As illustrated in Gen-ME in the Workplace, the generation gap can lead to conflict at work. The best way to deal: understand one another.
Laziness: Don't mistake lack of enthusiasm for laziness. My generation isn't afraid to work hard: it's just that our goals have shifted. Now we seek personal fulfillment beyond career success (or, occasionally, at the cost of it). Our energy goes into become better surfers, writers, or volunteers. Often, the job we arrive at every day is simply a bill-paying-mechanism.
Adapting a new style will help to retain these employees and utilize their strengths. Offer flexible schedules and benefits that allow each employee to foster what we call our "real" lives. Just because we don't want the corner office (because that will cut into our travel plans), doesn't mean we won't be all we can be at whatever job we're in.
Lack of loyalty: We may be young, but most of us know at least one person our own age who has been laid off due to downsizing. We also watched corporate scandals like Enron leaving workers with nothing. We don't expect to keep one job our entire life, even if that were our wish. Loyalty goes both ways.
Again, flexibility will help. If an employee wants to surf in the morning and work later at night, why not let him? As long as he's still producing good work, the only effect to your company is that you'll have a happier employee less likely to job-hop any time soon.
Unrealistic Aspirations: The "Be All You Can Be" message worked. We want to be mega-rich superstars, and we want it now. Someone just out of law school may think she can become a partner in five years. She'll even say as much. And you'll probably laugh at her.
Is this really a problem? Certainly she'll be unsatisfied with the monotony of an underling, but meanwhile you have a someone yearning to succeed. Take her under your wing and be up front with her about how quickly she can climb the ladder. If she feels she'd getting the attention she deserves, she'll probably thrive.
Constant need for feedback: My generation is me, me, me. Throw us a bone and we'll quit chirping. Sorry for the mixed metaphor. You know what I mean.
Show your rising stars that you're willing to work with them, and you'll be able to one day retire in the comfortable hands of the Next Generation. Now beam me up, Scotty.
Have more workplace issues? Check out the rest of my articles, including
what to do when the customer isn't right,
and
how to get that annoying co-worker to shut up.
