Brett February 9th, 2009
Many people have wrongly classified Millennials and other young professionals as lazy and self-centered, but I believe this stereotype results from this generation defining success differently than previous generations. Unlike their predecessors, this group has been taught to push the envelope and not simply define success as receiving the golden watch after 25 plus years of service at a company. Millennials have watched their parents work 9-5 each day, only to be later downsized and out of work 20 years into their careers, and as a result, young professionals have expanded their definition of success to places outside of work. A young professional’s accomplishments in their career are only a small piece of the total picture, which now encompasses personal growth, constant learning, a strong family life, and a sense of accomplishment when everything is said and done. Millennials want to blaze their own path and most especially control their own destiny. As Mr. Michael Malone writes in his article “The Next American Frontier” (Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2008), the Millennials have become a generation of entrepreneurs. Continue Reading »
Brett February 3rd, 2009
Employers have been slow to recognize the shift in the American workplace toward increased employee mobility. In fact, most companies have failed to realize that they need to actively recruit talent with as much determination as potential employees look for their own jobs. Too often companies approach both recruiting and employment in a passive way: posting jobs in different media, and waiting until a credible candidate appears. That system no longer works especially for Gen Ys or Millennials, and companies must develop processes that attract new talent to them. Continue Reading »
Brett February 3rd, 2009
Has your mom ever nagged you for being online or playing video games for too long?? Well you are in luck because new research shows that internet savvy Gen Ys (or those who use technology most frequently) see a two fold increase in brain activity when searching on the internet compared with non tech people. Internet savvy participants also had increased activity in the frontal cortex or decision making part of the brain.
Gary Small, a neuroscientist, believes that the increased brain activity allows Millennials to successfully multitask. So when it appears that Gen Ys are ignoring you while listening to their Ipods, Dr. Small theorizes that Millennials might just have the ability to listen to both the Ipod and the speaker. He says the key is not to judge how young professionals and students learn, but rather understand that these people have adjusted to the incredible technology revolution we have experienced over the past 20 years and therefore take in information differently.
On a side note, I have heard that a genius like Einstein only used 50% of his brain, and some people have suggested that the percentage of brain used has a positive correlation with intelligence. A question I am wondering, and would like to hear some comments on is: do you think that because Gen Ys use more of their brain when using technology that they are smarter than non tech oriented people?
Links:
cbs news story
cbs blog article on Gen Ys
Brett February 2nd, 2009
We have all heard the sayings:
“We have flextime for senior positions,”
“We don’t have a starting time for work.”
“We have summer hours.”
Well as I’m sure most of you know these office ‘policies’ rarely translate to all employees, and are mainly used to attract recruits. In many cases, workers cannot use all their vacation time let alone their ‘flex’ time for fear they’ll be labeled lazy and ‘not a team player’. Even going to an appointment can be a hassle with some people having to use sick days to cover these everyday events, leading me to wonder why people assume work has to be like this. Why is the movie Office Space our model for corporate America? Few people enjoy work, and yet no one has attempted to change the system or its basic premises. Even with the advent of tools like the internet or email, people still fail to question whether employees need to sit in their seats from 9-5 in order to be productive. Although many people like the comfort and predictability of the current workplace, this new economy of terabytes and efficiency forces us to reexamine the entire idea of work and how it affects both our professional and personal lives. Continue Reading »
