Generation Y characteristics at work
- Work-life balance is not a "buzz word" to Generation Y - they mean it (work-life balance comes first even if their career does not progress)
- Work is not life
- Don't like "command and control" management styles (equality with parents means they are less open to being told what to do)
- Want to be independent (much of Generation Y is attracted to the idea of working for themselves)
- Want to work in independent environments
- Love to work in teams
- Highly naturally collaborative
- Tech smart
- Have a different concept to career than previous generations (they want to explore & change, they want to apply the "mash-up" concept to jobs)
- High performance AND high maintenance
- Hard working
- NEED and want direction
- High ability to multi-task (concentrate on many things at the same time)
- Able to reverse mentor technology skills to rest of workforce
- Casual and informal working styles
- Require constant feedback and stimulation
- Have difficulty in concentrating for long periods
- Find it difficult to make the transition to professional work (this may come across as low self confidence at first glance, but Generation Y are typically very self confident)
- Not afraid to move about as not intimidated by companies
- Low levels of ability verbal / social / written communications (Generation Y is used to communicating in their "own language" to each other)
- Low loyalty to organisations
- Low receptivity to long hours
Generation Y Values at Work
- Work life balance
- Good work
- Work with meaning
- Building a portfolio of skills
- Personal expression
- Work they can be passionate about
Reference articles
Click on this link to access the links to the following article: (4), (6), (7), (11), (12), (13)
Generation Y articles in this research series (in date order)
- First Steps conference - research background
- Generation Y research strand
- Generalisations & Generation Y
- Generation Y articles used for research
- Gen Y1 - role of Generation Y parents
- Gen Y2 - role of technology
- Gen Y3 - other factors influencing Generation Y & the Generation Y divide
- Gen Y4 -Generation Y characteristics and values in life
- Gen Y5 - the marketing view of Generation Y
- Gen Y at work 1 - characteristics and values at work
- Gen Y at work 2 - Generation Y and intergenerational conflict
- Gen Y at work 3 - Generation Y - vision, good work, work ethics, work-life balance
- Gen Y at work 4 - how employing Generation Y will benefit business
- Gen Y at work 5 - how to manage Generation Y
- Gen Y at work 6 - Generation Y and career
- Gen Y at work 7 - recruiting Generation Y
Posted by: Hina Patel
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