The Bloggers With The Most To Say
The Generation Y Stigma
Realizing that most of us twenty somethings technically fall into the category about which older generations complain, I wanted to have a candid discussion. Apparently, a typical "Gen Y whiner" has entitlement issues. And one thing you will find when reading anything on the topic is that our entire generation tends to be labled in a negative way when it comes to life in the workplace.
Entitlement issues aside, my problem isn't with being labled and categorized by the flaws of few, that is just a fact of life. My problem is the way this stigma has altered management teams and HR departments, who undoubtedy anticipate the actions of and cater to the few, out of fear that they will lose an entire generation of employees, while never ceasing to complain. How ironic that the generation that claims they learned to "suck it up" in the workplace fail to do so when faced with the apparently daunting task of training a new generation. I realize that I might be falling into the same hypocrisy by labling "management"--but I'm going to go with the hope that controversy sparks better discussion.
Does anyone else struggle with this issue?
Entitlement issues aside, my problem isn't with being labled and categorized by the flaws of few, that is just a fact of life. My problem is the way this stigma has altered management teams and HR departments, who undoubtedy anticipate the actions of and cater to the few, out of fear that they will lose an entire generation of employees, while never ceasing to complain. How ironic that the generation that claims they learned to "suck it up" in the workplace fail to do so when faced with the apparently daunting task of training a new generation. I realize that I might be falling into the same hypocrisy by labling "management"--but I'm going to go with the hope that controversy sparks better discussion.
Does anyone else struggle with this issue?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by RA on -
My old job was at an HR consulting firm, and this was such a hot topic. I listened in on a conference call (frantically taking notes for afterward), and I was pretty stung by some of the comments by the contributors. It was all about how Gen Yers don't respect leadership automatically, they "nail you" with deadlines of promised raises or evaluations, and they don't engage with people who are hard to work with.
Well, yeah. I don't respect someone without evidence to do so, I hold people accountable to what they've said, and who voluntarily engages difficult people? Obviously, there are down sides to being "entitled" and whatnot, but it's tough to fight this overwhelming prejudice from the onset. In any case, I do think that a some of my contemporaries need to get over themselves and pay some dues before expecting to work at home, get paid a lot, and get a company Blackberry. Work is work, you know? It's perfectly okay if it's not exactly fun every single second.
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Permalink Reply by Susan on -
I agree - I think that the people who forget they need to pay their dues weigh down their peers who do not feel that way. But you are right, whether you feel that way or not, many preconceive that the entire generation is lazy, which simply isn't true.
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Permalink Reply by Agitpropist on -
Just wait to hear what they say about the next generation. A generation born with computers, internet, gaming consoles, crystal meth, and a wide variety of soft drinks. Oh, and many more vaccines than we received, so that means more thermasol (see mercury). This increases the chances of autism and attention deficit disorder, it also destroys mirror neurons.
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