NBR Commentary – Young Workers – 14 Dec 06
What is it with today’s young workers? You know, those GenYs or Millennials or whatever label we’re putting on them. In our workforce research, we’ve heard lots of complaints: They job hop too much. Where’s their work ethic? They don’t know the difference between work time and personal time. My response to employers is, “Get used to it.”
Today’s young workers have grown up independent. They’ve grown up technological. They’ve grown up expecting rapid gratification. And they’ve grown up with a healthy disrespect for employers, especially large corporations.
They’ve seen the Enrons and Worldcoms dominate the news. They’ve seen what downsizing and restructuring have done to their parents’ careers. They know that the old exchange of loyalty for job security is dead. They know that their careers belong to them – not their employers.
So it’s no mystery that young workers move along, unapologetically, when they don’t get what they want. And they want a lot, but they want the right things: a workplace that isn’t just passable, but fun; the chance to work with smart and collegial people; the chance to do interesting work right away; the freedom to blend work and life as they see fit.
Employers have little choice but to adjust. As workforce growth slows and the Baby Boom retirement wave hits, employers have to work both ends of the street – motivate older workers to stay around longer, and motivate young ones to stay around, period.
I’m Robert Morison.
What is it with today’s young workers? You know, those GenYs or Millennials or whatever label we’re putting on them. In our workforce research, we’ve heard lots of complaints: They job hop too much. Where’s their work ethic? They don’t know the difference between work time and personal time. My response to employers is, “Get used to it.”
Today’s young workers have grown up independent. They’ve grown up technological. They’ve grown up expecting rapid gratification. And they’ve grown up with a healthy disrespect for employers, especially large corporations.
They’ve seen the Enrons and Worldcoms dominate the news. They’ve seen what downsizing and restructuring have done to their parents’ careers. They know that the old exchange of loyalty for job security is dead. They know that their careers belong to them – not their employers.
So it’s no mystery that young workers move along, unapologetically, when they don’t get what they want. And they want a lot, but they want the right things: a workplace that isn’t just passable, but fun; the chance to work with smart and collegial people; the chance to do interesting work right away; the freedom to blend work and life as they see fit.
Employers have little choice but to adjust. As workforce growth slows and the Baby Boom retirement wave hits, employers have to work both ends of the street – motivate older workers to stay around longer, and motivate young ones to stay around, period.
I’m Robert Morison.
