Fast Company | Business + Innovation: There appears to be a prevalent sentiment among some business decision makers that millennials--soon to be the largest workforce in history--lack a strong work ethic and require too much flexibility in the workplace. And many end up blaming higher education for these perceived issues. Are colleges and universities to blame for inadequately preparing millennials to succeed in the 21st-century economy?
6 comments:
The concept of a non-traditional work ethic that is introduced in this article is something about which I have definitely thought. On CMU campus in particular there seems to be an overwhelming “All-Nighter” culture. This culture is obviously connected to its usual bed fellow, procrastination. This is not a skill that will be of use in the work force, but the interest, ability and drive to work for as long as the job takes, is certainly an asset. I Think that we are prepared to work in the world that we are inheriting.
I have for a while been annoyed by the older generations labeling of millennials as "lazy" or "entitled." More articles like this need to be published to show the older generation that they have to change as much as we do to create a functional workforce in the coming years.
I have mixed thoughts on the attitudes of older generations toward millennials. On one hand, I think its a bit of the same old "kids these day" we get from generation to generation. On the other hand, there is an even wider gap created by some major limiting factors of this particular older generation. I think that the rise of technology in particular has put many differences, related or unrelated to the technology itself, into a different scale of perspective. Some have resigned themselves to the fact that they "will never understand," so they don't try. I, for one, consider myself to be a functional human being who knows how to do normal human things. Are there some millennials who don't? Sure. But there are some 40 year olds who don't too. I think the grouping of millennials and non-millennials has become too much of a factor, and that those of us who are younger do, most of the time, have something good to show for the world we were brought up in.
Ugg I hate articles like this. millennials like every generation seem lazy and entitled when they first enter the work force. It's true Millennials probably do work faster with technology than others but than that we are really not any different, we are just the newest version and we are kind of still figuring out what defines us as a generation. Also astrology says that our generation is supposed to work really hard, and care about work, it's written in the stars!
I think that is work to be done on both sides. I have seen many people in my generation be able to bring new and inspiring ways of working to their jobs and to help update the overall culture of their work place through their non traditional work ethic. On the other hand I have also seen millennials lose jobs because instead of adding to the culture of their work place, their lack of discipline and respect for the current systems harms the community. There is definitely a way to come into a work place with new innovative ideas,but that has to be balanced with a certain level of respect for what is already in place.
I agree with what others have said; I dislike articles about millennials because they make it seem that every one of us is the stereotype that sits around watching netflix and expecting our parents to give us rent money while we attempt to start our vegan cupcake and novelty pencil store without a business plan or money. Sure, there are people in my generation who are lazy or self-entitled, but there are plenty others who are the exact opposite. Yes, millennials work faster with technology and with new technology especially, and we may have gotten different educations that people of older generations, but that doesn't mean that all millennials are a liability or difficult to work with.
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