Millenials are shaping the workforceOctober 24th, 2008 View Comments |
As always, I reserve the right to go off-topic, although I’m not sure what “on-topic” for me would be…
Is the Millenial generation shaping the future workforce?
The Millenial generation is creating a bit of generational tension as they bring their cultural imprint to the workforce. Employers realize Millennials are a large part of the future work force, but employers (namely Boomers, and to a lesser degree Generation X) are concerned about the generation’s desire to shape their jobs to fit their lives rather than adapt their lives to the workplace.
It may seem obvious that employees should show up on time, limit lunchtime to an hour and turn off cellphones during meetings. But those basics aren’t necessarily apparent to many millennials.
Seriously? Why is that obvious? [1] Why are we – all generations, not just the Millenial generation – bound by the old standards? How are the standards of “professionalism” being rewritten?
Why shouldn’t / can’t Millenials shape workplace rules and expectations rather than merely adapting to existing conventions?
[Shaping] strategies use positive incentives to mobilize and focus thousands of participants in shaping specific markets or industries
Three key elements come together in these strategies – a compelling shaping view to provide focus for investment by participants, a powerful shaping platform that provides economic leverage for participants and a set of acts and assets by the shaper to communicate conviction and capability to potential participants.
Does the Millenial generation have enough of a shared view and platform to shape workplace conventions?
Will the Millenial generation just drop out of Boomer corporate culture and employ themselves by creating their own companies and workplace cultures?
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More: How might workspaces adapt to aging generations?
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[1] Granted, the third one is obvious, simple human respect.
[2] For more on shaping strategies download the full article (PDF) from Harvard Business Review: Shaping Strategy in a World of Constant Disruption.
October 24th, 2008 at 08:22
1. Maybe the smart ones can shape it.
2. A lot of “Millenial” behavior is what I would describe as “spoiled rich kid from Orange County syndrome”: massive egoism. Being late is symptomatic of this (and I say this as someone who, no matter how hard he tries, is perpetually late)
3. Hagel friended me on Facebook yesterday. I left a comment on his wall about a surf band he likes…um, cool? Right? Uhhhhhhhh…
October 26th, 2008 at 17:54
1. Maybe the dumb ones will create a backlash… oh, that's what we're seeing!
2. Massive egoism = “entitlement”? What lessons are they learning from their earlier peers? What is Gen X learning from the vanguard of our generation? That we're screwed?
3. Cool? Hmm. Finally glad to see some mainstream questioning over how web apps use the term “friend”…
October 29th, 2008 at 01:21
The WSJ article rang bells for me. Although there are those in my (millennial) generation who are opposite of what the article describes, I relate to it closely. I've been in the 'real world' for only six months, but I have to add that the situation isn't as hopeless as it seems.
People in my generation are more concerned with contributing something meaningful (this is mentioned in the WSJ article) to the world and the people around them than they are about material gain.
I'm lucky enough to have been hired by an organization that I see as contributing something positive to the world. Because of that, I'm willing to bend over backwards and relearn whatever habits or expectation I have so that I can feel my talents are useful even when that means less pay and working with older people I don't really understand.
I think all this means is that companies who are not doing all that much for society will have a harder time finding young employees which isn't so unfair. And young employees who can't get past their distorted expectation to use their talent for the good won't have much luck getting hired which also seems pretty fair.
October 29th, 2008 at 15:00
First and foremost, I'm not a Millenial, so I can't speak for the generation, but what struck me about the article was a complete unwillingness to look at the choices, values and behavior of the generation without an open mind.
The idea of “needing to contribute” is one I've seen before. I love the general attitude of “I can change the world, so let me!”, but also see how that is interpreted as “I'm entitled”.
The broader issue is cross-generational communication: it's difficult for most Boomers to truly understand the “need to contribute” and “bend over backwards” value structure of the Millenials.
I've also seen that Millenials aren't risk-takers: how do you feel about that?
How much of the generation's attitudes do you think is shaped by their current stage in life (younger, lower responsibilities, lack of families), and how much comes from a true generational focus and drive shaped by how they grew up?
February 14th, 2009 at 11:14
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