Spring 2008 issue of Horizons

Guest Article Dr. Ginny Barnes, G.B. Communications, Inc. (cont.)

negotiations for little Mary’s new job, we tend to laugh and shake our heads in disbelief. Yet, this strong connection between parents and generation Y continues in the workplace environment and has resulted in companies opening “parent interface offices” to deal with specific questions related to recruiting, interviewing, hiring and negotiating salary. What implication does this interference have for the workplace and for managers? Often, generation Y anticipates and can benefit from a “surrogate” parent in the form of a company coach or role model from whom to learn the ropes and assist with problem solving. A trusting role model or coach can teach and mentor a generation Y employee to success. As generation Y matures, it will be necessary for them to create appropriate boundaries with their own parents while maintaining good relationships. Having a mentor or coach in the workplace can help the young employee become more independent while being encouraged and supported. Increasing numbers of generation Y are seeking mental health services, with an increase in reported panic attacks and stress. In focus groups, individuals report fear of failing parents, pressure in school and panic when unable to locate parents to help solve problems or have someone to talk to. While generation Y appears to have high self-esteem, it often hides the shallow or fragile lack of confidence that is impacted by dealing with failure. Because of the support of parents who often step in to solve problems for generation Y, there appears to be a disturbing lack of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Thinking long-term, planning and evaluating risk are weak life skills of this generation, and those inabilities lead to psychological discomfort when problems surface that they do not know how to solve. This generation often received awards, trophies and stars for competing in team activities in which they may or may not have excelled. Just showing up often resulted in an award. As a result of being a recipient of much praise, photography and awards, generation Y often expects immediate feedback Desire for Psychological Comfort: Fear of Failure

and praise when working on a project or simply fulfilling the job description. Silence is often seen as a negative response and has the potential to impact performance. This perception has implications for seniors or managers in a company who believe that simply doing a job is the award in and of itself – not so for this generation, who wants and gives immediate feedback on relationships, work, activities, etc. They are not afraid to challenge authority or speak out. However, they respond negatively to threats of discipline or consequences and are apt to network or negotiate to solve a problem in order to secure comfort for themselves. Both educators and company managers cite examples of parents, officials and friends stepping in to assist with solutions when negativity or stress results. Generation Y’s need for support may go unnoticed in the workplace due to the appearance of high self-esteem initially and only begin to surface when problems or conflict occur or award is not timely enough. Seniority and managers should be observant about potential problems, negativity and depression or decreased work performance due to lack of a company network, feedback or successful progress. Keeping open communications with generation Y employees and helping them understand the operations of a company and where they can go for help within the company will provide needed help. Hyperlinking Communication and Impacted Attention Span This generation is fast-paced and has been exposed to many activities in life, with access to fine-tuned, portable technologies. They are accustomed to being chronically stimulated since childhood and as a result get bored easily and don’t know how to deal with dead time. While their fast-paced, get-it-done attitude is a plus for employers in terms of fast performance, they also exhibit the need for instant gratification, getting it done and moving on to something else. So, commitment to a long project, dealing with slow bureaucratic wheels, long- term decision-making tools and staying the course to pay attention to accuracy and details are not necessarily their best features! As experiential learners, they are

15 u spring 2008 issue