The Millennial Generation is in the workforce and they ain't too happy.
Exhibit 1: Employee Evolution
Ryan, who certainly has a lot of ambition in seeking to be the voice of his generation, pitches community and passion as the distinguishing characteristics of his generation. It's an interesting blog, and it's still new, so we won't take too much time going through it, but I do want to reprint a comment Ryan left in response to an Animal post on Gen Y and hippies.
Is this whole anti-Millennial movement that has spawned itself in
light of our adulthood really about us being spoiled? Or is it possible
that a few people are just a little pissed off that they never asked
for more?
We don't just bite our lip and suck it up like you probably did. We
show a little passion and emotion. We're seeking a change in a world
that will soon be ours. We want feedback from our older peers because
we recognize the experience they have and we yearn. And most
importantly, we don't waste time being angry in a situation - we find
ways to fix it.
I may be new to the blogosphere, but posts like this are already
second-nature to me. I have a hard time even considering this one an
argument. It’s more like a bitter, incoherent couple of paragraphs from
a person who is jealous of the opportunities my generation has…
And the best part of the whole situation is no matter what is said
about us, YOU have to adapt to us, not the other way around…and that is
beautiful.
I'm not exactly sure what Ryan means about us having to adapt to them - does he have a clear understanding of demographics and generational strife, or is he just running off at the mouth because he read a magazine telling him the world has to change to fit his needs?
Certainly the workplace will change in response to Millennial entry into the workforce, but what Ryan lacks in experience is the understanding that he and his generation will also be changed. As mortgages, children and taxes begin to mean something, Ryan and his generation will be forced to decide between "passion" as he understands it and eating.
As parents top paying bills, new workers often find that their much ballyhooed spending power declines in direct proportion to their credit report. Smart companies, and smart millennials, will find ways to work together to improve the experience both for the employer and the employee. Sometimes that will include short-term trends like counselors to make young workers feel better. Other times it will lead to better programs of work-life balance that workers of all ages can enjoy.
The truth is the market will make all of these decisions for us. If the Millennial generation really does bring a better way of doing business to the workplace, companies will adapt. If, as many suspect, the coddling necessary to work with the latest generation is a short-term and ultimately fruitless reaction of corporations in a tight labor market, it will go away and be replaced by more profitable company policies.