<p>My concern with current 20-somethings is the sense of entitlement often displayed in the workplace. In my experience, too many of them are “know-it-alls” and aren’t willing to go the extra mile just because it’s the right thing to do. For example, BFF owns a marketing company that plans events countrywide. Although it clearly must be handled delicately, she prefers to hire 40-somethings instead of 20-somethings because several younger people haven’t worked out primarily because of the sense of entitlement…I remember my professors telling me to look, listen and learn from experienced colleagues. I was told to dress like I was prepared to be the boss. I was told to get to work early and stay late, again because it was the right thing to do. I don’t see today’s young graduates who are just starting out heeding similar advice…</p>
<p>I do not think that is age specific. All of those poor traits are found in workers of all ages.</p>
<p>
There’s often a lot of down time in a lab while you are waiting for thing to gel, heat up, grow or whatever. My dh’s student spend that time playing on line, while back in the day, the time was used reading journal articles. It annoys dh, but he’s too much of wimp to lay down the law. </p>
<p>I maintain that he has to let them know what his expectations are. IME people think they are much better at multitasking than they actually are. And I do plenty of it myself.</p>
<p>OP here. Just back from lunch and a mother told a story about her daughter turning down a second year of a great internship with a major financial institution. Mom was dismayed that daughter couldn’t see that such an opportunity might not come her way again. She wants to stay on campus this summer and work with Greek activities.</p>
<p>I recently needed to gently tell a part timer that I needed to staff the position with someone who could work more hours. A few days later the employee told me how hard it was to find a new PT job because she wanted to take a full summer month off.</p>
<p>I think from the point of the managers I’ve spoken with there’s also shock that the kids may not appreciate having these jobs in a time when they are not plentiful. </p>
<p>Not all 20-something’s are behaving this way, but it is enough of a pattern for others to discuss. </p>
<p>The managers’ industries are defense related, PR, and Internet services. I would love to know more about the degrees, internships, and skill sets these young people had before their current (or recent) positions.</p>
<p>As a 23 year old, I think it’s difficult at times. On one hand, we’re being told “you need to work more, do this more, do that more, etc” but then if we do that we get told “you’re hurting the profession by working too much.” We have people telling us that we must use all of our vacation or take time off “for us.” We are told “put family first” but then if we do that it is questioned if we are “dedicated to our jobs” or not. </p>
<p>Very mixed signals coming our way…</p>
<p>D1 works from 7am to midnight almost everyday, and “works from home” on weekends. When asked to come to her sister’s graduation, she had to pick the right time to ask her boss. I told her that she should ask for $X as bonus this year, she told me that I was stressing her out. When I questioned her as to why they couldn’t staff her desk better so she wouldn’t need to work so late every night, she told me that she needed to pay her dues like everyone else. I don’t think D1 is an exception, a lot of her friends are all working very hard to keep their first jobs. I think a lot of people our age like to say “kids lack work ethics” to make ourselves feel like we were better than the kids today. Truth of the matter is we were no better or worse, just different - we didn’t have browsers in our 20s, kids today could handle mutiple browsers and IMs at the sametime because that’s what they grew up with.</p>
<p>A friend of mine is in management at a major ad agency. She told me about a workshop her company recently had, where they were taught to manage ‘millenials.’ She said, that generation is more dependent on their parents, and their parents are more involved with their lives, including work lives, than any previous generation. She said to foster a strong relationship with her workers, she should inquire about their parents, etc., and she said that all of her ‘millienial’ employees eventually brought their parents for a visit during which the parents expected some kind of a ‘report’ about their kids (obviously a positive one) from her. Weird !!</p>
<p>As to work hours - poor just-out-of-college kids. Often they’re hired over older, more experienced staffers only because they’re young, don’t have lives, and won’t rebel at being asked to work 60-hour weeks for months at a time…</p>
<p>Its refreshing to know that there are some good work ethics among 20 somethings on CC, because it doesnt show where I work. I blame the managers and coordinators for allowing the young staff to run amuck. I work in an ER and they are on the cell phones texting, congregating in areas, talikng rudely to the ER physicians, thinking it is cute and funny. I personally cant stand it. When you call out to a particular secretary, they answer, “what?” instead of “yes” or “what can I do?” If the managers are not correcting it, there is nothing I can do to stop it. It has been brought up to them, but they dont seem to take it seriously. I know one thing for sure, my D would NEVER behave this way. all of these20 somethings have never gone to college. So the question is, which came first, bad work ethic because of lack of college or no college because of bad work ethic?</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s necessarily 20 somethings. I’m 29 and have a great worth ethic… Same with most of the other 20 somethings that I work with. Of course you have a few that don’t have a clue - maybe they were sheltered or never held down a real job before. But you also have people that are much older and do the absolute bare minimum and just try to squeak by. Like no pride in their work. Everyone is different.</p>
<p>THat being said, EVERYONE at my work, regardless of if you are 18 or 70, has multiple browsers open and IM’s at work. Some people might not like it as much as others, but it’s how my company communicates. we’re not IMing with outsiders, just with coworkers.</p>
<p>I will admit to sending a few text’s on my phone throughout the day. However half the days I eat lunch at my desk and don’t get a break so a few little 30 second text breaks are warrented.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that some people read/absorb journal articles and other forms of dense academic reading in a less hectic/more quiet environment…such as late nights or early mornings after/before classes, labs, TAing. </p>
<p>While I can do my reading assignments/research readings during times I am doing some of my academic/IT gigs…it isn’t nearly as productive as opposed to doing it late at night when I’m done with the day’s classes/work/ECs and I can read in peace with a cup of green tea or sprite from 11 pm - 3 am or later.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sometimes, the use of the phrase “know-it-all” says more about the jealousies and insecurities of the older colleague or supervisors vis a vis their younger colleagues/workers. Saw plenty of this with a few older IT colleagues and a supervisor in another department who refused to adapt to newer operating systems/software/processes at my first few jobs. It wasn’t too long before they were let go for obstructing the work of our team and creating a morale problem within portions of the larger group. </p>
<p>Also, there’s a flipside to the “going the extra mile”. The supervisor who views you as an underling to not only assign you the work you’re hired to do, but also all of his/her work as well so he/she can have a very relaxed workday and leave at 5:30 pm while you’re working past midnight or later. </p>
<p>After having a supervisor like that who was doing it to the point of potentially violating some laws/regulations*, had no compunctions about giving my notice and walking out.</p>
<ul>
<li>Some of the work could only be performed by the supervisor and his superiors due to Federal securities and legal regulations as I didn’t have the minimal educational credentials/licenses to perform it myself.</li>
</ul>
<p>20 somethings could have the highest GPA and graduated from the finest of schools , but also could be at a disadvantage if they never had real work experience to know what is expected of them
We deal with a lot of kids in our family owned business . Seeing them grow from 14 yr olds with their first job to college grads out in the real world beyond summer job , I see that the basic people skills learned helped shape them into really productive, problem solving, effective outstanding employees
Many of the " kids " who are now in some impressive jobs and industries thank us for the experiences they had that gave them an edge.</p>
<p>work habits trump academics</p>
<p>My OM is 24 and she’s worked for me for 6 years. She’s the most mature, thoughtful young woman I’ve ever met and doesn’t have a college degree.</p>
<p>The 23 yo I hired with a college degree had a mom who called his boss on several occasions. My mgr told the 23yo - never again in your life have your mommy call me unless you are in the hospital. His immaturity was ultimately his downfall, he never flew alone and nearly missed a critical flight. My favorite was that he ironed his pants on one side and assumed the heat would go through both legs of his pants - lol. He just couldn’t figure out how to be an adult with a job.</p>
<p>My problem with hiring the 20 - 24 yo crowd is many times they just don’t care about showing up every day and on time. Their leisure time is way more of a priority. I don’t think that’s a new phenomenon.</p>
<p>Hubby was so frustrated last week with the receptionist who every day needed to be told to not chat on the phone with family and friends while adding our bank deposit that he contemplated getting a cell phone jammer - lol. </p>
<p>The problem you run into when you own a business is that you really don’t mind a few personal calls here and there throughout the day, however there is always someone who can’t figure out how much is too much.</p>
<p>I often have chat with D1 about proper office behavior. What’s interesting is that recently I had a crisis at work, it was D1 who offered some sound advice. At some point they do become more insightful.</p>
<p>For those who say they depend on their phone for everything (email, messaging, internet, etc)–I make a distinction between the person who NEEDS to be texting, surfing the web, etc for work-related reasons, and the person who has an addiction to the dang phone, and cannot go 10 minutes without responding to every ridiculous text they get.</p>
<p>We had a little gathering for my mother’s 81st birthday. Niece’s new husband sat there playing with his phone surfing the net the whole time. Couldn’t even be bothered to attempt any human interaction. Wanted to tell my niece to just leave him home next time. Annoying and rude. Sat there laughing at youtube videos. Idiot.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>But how do you know the difference unless you are looking at their phone and at their computer screen?</p>
<p>Sounds like Hillicopter Parenting to me .</p>
<p>There are always some clueless people. Perhaps the more experienced coworkers should act as mentors, and the managers should manage. If the manager is not getting what he/she wants out of a worker, then they need to discuss and make a plan to improve. If there is no improvement, then the employee should be fired.</p>
<p>Perhaps some of the offices mentioned in this thread need better interviewing, and then they wouldn’t hire new people that are incompetent. There are A LOT of people right now in their 20s just itching for an opportunity to show off their work ethic and become integral members of a team or office.</p>
<p>and fwiw, no cell phones are allowed in my office (for security reasons, not productivity).</p>
<p>also, let’s not pretend like the people who constantly take 10 minute bathroom breaks and 15 minute smoke breaks are the model of productivity. Or the people who can’t fix their computer to work when the most minor thing is gone, so they try to talk to IT for an hour instead of fixing it themselves.</p>
<p>Somehow these kids managed to get through high school and college with numerous expectations from different groups. School, work, plays, chorus, sports commitments etc.</p>
<p>I think the work ethic is strong they just need to be told what is allowed and what isn’t. Then it needs to be reinforced.</p>
<p>Now for entitlement:</p>
<p>The real problem occurs when companies feed into the whole entitlement issues. The companies are acting much like these kids parents acted (many of them are run by these kids parents). </p>
<p>Companies have seminars on how these kids need to be treated differently;how these kids need positive reinforcement and immediate raises and promotions because that is what they expect. Companies are afraid of losing them. HAH. Companies are just making it worse.</p>
<p>Companies lost out on loyalty as soon as they got rid of pensions. These kids have watched their parents lose jobs after 25 years because the company has no loyalty to its employees. Other than staying long enough to have your 401k vested there is no reason to stick around.</p>
<p>GO get another job and a 10% increase in salary(instead of staying in current job for 4%) because this generation needs to take care of THEMSELVES.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to watch and see how it all plays out in the next decade.</p>
<p>sax - I agree with your assessment. Those kids will need to take care of themselves becasue there is no loyalty, and companies will lose big when people start to move for 10% increase.</p>