Generation Y, those born between the early 1980's and the early 1990's, although this depends entirely on who you ask, some say Generation Y started as early as 1977. All I know is that being born in 1983 puts me into the Generation Y category no matter who you ask. I don't know when my obsession with Gen Y started, I think it began as I started my career search and noticed that that fake line "work hard, play hard," employers put out there so you think they are cool wasn't cutting it for me, I wanted more. Generation Y is different than any other generation, we want more, expect more and generally don't want to work as hard for what ever "it" is. I have come across many examples of this during my career search and recently one of my favorite Gen Y blogs,
Brazen Careerist spoke openly on this Gen Y phenomenon, the blog posting titled, "
They Asked, So Let's Tell Companies What Gen Y Really Wants," covers what Gen Y wants out of a career and what they expect, and the truth be told what we want and what we expect are one in the same.
Currently both my boyfriend and myself are interviewing for new jobs, his current job was not cutting it for him and mine was coming to an end (internship OVER!). As I come home from these interviews (all have been with PR agencies, Advertising agencies, marketing, communications etc.) I tell stories of how so and so firm has an indoor and outdoor dog run! "Isn't that great hun, I can bring Gunnar to work with me!" Or the agency that has a beer cart that goes cube to cube, the annual chili cook off, the "karma" days (in addition to personal, sick and vacations time you get karma days each year, so if you don't feel like showing up you don't have to), Foosball tournaments, 4 weeks paid vacation per year, parties, baseball games, the option to work from home any day of the week, and wear jeans whenever I want. These are the type of companies I am interview with, these are the perks that a Generation Y like myself has come to expect. So is this ruining me or is it making me happier in my work environment so turn over is low and morale is high? I choose the latter.
Ben on the other hand is going into sales interviews that consist of nonsense like "work hard, play hard," but not one employee can give him an example of when the last time their company "played hard." They expect unbearable hours, putting thousands of miles on your car (and one recent company told him although they expect you to spend 6 hours a day in your car your "car allowance" is $150/month, if he took that job he would be literally be loosing money). These are companies run previous generations, they wonder why their turn over is off the charts but then they can't relate to anyone born after 1980.
Employers, in order to attract Gen Y employees try to make your work place a fun, diverse and interesting environment. Make it a place that people are happy to come to, there is no longer the job loyalty that Baby Boomers had, people used to stay at the same company for their entire careers. If Gen Y isn't happy in their jobs they quit and many of them don't think twice about it. If you want happy, satisfied employees make their work environment fun and enjoyable. This does not mean you have to have a beer cart, this means acknowledge a good job done, let someone leave at 3 on a Friday, put a pack of soda in the office kitchen. We are not asking for for unreasonable things, we just want to enjoy our jobs.
I recently had the question asked to me and a group of ladies around my same age, the question was "would you rather make more money or set your own hours?" All the Gen Y's said we would like to set our own hours and the Gen X's said they would like to make more money. I found this rather interesting, maybe the Gen Y'ers have not struggled enough financially, maybe we are still optimistic that we will be wealthy no matter what.
I want to come work for your company, I don't want readers to misinterpret what I have said here. I will be more than willing to come in early stay late, work nights, weekends and holiday, I am currently an intern that constantly keeps my Blackberry on. I am not here to let anyone down, I am here to do a kick ass job. All Generation Y wants is to be appreciated for what they do for you, paid appropriately, offered benefits that actually benefit them and have their employee realize that when we work our asses off we want to be recognized for it. We were born to parents that babied us, they gave us little league trophies when we came in last, they paid us to pick up our rooms, do the dishes, mow the lawn. And now we are out here in the work force and we want to work for people that understand us, to understand that the need to Twitter at work is not just for personal reasons, we are networking, socially as well as for our clients/companies. When we go to work for someone that blocks Facebook it blows our minds, do they not realize what a valuable tool that is for our jobs for your businesses. I have been so lucky to work in the PR field where my employers understand this, but for those of you out there that just don't get it, do some research learn about Gen Y, we may seem spoiled, but I think it's just that we know what we want and we won't settle until we get it.
They question below was posted by employers to Ryan Healy's blog posting "
They Asked, So Let's Tell Companies What Gen Y Really Wants."
Our company performs the kind of work that requires structure and self-discipline for everyone. Will Gen Y’ers stick around in such an environment?
Generation Y is very capable of structure and self-discipline, most of us are still in college or are recent college grads, we are still receiving assignments from professors. What we don't get and what we won't stay around for is micro-management. If a company is going to offer us freedom and then send us memos, updates, reminders, requests, suggestions we will not be happy. It is not that we don't appreciate your help, it is that we hear a lot about how great your company is and how much freedom you have and then we come to work for you and find out that the freedom you were talking about only exists if you have been here for 2 years, or sold 1 millions dollars worth of product or jumped through a million hoops. If you honestly are able to offer an employee an environment that requires self structure, then make sure Gen Y is awarded accordingly, keep and eye on your employee but from a distance, only intervene if necessary and make sure to point out a good job done.
