Generational Differences in the Workplace (Working with Timmy)

Advice as in how to break down their sense of entitlement? Advice as in how to get them to put their head down and work? Also, how to listen to what you say and not try to re-invent the wheel? No, I don't have any. But, if you figure it out, let me know.

I'm sure if they're nice you'll get along with them just fine...Unless their emo.

Screw that. What if there hippies?

Funny you blog'd this Cat - at our departmental off-site earlier this month, we had a presenter come in and give a talk on Generational Impacts within the workplace. Like you, I'm an Xer, but have two "Millenium"s who work for me. I'm lucky tho'. Both were brought up in more a mindset of earlier generations. Hard work, no compliants, etc.

Have any of you actually sat down and talked to one of these shit stains? It's great entertainment! I have a relative that's one and she tells the greatest stories! I laugh so hard (and she get's so pissed) but, I can't help it. Here's an example of a real conversation we had ( i will be $ and she will be %) $ so whats your major in college going to be? % i'm not going to college. Grandma told me I could go out and find a good job without it. $ yeah and grandma also played with wooden toys when that shit was true. % well anyway, hold on i have a message...*plays on phone* well, i'll probably just be done with school and then get a good job and a cute little apartment and have all this stuff and it will be great you know! $......BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... % ugh...what? $ BWAHAHAHAHAHA....uuhhh..weeeewww...sorry. So tell me, who's going to pay for it? % I am. I'm going to get a good job and do it all myself. $ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *insert roflcopter* % whatever. $ so you're just going to go out there and get a good job with NO experience what so ever, a high school education (barely), and a poor work ethic? % well grandma said... $BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA %Grandma said there's good jobs out there. Not everyone has to go to college. $ No shit. And yes there are some good jobs out there for people who don't want to go to college. But honey, you are not one of these hard working people. Sorry to drop that bomb on you but thats just the truth. You need to get your ass in class and study and go to college and find something you like if you want to make all that shit come true. Now I'm not saying it can't be done but, education sure does help. Oh and dump that shithead boyfriend of yours. Why the fuck do you like that loser? He wears his pants around his knees, doesn't have a job and tries to act like a thug. % no he doesn't. i don't see what's wrong with him. $ he's just trying to get into your pants % well, we will see. *insert big shit eating grin* $ ok She got knocked up her senior year in highschool by the shithead, had the little boy and is still living at home. He is out of the picture (imagine that) Oh and she was fired from her first job. I don't need to talk about the poor education but, I will. She didn't know all of her continents (she knew the U.S. and England...I know...), she thinks the prime meridian is the lowest factor in division, and finally were not supposed to call it the "Indian Ocean" because that's offensive to native americans. It's the "Native American Ocean". I only wish I was making this shit up. XD

tell them you pwn at MUA 2, and could chillax with a nice green Monster right about now..

Advice............Hmmmm................I'm sure whatever is said here is pretty much what "Baby Boomers" said about us (Gen X) when we were that age. We all heard the "Uphill walk, both ways in the snow just to get to school" speech from parents and employers or co-workers. I work with two twenty somethings (both Female), and yes they look at life differently than I do, but so did I before I had kids and responsibilities...............oh yeah, when I was twenty something. I think some of it is our parents creeping out in us as we get older. Luckily, I'm the boss and my hardest part is keeping them from being on Facebook and Myspace all day, but hey here I am writing this from my desk at work, so who's to talk!!!!! They talk all day about their weekend revolving around partying, and going to the gym, getting nails done, drinking, etc...... Except for getting my nails done, these are all thinks that used to be the center of my universe, especially in college. Oh Well. Find something in common with them and use that as your tool to find that connection, like video games. From there you branch off into other interest. You may have nothing else in common, but you never know. Just remember, you may have been that same person 15 - 20 years ago to someone that was your senior.

This was a conversation at work today, kinda. Another guy who worked construction like I did back in the day were, and are, amazed with how lazy and winy so many people are. I had a person tell me once that the button they have to hold down (so it forced them to watch a piece of machinery didn't come down and kill someone) was too hard to hold for the 40 seconds it took every half hour. I was so pissed and amused that I laughed as I spouted certain opinions I had of them. (I was still wage-roll at the time so I got away with it). It was some one of our generation, they complained, but still did it. Most “Timmies" walk off the job and can’t understand how they can be expected to do such things, they just want the money sent to their bank. I know each generation complains about the next, I heard about the long hair, ripped jeans and about coming in hung over when I was a “snot nose”, but lazy whiner never came up. We looked goofy to our parents and Grandparents and the “Kids now a days” look goofy to us, that’s fine. Ethics and morals (not that we were saints) are problems they will have to correct or our Grandchildren will be the illegal aliens of the future. Obama won because he made it sound like “You are going to get something for nothing” “Timmies” also jumped on that. So, don't expect a lot of voluntary work from them, but you will get a lot of “it’s too hard" "why me?" "are you serious" "I didn't think you were serious" and “I quit” My advice is use “Peer Pressure” if need be. Explain to them that there are things that need to be done and you’ll help them get up to speed, but they won’t be carried.