There's a lot of hand-wringing among managers, HR experts and older working colleagues about that generation called Y: They're brash. They're pampered. They're self-absorbed. They're high-maintenance. They're obsessed with work-life balance. They have no loyalty.
In other words, they are a species unto themselves.
But are they, really? Every generation has a conceit that other generations are significantly different from theirs, writes career expert Barbara Moses in her Career Intelligence column in Friday's Careers section. In fact, she writes, the differences aren't as big or as significant as popular thinking would have you believe.
More to the point, she says, such thinking about Gen Y is incorrect because it is based on a flawed understanding of the role that being part of a generation has in shaping people's behaviour, in general, and the attributes of Gen Y, in particular.
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Managers would be wiser to pay attention to the unique personality characteristics of all of their workers than get suckered in by broad generational stereotyping, she says.
So what to really think about Gen Y? And how should they be treated? Dr. Moses will be online at noon Friday to offer her perspective and advice on Gen Y and other working matters.
Dr. Moses is a well-known organizational career management consultant, author and speaker, who writes and talks widely about career issues and smart ways to navigate the modern working world. She is the best-selling author of four books, including What Next: Find the Work That's Right for You , and her latest book, Dish: Midlife Women Tell the Truth about Work, Relationships, and the Rest of Life.
She is also president of BBM Human Resource Consultants Inc., which helps organizations implement career-management programs, and the designer of Career Advisor, an online career planning tool used by major organizations. She holds degrees in psychology from McGill University, The London School of Economics and the University of Toronto.
Terry Brodie, Editor, Globe Careers: Hello, Barbara. Thanks so much for joining us today.
You certainly rail against what's become popular thinking in your column today about Gen Y. Why do you think that people have come to all the popular conclusions -- the brashess, the self-absorption, the lack of fear of authority, the life as much as work preoccupation, etc.-- about Gen Y if they're so untrue?
Barbara Moses: It's good to be here, Terry.
First, some of it IS true. Gen Yers are less intimidated by authority than were members of previous generations.
And some of it is true in the absolute sense, but not relative sense. For example, Yers do care about work/life balance. But does everybody else.
And some is simply untrue, for example, that Yers are more self-absorbed.
Why the depiction? Well, there is tendency for people to evaluate other generations as different from theirs and, in some ways, inadequate compared to their own. Which is what leads to the labelling.
And people also generalize. For example, a worker says "no" to a boss's unreasonable request because he or she is not intimidated. And then it's interpreted as entitlement.
Terry Brodie: So if some of it is true, what's true and what's not true?
Barbara Moses: What's true is that they are more comfortable with adults and less scared of authority. They are also more independent and self-reliant. They expect their feelings to count. And when someone crosses the line with respect to how they are treated, they will balk.
They also relate to information differently as they are accustomed to having less mediated experiences.
And they have a more dispassionate view of the workplace. Unlike their parents who believed organizations would look after them and didn't question their values or ethics, this generation understands at a visceral level that no-one will look after them.
They also have a healthy cynicism about the "goodness" of corporations. After all, many witnessed their parents being downsized. Many also think of themselves as the abandoned children of career obsessed parents who put the company's needs first.
So these are some of the differences. But the picture of Gen Yers as being more naricisstic, more obsessed with life balance, less capable of delaying immediate gratification, and having less loyalty is not true.
Terry Brodie: : No matter what, companies are going to need to attract and retain Gen Y workers, if for no other reason than the demographics that will produce coming labour shortages. If managers take what you say to heart, then a lot of new hand-wringing may go on about what to do now about handling this generation of workers. What advice would you offer for a new way of thinking about them?
Barbara Moses: Instead of thinking of a person's generational membership as being the best predictor of their behaviour, it would be far better for managers to understand individual personality preferences and what they mean in terms of how best to motivate someone.
Certainly having a broad appreciation of generational issues provides some insight. Just as understanding cultural issues, or gender issues or social class issues do.
But that's not enough. Managers need to think wholistically about their workers. The more information you have about someone, the more effective you will be as a manager.
John Stanton from Toronto, Canada writes: "They're brash. They're pampered. They're self-absorbed. They're high-maintenance. They're obsessed with work-life balance. They have no loyalty."
And would Barbara Moses expect anything else? Let's see... these people saw the previous generation's real wages fall, cost of living rise and housing prices explode. So they're going to get 1 and 2 without the benefit of 3. If I was in my twenties today, I wouldn't even bother trying to assemble some sort of pointless 'career.'
Barbara Moses: Actually, this generation is poised for great opportunity. Pending boomer retirements means there will be a scarcity of workers. Gen Yers will see themselves rapidly promoted through the ranks, just like boomers were in the seventies.
Marlene Gregory from Toronto, Canada writes: I have two sons in Generation Y, and they are wonderful people, with wonderful girlfriends. Rather than discussing 'this and that' about Generation Y, how about just loving, trusting and respecting our children? Have faith in them.
Barbara Moses: You can probably do both: Understand generational differences, and still respect your kids!
Ian Da Silva from Toronto, Canada writes: Hi Barbara. I am wondering if and how you see Generation Y being different from cohorts before them in terms of what they demand in the form of compensation from work? Are they any different?
Looking forward to your response, Ian.
Barbara Moses: They are more comfortable talking about money and are more likely to question the effort-reward equation.
Also, they are more savvy about what a job should pay. After all, we couldn't go to the web and check this.
The Central Screwtinizer from Ottawa, Canada writes: From an older 'hippie:' Good for generation Y to be the way they are because the 'corporate' world will certainly just chew them up and spit them out as they have to all other generations.
Today I choose to see my life for the wonderful gift that it is. I love and accept myself exactly as I am. I make choices that are right for me and healthy for my body. I forgive everyone, including myself, I easily release the past and I am free lest I become gravely ill...'. Rock on!
Barbara Moses: I wouldn't put it that strongly but I believe it is healthy to have a realistic appraisal of what one can reasonably expect of one's employer.
Jane Hutcheson from Canada writes: Understanding and managing Gen Y employees has become a huge business for consulting firms and academics. Do you think all this attention has, in fact, created more problems than it has solved, i.e., focusing people on differences and not similarities in different groups in the workforce?
Barbara Moses: Good question. I must confess that I myself have written and spoken about these differences!
But I agree with you. Unfortunately, it is much easier to work with a cute model that says, "Yers are like this and Xers are like that" than to really delve into trying to understand core motivators of individuals. And yes, ultimately most of us do want more or less the same thing: to be treated fairly, and to do work which speaks to our values , plays to our strengths, and still allows time for a life.
Terry Brodie: You've worked with young people in some companies for many years. What changes have you noticed?
Barbara Moses: Young workers are much more anxious about their career choices. They worry more about making a mistake. They are more likely to wonder, "How do I know this career is right for me?"
There is good reason for this anxiety: student debt, parents pressuring their kids to "get it right," many more work options, heightened career awareness.
Another major change is that they are much more open about their anxieties. They have less concern about sharing what's going through their heads. They are less concerned about what it means to be "professional."
Terry Brodie: So, if I'm a Gen Yer, what should I take away from this?
Barbara Moses: Understand what is going though your boomer boss's head when, for example, you say you can't go to a meeting at 5 because you have a commitment at the gym. You may think this is reasonable, but he or she will think you suffer from a sense of entitlement or that you aren't a "team player." Modify your language in the light of how it will be interpreted.
And of course, avoid playing into generational stereotypes which can hurt your career. You may think you are just being upfront, but your boss may experience you as brash.
On the other hand, you also want to be authentic. If you don't feel like you are accepted for who you are or believe you are being unfairly generationally branded, find an employer who appreciates what you bring to the table.
Terry Brodie: I laughed when I saw your kicker about how Gen Yers will grow up, have the same responsibilities as their parents -- and become the next generation to complain about younger workers.
So is all this generational angst much ado about nothing?
Barbara Moses: To some extent, although, obviously, we are shaped by the popular culture and child rearing of the day, which is different for each generation.
Terry Brodie: Thanks so much for joining us today, Barbara.
Do you have any further thoughts you care to share? Appreciate you being here, once again.
Barbara Moses: It was a pleasure. The questions were most interesting.
My final thoughts? Generational membership shapes behaviour. But so do genes, social class, gender, and so on. The more we understand what causes people to behave the way they do, the richer we will all be.
The same goes for appreciating and respecting differences, as opposed to demonizing them.
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