Millennials - What are your thoughts?

[Dlachance]

This is a far cry from the truth. I know more people my age that can run a CNC or hand mill than people of older generations. I know more people my age that can weld than older generations. The list goes on...

Maybe you need to ask yourself why you surround yourself with so many slap Dick's.

Where did you grow up? I went to SC Junior and Keller high and was in the Army. In living in the higher end area and being in the military, the general person in this age group is a lazy, self righteous and/or entitled type. Statistics. Sad part is, there were over 80 million people born between 1982 and 1993. Average work tenure for a millennial is less than 2 1/2 years.(Pay scale) $1 trillion in student debt(Bloomberg), that's an average of $45,000 per, (PNC Financial Services). 40% of millennials think that they SHOULD be promoted every 2 years. (TIME US) the guys I work with now on second shift feel that if the boss man isn't walking around telling everyone how good they are, then they must be doing something wrong. I am an immigrant who has been living here 15 years. I work hard because I appreciate what we have here, most don't.


Edit-Statistics based on actual studies show that generally the millennial gen is garbage.- Do you really think our generation is better than previous by measure of success, financial security, outlook on the future, personal responsibility? Shit, look who they voted for in 2008.

[Rreemo]

That sounds exhausting. It has been awhile since I've employed anyone, let alone kids, but I feel like I'm at the point where my patience is dwindling. My class ranges from 22 to 60, and the sub 25 crowd is really difficult to deal with. They act like children raised in a house where their parents got involved in every single thing possible.

EXACTLY! They can't make any decisions on their own, and they need hand-holding for everything.....and even the losing teams get trophies.

...yes it is exhausting. Luckily I don't directly manage any of them, but the managers directly under me do, so I am close enough to it, and I hear/see plenty about it.

[slow99]

It's been most interesting to me to see the difference between the Millennials and Gen-Y.

The Gen-Y crowd wasn't a lot different from Gen-X IMO...still a lot of hard workers that didn't mind rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever it takes, with some quality and pride....but they also seem to be the ones that really strive for recognition, kudos, or sometimes just need a hug!

Millennials = Gen Y

[Ruffdaddy]

Where did you grow up? I went to SC Junior and Keller high and was in the Army. In living in the higher end area and being in the military, the general person in this age group is a lazy, self righteous and/or entitled type. Statistics. Sad part is, there were over 80 million people born between 1982 and 1993. Average work tenure for a millennial is less than 2 1/2 years.(Pay scale) $1 trillion in student debt(Bloomberg), that's an average of $45,000 per, (PNC Financial Services). 40% of millennials think that they SHOULD be promoted every 2 years. (TIME US) the guys I work with now on second shift feel that if the boss man isn't walking around telling everyone how good they are, then they must be doing something wrong. I am an immigrant who has been living here 15 years. I work hard because I appreciate what we have here, most don't.


Edit-Statistics based on actual studies show that generally the millennial gen is garbage.- Do you really think our generation is better than previous by measure of success, financial security, outlook on the future, personal responsibility? Shit, look who they voted for in 2008.

This is the same damn thing for "insert newest generation entering the workforce". Many people have said this far better than I can in this thread. There is nothing wrong with this generation compared to others.

You work a shift...so I suspect youre surrounded by much more manual labor than me.

I'm not going back into who actually voted in Obama again...that's a useless cause if you think that.

[TeeShock]

I'm definitely not counting on my 401k 35 yrs from now. My 5 year plan involves acquiring some property and methods to generate revenue outside of my job. I'm in a weird spot at 25 working full time and being halfway to my degree (still taking a few classes around work). Some people with degrees cant find jobs and here I am, 4 years deep and blooming a career. I put my balls on the table last year and got exactly what I have been working my ass off for.

I don't plan on being Richie Rich, my goal is $500k before I retire, excluding retirement and hard assets.

[Spritle]

I have a retirement fund on the off chance I live to see retirement. Cancer and heart disease run rampant in my family so I figure I'm good to 55'ish.

So, I'll say I'm optimistic only for the fact that it probably won't matter to me.

[Silverback]

I'm just coasting til my inheritance comes in....

[Tremor14]

^werd

[Rreemo]

Millennials = Gen Y

By definition a lot of outlets do refer to them as one in the same, but it really depends on what you read, who you talk to, and most of all what your experience is with that generation. In my experience there is still quite a difference....the older ones from that generation (who were originally just dubbed Gen-Y) are actually quite a bit different than the younger portion who are college age and/or still young in the workforce....the real millennials.

I personally think that technology has a lot to do with what separates that generation into 2 pretty distinct parts. I can say without a doubt, those we were getting straight out of college 10-years ago were much different from those we are getting right out of college today.

[46Tbird]

My dad teaches at Lincoln Tech in GP. He has actually taken several courses on how to teach Gen Y-ers.

In general, they are very sensitive to compliments and criticism. If they even do the smallest thing "right" - like tuck in their shirt - they want you to acknowledge it and give them credit for it, preferably in front of a group. If they do something wrong - like walk around with a shoe untied - they want you to be very nice about addressing it to them, and feel shamed if you say something about it in front of their friends.

Showing up to class is THE major accomplishment, with little thought to preparing for class, interest in learning, or actually getting anything done that day.

You can go on about "good old days" but there seems to be a real, palpable loss of work ethic with most people under 25. This is a really good thing for those of you that are hard workers - you're the cream and will always be at or near the top.

[Sean88gt]

My dad teaches at Lincoln Tech in GP. He has actually taken several courses on how to teach Gen Y-ers.

In general, they are very sensitive to compliments and criticism. If they even do the smallest thing "right" - like tuck in their shirt - they want you to acknowledge it and give them credit for it, preferably in front of a group. If they do something wrong - like walk around with a shoe untied - they want you to be very nice about addressing it to them, and feel shamed if you say something about it in front of their friends.

Showing up to class is THE major accomplishment, with little thought to preparing for class, interest in learning, or actually getting anything done that day.

You can go on about "good old days" but there seems to be a real, palpable loss of work ethic with most people under 25. This is a really good thing for those of you that are hard workers - you're the cream and will always be at or near the top.

I've tried to be very straight with my kids regarding the brutality of life. Even with my 6 yr old son on motocross, he has had to learn that sometimes you get your balls fed to you - by your own fault, by things beyond your control, by better riders on better equipment, etc. And he's learning to fight for position, to really understand competitiveness as well as the sting of losing in a sport that takes no prisoners, regardless of age. I've tried to hammer that he has to be his own motivation, provide his own fire, and that everything is ultimately up to him.

When he first started riding, I would rah-rah him on pulling his gear together, but now it is expected. If he forgets something, he gets his ass chewed. He knows what he needs to have and he gathers it before every ride. I praise him when he does good and we talk through what he needs to improve on and where he can gain competitive advantages (he's really outgunned in his current class and he knows it). I don't place unrealistic expectations on him, but I expect him to bust his ass, put in the time, learn from his mistakes, and regardless of where he finishes - that he pushes hard the entire time.

There is no way I could kiss my kids' asses. I expect too much from them. I don't tip toe in to discussions with them. So if they can handle it, an adult between 18-25 better be able to fucking deal with a proper ass chewing. There is no bonus for behavior that is expected, however, hard work and hard effort go a long time way.

[fordracing19]

My 13yo son has better work ethics than most of my non mexican workers.

[JC316]

My dad teaches at Lincoln Tech in GP. He has actually taken several courses on how to teach Gen Y-ers.

In general, they are very sensitive to compliments and criticism. If they even do the smallest thing "right" - like tuck in their shirt - they want you to acknowledge it and give them credit for it, preferably in front of a group. If they do something wrong - like walk around with a shoe untied - they want you to be very nice about addressing it to them, and feel shamed if you say something about it in front of their friends.

Showing up to class is THE major accomplishment, with little thought to preparing for class, interest in learning, or actually getting anything done that day.

You can go on about "good old days" but there seems to be a real, palpable loss of work ethic with most people under 25. This is a really good thing for those of you that are hard workers - you're the cream and will always be at or near the top.

I don't take outright criticism well, but I don't give two craps about praise either. The reason why I don't take criticism well is because I already know if I fucked up and I sure don't need someone telling me about it.

[32vfromhell]

I have a house, no car payments, make above the national household average alone, but i still stress about working 50-60 (or more) hour weeks for a job that pays below average for the position i hold. It's still very stressful because again, if i would have gotten this job just 2 years prior, the salaries would be higher and be a higher rung on the ladder to start from. It always feel like I am playing a losing game of catch up.

I see just a few in this thread who i feel are among the "blissfully ignorant" crowd, because i am in a better position than them based on what was shared, and -i'm- terrified.

Like it or not, Gen-Y are going to fuel the manpower engines of every company in the coming decade, and its troubling that companies can't figure out how to engage them. If your company fails to figure it out, your company fails and another who has figured out the formula succeeds. If your company fucks up and fails to entice the right worker to it, then they deserve to fail. Google and Apple have shown what you can do.


The jobs economy has a great analogy in an escalator. You get on the escalator and it rises as your career takes off and you step off once you retire, leaving room for someone at the bottom to step on. Well, with the market nosedive, all the baby boomers who were geared up to retire stayed on. The system doesnt work if those at the peak don't move off allowing mobility. You're ability to work 80 hour weeks and save a company millions wont cause some silver haired exec to step down from his position in leadership to give you a spot. No, the only way that spot opens up is when he retires.


I could also go on and on how just 20 years ago you could also be head of IT if you knew a VGA port from a Serial port, and how whole company division was slowly let go to leave all tasks down to a 5-person team due to productivity software.

[FastFord19]

I'm 29. Own a house. No debt (besides house). I work 80/hrs every two weeks. And my secondary retirement is predicted to be 1mm by the time I'm about 55.


Most of my friends my age don't have jobs or they are just lazy.