I read a recent article in the Washington Post "How those spoiled millennials will make the workplace better for everyone " written by Emily Matchar and as a Gen Y professional, I agree. The article reveals that those born between 1982-1999, also referred to as Generation Y or Millennials, are progressively forcing corporate cultures to adapt to their wants and needs. Whether those needs are more flexible hours, more paid vacation time, etc. it seems like the business word is shifting toward accommodating the needs of their younger and "more vocal" workforce and all may be benefitting.
The article posits that many of these Generation Y professionals would rather be unemployed than work at a job they hate, in contrast to their older counterparts. Is this true? Being a Generation Y professional, I admit that I completely agree with her.
So what do Millennials want to be engaged and fulfilled at work?
3 things:
Autonomy - "The urge to direct our own lives"
Mastery - "The desire to get better and better at something that matters"
Purpose - "The yearning to do what we do in service of something larger than ourselves" (a)
These factors help workers truly reach their potential, versus utilizing the "carrot and stick" model that only is effective for jobs that require repetitive tasks. While these are needs of all workers regardless of age, Generation Y is conditioned to be more vocal about wanting autonomy, mastery, and purpose in the workplace. You can blame parents for praising them too much, college professors for making them think outside the box, etc. Regardless of the reason, Generation Y wants to feel like work isn't taking over their lives, they're developing skills that they think matter, and their job has a level of importance to the company and society.
As a result, if a company can embrace these principles, it maybe be better for everyone's bottom line.
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(a.) TEDtalk by Dan Pink entitled, "The Surprising Science of Motivation,"
