<p>Mamabear, you’re not allowed to bring up that we’re working more for less than our parents’ generation. That’s irrelevant in these “boo the Millennials are lazy” threads </p>
<p>As a Gen Xer, I learned the hard way that companies will give you no loyalty. I applaud the Millenials for going in with eyes wide open, always looking for opportunities. The social contract between corporations and their workers has disappeared, but it is up to them to build the life that they need. My generation and all those that are coming do not have the security of the past, nor the upward mobility of the past generations. I would take the millenials with their earnest ideas and flexibility over the smug elitism of the baby boomers in my office any day. </p>
<p>I’m a boomer and I never thought we had any security like pension. My husband and I didn’t expect anything either. We just stumbled on it by accident. :D</p>
<p>Lots of the young adults we know have to work multiple jobs because they can’t get enough hours OR high enough income from any one or even two jobs. The guy who is my webmaster also works as a security guard and does a LOT of other people’s websites as an independent contractor AND also makes posters for the National Park Service and does stuff for their website as well. He’s very busy and still living in a very humble rental with his GF and both are still paying off educational (and possibly other) loans–they are in their 40s! </p>
<p>I know many young folks who are only working part time (often more than one job) though they really just want a career where they ca work one full-time job that will help them advance toward a career but they are stuck. Many have college degrees and have accepted jobs that are available, even if they aren’t in the field they majored in. Several are working for schools. </p>
<p>Hey, I did not intend to start a “hate the milennials” thread nor do I espouse the views in the article! Just thought it was interesting and would start some debate :).</p>
<p>I spend every day in the company of dozens of millennials, and I supervise a number of them. I too have had the perception that they can be entitled or impatient or not able to handle disappointment, since as we all know in their generation–“everyone gets a trophy.”</p>
<p>But then I started really looking into how they have come to view the working world as they do, and accept that their perspective is different. I found this article really eye-opening and passed it on to HR and other managers in my office.</p>
<p><a href=“The Beat (Up) Generation | Psychology Today”>http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201402/the-beat-generation</a></p>
<p>Well, that was a really interesting article. Thanks for posting it. It certainly gives an interesting explanation for many behaviors of this generation of workers.i buy some of it. Other parts not so much.</p>
<p>It does lead me to wondering though. Who cares about the long term success of a company? If everyone is just out to make a name for themselves and self promote who is watching to see if their accomplishments are successful in the long term? Does it even matter anymore? </p>
<p>Is company longevity built by trust and great product no longer relevant? </p>
<p>Are we to rebrand and recreate everytime a company starts to waiver even if the downfall is caused by lack of foresight?</p>
<p>This is all really interesting stuff. I’m glad I am not playing in the sandbox anymore and can watch from the sidelines.</p>
<p>I see some of the millenials stuff with my kids but what I didn’t give them, what I neglected to do was tell them they were better than anyone else. I taught them to be humble and that they didn’t have to run and push to be first in line.i taught them to share and take turns. I guess I did them a disservice. I know I did them a disservice.</p>
<p>I don’t see millenial bashing here. I wish there were some millenial posters who could offer their view. It would be an interesting discussion.</p>
<p>I think I’ve heard the CEO of Google talked on cnbc that when he asked his employees how many would want to work less than 40 hours, lots of hands were raised.</p>
<p>If someone asked ANY of us whether we’d prefer to work less than 40 hours, lots of hands would be raised.</p>
<p>True. </p>
<p>Many, perhaps most, Millenials work over 40 hour weeks. Many from multiple different jobs.</p>
<p>At least around here, this was most certainly not the case when my parents were my age. Most people here worked good union jobs in the factories where hours were limited (or overtime was paid) and wages were livable. You could finish high school and get a job in the factory supporting a family. This isn’t the case anymore. Now, we have to put off “the real world” routinely by going to college (a new phenomenon) and graduate with significant debt into minimally paid jobs where we’re expected to put in 60-80 hours of “face time” in order to show our commitment to a company. </p>
<p>Given all that, is it really any wonder that Millenials are rebelling? I certainly don’t think so. People love to complain about the Millenials, but we start off life with tens of thousands in debt into a job market that is racing to the bottom with wages and to the top with hours. </p>
<p>As a ‘millennial’ (I think? I’m in my mid/late-20s), articles like this just make me shake my head and walk away. I work in an office with a variety of age ranges, but does have a higher % (if you assume a 1/4 split each of 20-30s 40-50s, 50s-60s, and 60+ is average) of employees in the upper age ranges. Also, for what it’s worth, I’m defining ‘elders’ in the remainder of this comment as someone trending towards retirement age–most of my direct management is on the younger side (30s-40s).</p>
<p>I DO respect my elders if I believe that respect is deserved, but would never be blatantly disrespectful. In turn, I also would appreciate being treated with some level of respect, and not like a child. I understand that I may be the age of some employees’ children, but I’m not their child–I’m their coworker. Just because I’m younger doesn’t give someone the right to immediately dismiss my ideas, constantly make jokes about my age, or tell me that my way of doing a task is incorrect because it isn’t the way you would do it. </p>
<p>In terms of the other things–I think millennial’s just look at the concept of work differently. If I accomplish my daily tasks in 6 hours and have no other tasks/meetings/etc.–why should someone be chained to a desk for an additional 2 hours? In turn, if I am very into my project and on a roll, I’m inclined to sit there for 10 hours or come in on the weekend to keep the momentum going. I’m also more likely to be happy and more creative (thus coming up with better revenue generating or innovative ideas) if I have a better work life balance by going to the gym, or attending a seminar at a local university, or exchanging ideas with my peers over lunch. My organization is beginning to embrace some of those things–we have paid workout time every week, we have flexible work hours (do your 40 hrs, no matter when/how), they organize happy hours or brown bags, and we can request to be paid for attending work-related outside opportunities–and it really shows. People of all ages, but especially those of younger age brackets, are happier at work. </p>
<p>I know that my spouse has always worked 60+ hours a week for the last 35 years. So have his friends. I will say he and his age group have always put in big hours in order to get things done. This is nothing new. And no there was never any overtime. It was also done with the hopes of promotions and raises. Was this worth it? For a few it was. For others not so much.</p>
<p>I think what millenials are forgetting is that they bring lots to the table but they are really missing one extremely important thing: the knowledge and experience of what was done in the recent past. Many of the strategies that were tried and proven not to work are being done again because they think that these are brilliant new ideas…but they are not. </p>
<p>Companies hope millenials will bring them them new fresh outside the box ideas. This would be great. However they need to put in enough time and listen so that they understand what has already been tried.</p>
<p>College debt? Try asking a 50 yr old parent of 2 college graduates about debt when he has been laid off in the same job market. </p>
<p>sally, no kidding. They did ask that at my work place and most people prefer to work 4 days and get 20% less pay.</p>
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<p>We’ve have had folks like this in every generation since time immemorial. Some people either love being self-aggrandizing braggarts or are so oblivious they don’t understand how such talk may be off-putting to many people. It’s not limited to one generation. </p>
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<p>Interesting. From what I’ve seen, most Millienials seem to be much more politically engaged and concerned about bettering the world than prior generations at similar ages. </p>
<p>For instance, they seem to vote in far greater numbers than those of my generation did back when I was 18-22+ as illustrated when elderly poll workers in an area heavily populated by students and young professionals ranted I was only of only 3 people under middle age who bothered to show up to vote as of around 6 pm during the 2000 election. Vast majority of voters who were with me when I voted in that election were 50+. </p>
<p>In contrast, I saw plenty of 18-22+ HS/college students from the millennial generation lining up to vote…even in neighborhoods where they are a distinct minority. </p>
<p>Also, many more millennial are more involved in activist organizations and more willing to actively engage. </p>
<p>As for the materialism part, that varies by individual. Know plenty of materialistic boomers and those of my generation who are very materialistic. Also, I know plenty of all generations who are not…including millennials. </p>
<p>". If I accomplish my daily tasks in 6 hours and have no other tasks/meetings/etc.–why should someone be chained to a desk for an additional 2 hours?"</p>
<p>I think someone who wants to demonstrate leadership and initiative would then take it upon themselves to find something to do, rather than announce they want to go home. Re-organize something that needs organizing. Do some extra thinking to come up with a more efficient way of doing X. Ask if other people could use your help on something as you seem to have freed up. Think ahead and see if you can work ahead on an upcoming project. If you were my employee and had that attitude, I’d hope you’d participate in proactively finding things to do instead of just sitting at the desk for those 2 hours (or going home).</p>
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My millennial kid expressed this sentiment and was blaming us boomers. I told her we or many boomers had nothing to do with the situation. </p>
<p>I’m not blaming the boomers. (Though I know many a boomer who believes that they are at fault). </p>
<p>I do blame a specific subset of those in charge but that would cross over into political territory. </p>
<p>Anyone who graduated in 1979 thru 1982 ish graduated into a recession with fewer jobs, student debt and no savings. Recessions happen. They are miserable and can affect you for years. We get it, we were there.</p>
<p><a href=“Bancroft Library | UC Berkeley Library”>Bancroft Library | UC Berkeley Library;
<p>Corporations are no longer offering the benefits they did to my parents generation and if anything worked us harder and longer without compensation. My parents had unbelievable benefits, weeks of paid vacation, pension plans, amazing medical, dental and vision insurance - the whole works. My sister went to college on a company scholarship. But those days are over and I applaud the Millennials for eschewing the big house, the fancy car and the endless chase for the dollar. </p>
<p>Quality of life matters.</p>
<p>And I must be a Millennial at heart because I’m all for the flexible work schedule, under 40 hours work week , casual dressing and working from home, if possible. Chasing other spies in high heels, and the obligatory suit or dress is HIGHLY overrated. </p>
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<p>Keep in mind that student debt wasn’t at the same levels it is now, especially considering college tuition has increased at a multiple of the rate of inflation…especially for private colleges. </p>
<p>Heck, the full sticker of my private LAC has more than doubled from the time I was there. </p>
<p>$61,788 as of 2014?!! Yikes! </p>
<p><a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/parents/finances/tuition-and-fees.dot”>http://new.oberlin.edu/parents/finances/tuition-and-fees.dot</a></p>