GenY sucks in the workplace. Wow...who saw that coming?

[Bob Dole]

http://tinyurl.com/2agnelf

From tattoos to temperment, younger workers are missing the mark at exhibiting professional behavior in the office, a study finds. Entry-level salaries may be attractive to the bottom line, but a sense of entitlement and a deficient work ethic are leaving a bad taste in the mouths of hiring managers and upper management.

Technology workers concerned about younger people taking their jobs should listen up: GenY may be a generation raised on the Internet, but their communication skills, work ethic and overall professionalism in the workplace need some serious attention.

Recent college graduates are not living up to expectations of what it means to be professional on the job, according to research from York College’s Center for Professional Excellence, which polled 520 hiring managers, human resources leaders and business executives.

More than 88 percent of those surveyed said professionalism is related to the person not the position they are in. Nearly 40 percent found GenY to have poor grammar skills; Almost 30 percent found GenY to have a poor attitude, with 27 percent reporting these workers are “disrespectful and inconsiderate.” In terms of GenY’s IT habits, almost 40 percent found an increase in incidents involving IT etiquette, including the accessing of unauthorized company information.

“HR pros and business leaders identified five primary characteristics of the professional they are looking to hire,” David Polk, president of the Polk-Lepson Research Group, which conducted the survey, said in a statement. “The research also found that a lot of college graduates nationally are not measuring up well in these areas.”

If you are wondering what exactly defines a “professional,” here are the characteristics executives and managers rated as lacking in GenY workers, according to the York College research:

- motivation to see a task to its completion;
- overall interaction skills, including courtesy and respect when interacting;
- listening and communication skills;
- appearance; and
- self-confidence and awareness.

More than a third of those polled found recent graduates’ professionalism to have decreased over the last five years, but more than half found no change in professionalism over the same period. Of those who cited a decrease in professionalism, 61 percent found GenY to have a strong sense of entitlement and a lack of work ethic.

“Business leaders complained that many recent college graduates have a hard time accepting personal responsibility for their decisions or acting independently,” according to the report. “Managers also said graduates seem to not have a clear sense of direction or purpose in the office.”

Let's see... You coddle an entire generation of children and adjust EVERYTHING to their "different learning style", and it's a shock that once they leave that artificial environment, they don't play well with others?

[Jenson71]

22 representin'. But as a tattoo-less, technologically backwards, admirer of the monastic lifestyle, I have no ancedotes to offer.

But I have a good question. Should we strive to be Renaissance-men, getting tastes of all things? Or should we "do few things, but do them well" as St. Francis de Sales advises? Or is there another option?

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

I've touched on this before, and this seems like another good spot to bring it up. Remember the pride we took in our "Made in the USA" mantra? Back then, we made the best products in the world, and we were proud of our work, and our ability to do so.

Somewhere along the way though, that stopped. When was it? Does it have to do with the fact that a man back in the 1950's was able to provide for his family as long as he was willing to work 40 hours a week? The only people who were poor back in those days were people who were unwilling to go and work full time.

Now, you can't do it anymore. Hell, a lot of families struggle to make end's meet when there are 2 full time workers in the family. Companies simply do not pay living wages to their employees at the same level as they did back in "the good ol' days".

The fact of the matter is, it's hard to expect an employee to take a vested interest in his employer's business and products, when that employer doesn't take a vested interest in that employee's quality of life. The sense of entitlement, whether it goes up the ladder, or down, is a big problem we have in this country today, in my humble opinion. I'd go ahead and lay the blame at the feet of one of the most popular Presidents in this country's history, but there is no sense in stirring up that shit storm today. It is what it is, regardless of when, or why it happened.

1 final thought though. For everyone in here bitching about the work ethic of Gen Y'ers, ask yourself one question. Who raised them?

Back then, we weren't competing in a global economy. We made the rules because we were a dominant consumer market and to a great degree foreign producers couldn't compete with us. Part of this had to do with a technology and competence gap and part of it had to do with shipping/logistics costs. Today, other parts of the world have grown up. Our consumer market share has dramatically shrunk, and logistics/shipping costs have made the world a smaller place. Foreign labor forces and infrastructure have matured. We haven't adapted to the changing world by realigning our economy from consumption to production. That's not the fault of the president you have in mind. That's the fault of labor unions and American consumers/workers who want corporations to continue to treat them like divas and provide a cushy cradle to grave experience. It's time to get real and focus on production (reduced business taxes, reduced incentives to consume, etc.).

[Iowanian]

I just don't buy that its the employers fault that someone can't show up to work on time, dressed appropriately, treat customers and their supervisors with respect, complete a task without someone beating them with a whip etc.

People may become a shitty employee of a company that isn't treating them right, but it has nothing to do with work ethic or personal responsibility.

Yeah, a lot of people struggle with 2 workers, but my response is, are they living above their means? Is it your employers fault you have a HS diploma, no higher training and a shady work history? Is it your employers fault that the position he offers is $35k but you live in a $200k house full of leather furniture, 55" TVs and drive cars you can't afford to restaurants where you'll charge the meals out of your budget?

[KC native]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Back then, we weren't competing in a global economy. We made the rules because we were a dominant consumer market and to a great degree foreign producers couldn't compete with us. Part of this had to do with a technology and competence gap and part of it had to do with shipping/logistics costs. Today, other parts of the world have grown up. Our consumer market share has dramatically shrunk, and logistics/shipping costs have made the world a smaller place. Foreign labor forces and infrastructure have matured. We haven't adapted to the changing world by realigning our economy from consumption to production. That's not the fault of the president you have in mind. That's the fault of labor unions and American consumers/workers who want corporations to continue to treat them like divas and provide a cushy cradle to grave experience. It's time to get real and focus on production (reduced business taxes, reduced incentives to consume, etc.).

Ah, more buzz words. More fluff along the lines of chris except with hard political lines (IT'S ALL THE UNION'S FAULT! IT'S ALL THE UNIONS FAULT).

I forgot how simple you are sometimes.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Yeah, a lot of people struggle with 2 workers, but my response is, are they living above their means? Is it your employers fault you have a HS diploma, no higher training and a shady work history? Is it your employers fault that the position he offers is $35k but you live in a $200k house full of leather furniture, 55" TVs and drive cars you can't afford to restaurants where you'll charge the meals out of your budget?

No assumptions in that post. No sir.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by KC native

Ah, more buzz words. More fluff along the lines of chris except with hard political lines (IT'S ALL THE UNION'S FAULT! IT'S ALL THE UNIONS FAULT).

I forgot how simple you are sometimes.

Hey Patteu you need to wipe your feet before you come in. Look at this piece of chihuahua shit you tracked in here.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Brock

No assumptions in that post. No sir.

No lack of truth either.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by vailpass

No lack of truth either.

The plural of anecdote isn't data.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by KC native

The plural of anecdote isn't data.

The plural of greaser is wet backs.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by vailpass

No lack of truth either.

I don't think you can back that up.

[The Mad Crapper]

Brick's a Gen Y'er?

That explains alot.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Brock

I don't think you can back that up.

That there are many people who are in debt through their own fault because they live beyond their means? Maybe we are talking aobut two different things becasue I know you are aware this happens every day.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by vailpass

The plural of greaser is wet backs.

Just wanted to quote this so it sticks around. Nice circumvention of the word filter.

So, Donger, you still want to claim vail isn't a racist prick?

[Brock]

Originally Posted by vailpass

That there are many people who are in debt through their own fault because they live beyond their means? Maybe we are talking aobut two different things becasue I know you are aware this happens every day.

I don't care who's in debt and how much. It's not relevant to this discussion.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by KC native

Just wanted to quote this so it sticks around. Nice circumvention of the word filter.

So, Donger, you still want to claim vail isn't a racist prick?

I did not circumvent the filter at all; keep your false accusations to yourself.