Is the new generation different, or we have wrong expectations?
I often have discussions with colleagues or friends around what the new generation of workers is motivated by, how different they are from “us”, or even if they are to be trusted. Main arguments are around constant demands for salary increase, less commitment to work, often job changes.
Are those arguments to be taken seriously? Are newer generation of workers less skilled and less reliable?
My simple answer is No.
There are a lot of studies which touch on different aspects of our working lives (learning abilities, top motivators, tenure and attrition data, etc.) and how they differ by generation. Based on my experience though, all those differences are a consequence of different factors, not necessarily related to strange attitudes of the younger generations. We live in a world that is changing more rapidly than at any other time in history. My father spent 30 years at his first job, older friends of mine spent 10 years, I spent 5. Maybe younger people now spend 2 or 3 years max. This comes from the choice each of us is presented with on the market. My father’s first company was pretty much the only one in the country at that time. Now we have the chance to work for a lot of different companies and this choice does not come only to better salary conditions, but to relatable culture, career growth, safe working environment.
Another big reason is that most of the younger workers do not work in the field they studied, or even aspired to when they were adolescents. I work in a totally different sector than my major and partly that is because I needed to start working during my university studies. Formal education is no longer perceived as a factor for a successful career and more and more people enroll in courses, or internship programs, instead in the Ivy League. Changing your skillset is as well easier and faster than ever. So why should people stay in the same company at the same position forever? Why would companies want people stuck in the same job for millions of years? How is this bringing diversity, innovation, spark?
Instead of constantly complaining about poor workforce choices, companies need to start understanding and actively working towards attracting and retaining talents from younger generations. These people are more aware of themselves and the world around them than any of us ever before. They are bright, less spoiled than some older workers who are used to the “9 to 5 working system, don’t bother me at all”, more prone to social connections and friendships at work (which is proven to be a great motivator; yes, surprise, surprise, work and life are actually not 2 separate universes), more willing to invest in their personal development purely for skill growth, more engaged in CSR initiatives, more thoughtful of the famous work-life balance, etc., etc.
It is workers who dictate the market nowadays, we want them more badly than they want us. That’s fine. If companies can understand better the motivational factors of these “new people”, provide meaning and purpose, focus on development and career path opportunities, ensure proper support and reward mechanisms in place, these workers will reward us with high productivity, high engagement, and very low attrition rates. Some of the most inspirational colleagues of mine started as interns and they grew to become managers, leaders, role models. I myself started working at 18 years old. Environment matters, culture is essential, rapport building is key. And we cannot continue blaming it on any generation. Those factors are important to everyone, regardless of their age, however it is to be expected that younger people put a bigger emphasis on them.
If they ask for a salary raise, don’t be shocked. It is not the 60s anymore. Sure, people should be grateful for all other opportunities or benefits provided to them, but if the majority perceive compensation as lagging behind, it is time to act, not to blame or complain. Knowing their price is also something younger generations know better than us, it comes from the bigger awareness their have, the access to information, and mainly because the world they live in demands it of them. We all helped create and sustain this world, so we own it to them to make it more meaningful.
