Seven Questions About... Generation Y


By Myra Golden


They’re young, audacious, hip, and nimble. They may show up to work late – or not all. They don’t respect authority simply because a boss has “paid her dues” or has a fancy title. Respect for authority has to be earned. They are also smart, technically savvy and will easily adapt to change.

Generation Y is in the workforce and making waves. Many supervisors and managers are already pulling their hair out trying to figure Yers out. To be effective (and to remain sane) every manager and supervisor must be able to wrap their mind around how Generation Y thinks, what they expect, and what they need.

How can managers more effectively manage and motivate Yers? Right here Myra Golden offers hardhitting answers to the top 7 questions about managing Generation Y.

1. Who is Generation Y?

There is no consensus over the exact time frame of Gen Y. Some experts assert that Generation Y was born as early as 1977; while others say they were born as late as 1980. A good range is 1980 – 2000.

2. What’s the single biggest mistake managers make with Generation Y workers?

If you manage Yers, this will come as no shock to you: Generation Yers don’t respond well to authoritarian leadership styles. If you really want a fight on your hands, just dictate to your younger workers "They've grown up questioning their parents, and now they're questioning their employers. They don't know how to shut up, which is great, but that's aggravating to the 50-year-old manager who says, 'Do it and do it now.' " says Jordan Kaplan, an associate managerial science professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn in New York.

3. How many Generation Y workers are currently in the workforce?

Generation Y has grown from 14% of the workforce to 21% over the past four years to nearly 23 million workers.

4. Should employers expect high turnover with Generation Y?

The short answer is yes. Much like Generation X, Generation Yers don’t expect to stay in a job, or even a career, too long. They are savvy multi-taskers, accustomed to change, juggling multiple tasks, and priorities.

5. How do Generation Y workers like to receive feedback from a supervisor or manager?

Generation Y wants and expects feedback – both praise and constructive- often. An annual or quarterly review simply won’t work for the generation that is used having everything instantly. Give Yers feedback whenever you can…on the elevator, via email, on-the-spot. They’ll love you for this type of feedback.

6. How can we keep Generation Y motivated?

Yers thrive in a muti-task environment. They are brilliant multi-taskers and seek ever-changing tasks. Keep multiple tasks and tight deadlines in front of them and you will be surrounded by a motivated group of young Yers.

7. How important is flexibility with Generation Y?

EXTREMELY!!! Yers grew up in flexible times and as adolescents they had a lot of say over their world. They want say in everything from benefits to scheduling to the option of telecommuting. Generation Y expects work to accommodate their personal and family life.

Myra Golden is an award-winning professional speaker and principal of Myra Golden Seminars, LLC, a customer service training firm serving clients in food and beverage, banking, healthcare, hospitality, and other industries. Her client list includes McDonald’s, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Michelin Tires, Pirelli, and Procter & Gamble, among many others.

For hundreds of ideas for best practices in managing a diverse workforce, visit the training resource portal by going to http://www.totalcustomerservicetraining.com


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