- August 22, 2012
- 11:55 pm
- Kyle Wilcoxen
- no comments
Millenials Under Fire
Millenials, or the uninspiring name “Generation Y”, are constantly criticized as demanding, impatient, entitled, or even spoiled. Articles on this topic usually have the same theme and usually include sensationalized quotes from Millenials about a lack of commitment or sole interest in making money and becoming famous. But what about the strengths of Millenials? What about the fact that Millenials are hard-working, tech savvy (aka productive), collaborative, and driven?
An interesting point was made in the Wall Street journal that some critics stated that Millenials are no different from previous generations. The article tells a story of one manager in the 1970s describing the Baby Boomer generation as disloyal and rebellious. The view of any younger generation from management is probably more skewed to be negative due to the fact that management could feel threatened by the upcoming generation.
Yes, we might want a non-traditional job and work environment but that is so we can maximize our impact and find the best way to get the job done. We seek creativity and inspiration in the world around us and want to bring that into our work. How does working tired and exhausted help a company be more productive? A little flexibility allows us to work harder by working smarter. I would especially enjoy working at non-traditional hours if it meant that I would spend less time sitting in traffic.
We want to work hard and have fun while we do it. And yes Millenials are different, but we are probably more similar to other generations with the fact that we want to make an impact. We want results. We want to have responsibility and contribute. Companies should be excited to find ways to bottle this youthful enthusiasm and creativity and mold us into the future leaders they will need.