Generation Ys and Graduates – what do Managers really think?

There’s a revolution going on in the workplace driven, some say, by the demands and expectations of younger employees - Generation Y, graduates, the Millennials – call them what you will.   They are seen as a generation widely different to those which have gone before with values, demands and expectations all their own.

Because of this, in some quarters there is a disconnect, a gap between them and their managers.

A gap that is in danger of taking on a life of its own and becoming so counterproductive it could cost organisations money, resources and talent.

What do Managers really think of Gen Ys?

Not all Managers are negative about the new generation entering the workforce and many are embracing their passion, energy and drive.

Some are taking advantage of the incredible social media and technology skills they bring with one Indian Senior Manager commenting, in ‘Culture Shock’ published by Ashridge Business School, that they

“… are clued in to what is happening the orgnaisation through their networks, inside and out”.

But there were overwhelmingly negative comments such as -

 “’“You never taught me that’. It’s an abdication of responsibility that drove

me nuts!”

“I feel he won’t last long if I don’t continually feed him with challenges.”

“They don’t respect grey hair.”

“Graduates need to learn the value of experience not just qualifications”.

“They don’t want our jobs. So is succession planning dead?”

“I feel all we have done over the last few years is recruit and train new young people. Where is the return?”

“If things don’t work out at one organisation, they will move on. They don’t feel a need to go through the pains of rectifying the problems. “

“They don’t like the responsibility of management. They think they can do things without responsibility – and that shows their naivety.”

 And many others.

 Could the causes of this ‘disconnect’ be other than Gen Ys’ doing?

 What gets in the way of senior managers and leaders understanding and getting along with the Gen Y different view of how work should be?

 Having been a ‘Gen X’ Manager myself and having coached Senior Managers, I think there is a lot of ‘stuff’ going on, no matter where in the world Managers work, that may be nothing to do with Gen Ys and more to do with our own beliefs, stress levels and insecurities.

 Could there be an element of:

Jealousy?

“They have it easier than I did – I had to work long and hard to get where I am.”

Resentment

“Why should I change – they should be made to fit in and adapt.”

Anger?

“Why am I working so hard and they are coming in at al hours and leaving when they want. No question of overtime or team working. No respect these days.” There’s no loyalty these days. They don’t want to work as a team.”

Regret or sadness?

“I spent most of my life in work, I missed my family growing up, I missed out on lots of things so I could get ahead. Now it seems meaningless. My values have been compromised and I am not sure it was the right thing. Maybe they have the right idea; maybe that’s what I should have done.”

Fear?

They may be more qualified, energetic, driven and tech savvy. There may be an element of the imposter syndrome where we think that we could be found out at any minute that we are not as competent as people think. This could easily be activated by the challenges thrown up by younger employees.

Lack of control?

“They don’t want my job, they may not even share my values, so how do I motivate and inspire them?”

Puzzlement?

“I don’t have children, I don’t understand them, they are so different to me. I grew up in a different era / culture.”

Lack of confidence?

“Will they overtake me and will I become obsolete. Will I become redundant?”

 Any or all of these feelings are perfectly understandable whether Managers are having to adapt to Gen Ys or not. It’s tough at top, with the loneliness of leadership well documented. Throw rapid changes in to the mix and it is easy to see how Managers and Leaders may be feeling at risk, threatened and left behind.

So, how can we help them to embrace change and still feel valued? Because we need senior people, their experience and knowledge. We need good Leaders.

 How about doing this?

Gen Ys are challenging the old ways. This can shake Managers’ confidence and lead them to question what they know and whether they still fit the changing organisation.

So, provide a safe environment where Managers and Leaders can air their concerns and raise issues. This could be, for example, a peer support group with outside facilitation or formal or informal mentoring.

Encourage Managers to adopt a coaching style of management. Coaching is a skill that takes time to learn – it can’t be picked up in a day. So, Managers need training but they also need ongoing support while they are developing their coaching skills.

Raise awareness of the drivers and expectations of Gen Ys amongst those that work with them so that they appreciate and understand them and their beliefs, modes of working etc.

Recognise that the level of change and challenge posed by an increasingly young workforce can cause increased levels of stress, so make sure Managers have been given the training to manage their stress and the tools to build resilience and coping skills.

Help them to keep up with changes in modes of communication. The way we exchange information is shifting rapidly. Managers need to be able to exploit this, not be stymied by it.

Finally, skills training, for both Managers and Gen Ys. There may be merit in encouraging joint training in topics where a uniform way of working would be advantageous and encourage cohesion; such as decision-making, email management and etiquette, problem solving and delegation. On the other hand, Managers may see other skills training for Gen Ys as critical, perhaps time management, Emotional Intelligence, relationship management or networking.

 It might take some work but we need to be addressing this issue before it becomes a tyrannosaurus-sized bone of contention with a ‘them and us’ culture taking over in organisations - stifling growth, productivity, creativity and general happiness at work.

Hazel McCallum has a particular interest in resilience and performance training and in particular helping managers and Generation Y graduates to survive and thrive together by improving communication, building performance skills, and developing Emotional Intelligence. This means that organisations reap the benefits of better engagement, lower turnover and higher staff morale.