Having worked closely with HR over the last decade, I think most of the Millennial stuff is BS. Yes, each generation has unique features, but the underlying core is the same - people are just people. The media will always highlight the one or two loudmouths with silly inflated requirements. Probably the biggest change has been the use of Internet for communication for stuff like finding a job easier thanks to LinkedIn, GlassDoor, Monster, etc. But social media also gives the vocal minority a platform - both for the people who are whiners & for the people who like to whine about the whiners (i.e. all the writers who complain about "ugh, Millenials!"). Let's look at the points in this article:
1. They Observed The Work-Driven Stress Levels Of Their Parents:
I think the more important part here is that divorce has become acceptable in our society. When I was a kid, there was maybe one kid in the whole class who had divorced parents. By college in the early 2000's, it seemed like half of the class's parents were split up. These days, it's just acceptable & normal. Having a stressful job & stressful finances are big contributors to marriages splitting up.
2. Traveling Teams And Helicopter Parents:
Give me a break. Kids have been playing sports & riding the bus to other team's fields since the 50's. As far as helicopter parents, it's the same idea as the whiney Millennial concept - there's like 1% of parents who are crazy over-protective, never miss anything ever, record everything, etc. & they want to slap that label on everyone. Nope.
3.They’re The Most Technologically Connected Generation Ever:
Yeah, per my first paragraph above, I agree with this. I've used this to leverage my own job & pay at times...I can hop on Glassdoor & see what the average pay is in my field in my area & bring that to the table when it's time for annual salary negotiations. Stuff isn't as secret as it was in the past. It's easier to find a job than every, you have more information about what you do day to day, how much you should get paid, etc., and it's easier for companies to find people to hire these days.
4. They Want To Know Their Work Has Purpose:
No, they want jobs that will pay off their ridiculously overpriced student loans. I don't know a single person who has graduated within the past five years who has said "gee, I hope my job has a purpose"; every single one has said "crap, I need a job, I hope it covers my monthly student loan bill & leaves me enough for rent & food!" The problem with purpose is that it is often mis-represented. Advertisements, high school, TV, etc. teaches you that you need all this purpose, creative freedom, yada yada yada. Not that you shouldn't have that, but the bottom line is that work is WORK. You are there to fulfill a function, which ultimately results in making your employer money. That's the plot but not the story (i.e. it's not as harsh as that sounds), but it's important to remember that you are there to do a job.
Most jobs are warm-body jobs. They just need someone to do the work. My career field isn't anything special if you're technically inclined...I basically fix computers. I happen to work for a company with a decent budget & some freedom in choosing how I roll, which is awesome for me personally because it scratches my IT itch, but at the end of the day, I am there to work & fulfill a role. You could throw anyone with an A+ cert in here to do my job, and that's okay. I bring my skills & my work ethic to my job, and my job compensates me in return. It's important to keep that business relationship in mind, because these articles keep painting the latest generation of young kids as people who want creative job freedom, a solid paycheck, and a meaningful purpose - well DUH, every generation of kids coming out of school wants that! It usually doesn't take too long for life to beat them down though
5. They Don’t Want A Boss; They Want A Coach:
Direct quote from the article:
Gen-Y workers are repelled by traditional bosses who bark orders or manage people in uniform ways.
No joke, people don't like being yelled at or treated like cogs in a machine?? Gosh, these Millennials are so unique & demanding! rofl
6. They Want Much More Frequent Feedback:
I do think this is valid because we live in an interconnected world. You expect your family & friends to respond instantly to your text messages 24/7. You get feedback on Twitter, forums, Facebook, etc. all day long. I don't know if this really truly translates out to a workplace requirement, but since we're in constant communication with people in our personal lives, it makes sense that people would want the same thing at work. Although as the IT guy at work, I just have to be proactive about it...I just do my weekly rounds to see what's up with everyone & make sure I'm staying on top of things, because while most people will complain about something that is wrong right away, some people let issues fester & build up (this has been happening for a month & you haven't done anything about it, even though I didn't tell you there was anything wrong!!).
7. Focus On Their Strengths:
Yeah again no duh. Who wants to work for someone who just criticizes their weakness all the time? Unfortunately, that's a lot of people's professional situations, and you basically have to put up with it if you want to keep your job, or else go find another job. Welcome to reality! :awe:
8. Growth And Development Is One The Greatest Drivers Of Millennial Engagement:
Wait a second, people don't like to be bored? These crazy Millennials & their non-standard demands...
They do make a good point at the end of the article:
Some organizations seem to have it in their minds that millennial workers are mercenaries, always looking for a new and better deal. But Gallup’s research shows what they’re really looking for is a compelling reason to stay.
Yes...these kids went to college, forked over a ridiculous amount of money that they'll be paying back in student loans til the day they die, have access to online job listings across the nation, as well as job duty lists, required training, pay scales, etc. & other relevant information...we have a more educated & powerful workforce now. So if you treat someone like crap & they can simply hop online to find a job that will treat them & pay them better, good luck keeping people! I have seen this happen with some businesses that I've worked for...because it's an employer's market for jobs (lots of people needing jobs), they think it's OK to pay people like crap & literally treat them like crap.
TL;DR - people are the same as they've always been. The Internet gives us access to more information, but the media will always point out the vocal minority (and the vocal minority can now hop on social media platforms as a digital soapbox). Nothing has changed. People still need jobs to pay their bills. Blah, blah, blah