The term Generation Y, (Gen Y) has become the current buzzword to describe young people born after 1978 who are currently entering work. Whilst definitions of the term and applications for it are still under development, its use has brought the issue of age differences back into managers’ focus. So, as Generation X passes by on the conveyer belt and begins to fade from memory, how should organisations respond to the latest challenge in the generation game?
Gen Y is thought to have advanced technological skills, high self-esteem and a questioning ‘why’ attitude at work. They
are expected to be life long-learners, ambitious and entrepreneurial. They are also described as, ‘people who want to make a difference in the world’ and ‘the most socially conscious generation since the sixties’ (Martin and Tulgan 2006). However, despite these attributes, ‘a disconnection exists between young people and the organisational cultures they encounter in the workplace,’ (Gillinson and O’Leary 2006). We investigated whether this picture of Gen Y was true for our annual survey of
managers – The Management Agenda 2008. We found that younger managers are not as positive about their organisations as their older counterparts. Unsurprisingly, Gen Y managers have a different vantage point to older managers. They are more likely to be in junior or middle management roles than to be at directorlevel or on the Board. Being younger also means they have
a more positive attitude to mentoring and are more confident of finding work in the current political and economic climate (54% in Gen Y and 33% of others).
The socially responsible trait of Gen Y may explain why younger managers rated their senior leaders lower on demonstrating their corporate social responsibility, (18% in Gen Y, 28% others). This may also explain why younger managers were less convinced that ethical considerations drive business decisions, (19% in Gen Y, 38% others) and considered the organisation more responsible for their well-being at work (36% in Gen Y, 11% others). However, the finding that younger managers were 15% less likely to know their organisation’s values seems to be in contradiction to being more socially conscious. The disconnection between Gen Y and organisational culture could possibly explain why, despite their social conscience, they were less likely to know their organisational values. This failure to engage with others may explain why they are less likely to view the role of their organisation as providing employment and development opportunities for employees (16% in Gen Y, 31% others). They also report less pride in their organisation, less commitment to their work and a lower belief that they actually make a difference. Similarly, in response to the deal they were getting, they were more likely to be considering a career move, they felt underperformance was dealt with less well and felt less aligned with the business strategy.
Although some commentators state that, ‘it’s hard and possibly pointless to distinguish the start and end periods of generations’ (CRAC 2008) the Management Agenda findings show that younger managers do not feel as involved with their organisation and are searching for more meaning in their work. The findings indicate that the senior leadership of organisations, who are engaged, committed and view their work as ethically responsible, must explicitly communicate their values in order to engage a younger generation that is searching for meaningful work. Recently at Roffey Park we held an event - Generation Y: Your future in their hands - which provided a fascinating insight into the minds of Gen Y and what organisations need to do to respond to the needs of this particular generation. If you are interested in learning more you can download a short article based on this event and we can also help you understand how Gen Y will affect your workplace - and what you need to do to respond. To find out more contact us at 01293 851644 or email develop@roffeypark.com