For the last 16 years I’ve been a full-time motivational speaker for teens and young adults and have presented for hundreds of thousands of Gen-Y’ers. I have watched this generation grow and evolve and have observed them transition to the workplace. Here are a few thoughts for businesses and managers who employee this generation:
1. Gen-Y’ers are quite conscious about their love of technology and view older people’s technological reluctance as a generational divide. Even email is a little old school for them, as they prefer the speed and convenience of a text message. They thrive in environments where technology and the corresponding lifestyle will be welcomed and embraced.
2. To Gen-Y’ers, technology is more than innovation – it’s fashion. They express themselves through their model of cell phone, their face plates and their rings tones. Technology can’t just be cool. It must make them look cool. That’s why it makes sense to have a Apple Stores in suburban malls.
3. Gen-Y’ers have more distractions than anyone before them. With Facebook, fantasy sports and a constant stream of personal communication, it’s easy for them to lose focus. Educators have been fighting this problem for years. Managers should be reasonably tolerant, but they must also set boundaries and keep this problem in check.
Of course, these are generalizations. Good leaders manage the individual. Still, it’s important to consider how they’ve grown up, what they expect and what might distinguish them from employees of different age groups.
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