin’. “I’ve heard some managers say, ‘Well, we have to put up with this right now, because the economy is good and unemployment is low,’ ” Twenge says. “ ‘But as soon as times aren’t as good, we’re not.’ ”

The members of Gen Y may inspire widespread scorn, but they’re also bringing some refreshing qualities into the office. They’re civically engaged (garnering comparisons to the “greatest generation”), and they can be surprisingly loyal. “They’ll quickly leave a company, yes,” says Tammy Hughes, president of workplace consultants Claire Raines Associates. “But they will be extremely loyal to companies that demonstrate loyalty to them, and it’s a very civic-minded loyalty. They expect companies they work for to be responsible.”

While previous generations rebelled against the cubicle-to-coffin mentality and struggled for workplace flexibility and improved benefits, here’s a generation that wants to get feedback, have input, and engage in meaningful work. They want the companies to which they commit to be environmentally, socially, and personally accountable. “I think young people are putting us to task because they want managers to do their jobs—to develop people,” says Martin. “We’ve got to make the distinction between unrealistic expectations and high expectations that are calling us to be better.”

Certainly, young people will have to learn why criticism is sometimes called constructive and that not all rewards are immediate. Perhaps the other half of the ticket isn’t knocking Gen Y down to earth, but getting workplaces into their orbit. In the meantime, grab some confetti and try not to roll your eyes.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • jakegreene 1/20/2008 12:00:00 AM

    Interesting article. As a twenty-something myself, I believe
    some of the frustrations with Gen Y at work occur because many of
    the productive qualities we bring to the office are misconstrued as
    bad habits. For example, the members of Gen Y are extremely
    comfortable editing work on the fly. Having grown up in the
    computer age, we are used to checking in and making modifications
    mid-composition to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our
    bosses, teachers, etc. For typewriter-trained Baby Boomers,
    however, this working style can come off as "needy". Their
    expectation is that employees will take projects, lock themselves
    away and complete full drafts before presenting their work for
    changes. After all that's how they did it (even if it is less
    efficient, especially when employees misinterpret directions)
    because editing on the fly wasn't an option in the whiteout era.
    That said, young professionals should go out of their way to learn
    about managing the boss' expectations when they begin a new job.
    Communication is the best way to avoid the misunderstandings of the
    generation gap. Best, Jake www.jakeonjobs.com

  • jakegreene 1/20/2008 12:00:00 AM

    Interesting article. As a twenty-something myself, I believe
    some of the frustrations with Gen Y at work occur because many of
    the productive qualities we bring to the office are misconstrued as
    bad habits. For example, the members of Gen Y are extremely
    comfortable editing work on the fly. Having grown up in the
    computer age, we are used to checking in and making modifications
    mid-composition to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our
    bosses, teachers, etc. For typewriter-trained Baby Boomers,
    however, this working style can come off as "needy". Their
    expectation is that employees will take projects, lock themselves
    away and complete full drafts before presenting their work for
    changes. After all that's how they did it (even if it is less
    efficient, especially when employees misinterpret directions)
    because editing on the fly wasn't an option in the whiteout era.
    That said, young professionals should go out of their way to learn
    about managing the boss' expectations when they begin a new job.
    Communication is the best way to avoid the misunderstandings of the
    generation gap. Best, Jake www.jakeonjobs.com

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!