For those of you who are Gen Y’s or work with them,
hopefully you’ll find this article of interest.
I reference 8 myths – and truths –
about generation Y (Canadian HR Reporter May 20, 2013 – by Cheryl
Cran). Myth 1 – Gen Y’s are disloyal…truth – Gen Y’s look at company
loyalty differently – as opposed to time on the job, they are loyal to both
their leaders and their co-workers. Myth 2 – Gen Y’s don’t want to work long or hard…truth Gen Y’s
believe in using technology to work smarter.
They don’t equate long hours with quality of work. Myth 3
– Gen Y’s don’t know how to connect
face-to-face…truth Gen Y’s know how to connect but also connect worldwide using
technology and don’t see the value of face-to-face connection when it can be
done efficiently through technology. Myth 4 – Gen Y’s don’t care about
timeliness and call in sick to do something fun…truth Gen Y’s value a work life
balance and have no problem being late or leaving early but will pull
‘all-nighters’ to get a project done. Myth 5 – Gen Y’s are rude in meetings
as they address their smart phones…truth Gen Y’s see this as being
efficient. Myth 6 – Gen Y’s are self-focused…truth Gen Y’s have been raised to
believe if they ask they will get and are used to instant reward. They also have a strong sense of civic duty
and community. Myth 7 – Gen Y’s want to be promoted quickly or they’re out of
there…truth Gen Y’s believe they should be rewarded for performance and
promotion is one way. They look for a
career path and opportunity. As a good
leader of Gen Y’s it is important to teach them the ‘why’ in what they do and
why they need to earn rewards. Myth 8 – Gen Y’s are high
maintenance…truth Gen Y’s are used to ongoing recognition and find annual
performance reviews archaic. They need
real time feedback in the form of inspirational feedback rather critical. In my opinion, Gen Y’s have such a great
attitude towards life and work and are a very confident bunch. We need to learn
to harness the energy and embrace the different working styles – this is a
generation of great ideas and courage and the technology they bring is not
going away.