Photo by Elvire.R./Feature Photo by Ed Yourdon
A new study by the University of New Hampshire’s professor Paul Harvey shows that Gen-Y employees are the worst in history, with the greatest sense of entitlement among all generations.
We’re a greedy bunch, apparently. In Harvey’s study measuring psychological entitlement and narcissism, he found that that Gen-Y respondents scored 25% higher than respondents age 40 to 60, and 50% higher than those over 61.
The entire study whittles down to a depressing fact: Gen-Y workers want more leisure, less strenuous work, and higher pay, and they’re not willing to go the extra mile for it. Ouch.
Apparently the whole reason for this behavior is the fact we’ve grown up with people shoving the message down our throats that we’re special, and we deserve the very best, always.
Perhaps a more alarming trend, however, is shown by a study carried out by several other universities: there is a huge shift in the attitude toward working with younger employees, and it’s not good.
The entire study whittles down to a depressing fact: Gen-Y workers want more leisure, less strenuous work, and higher pay, and they’re not willing to go the extra mile for it. Ouch.
Take the title of this essay on the same topic, for example: “You’ve heard the whining, now studies back it up.”
Personally, I’m offended.
Could it be that new graduates, fresh out of university, having devoted four or more years to studying their craft, pouring thousands and thousands of dollars into their education, are merely expecting what the universe has promised to them? Lucrative careers, even for those pursuing careers that aren’t high in demand?
We expect big things, with our higher education and the constant push for us to attend post secondary. Because generations and generations before us have sold us these ideals.We see 20-something billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, and we dream big, too.
Or what if the Gen-Y is complaining about their employers because their employers are actually treating them unfairly? I’ve heard more than one story about bosses loading new grads with responsibilities completely unrelated to their profession, like fetching lunch or being the office bitch. I’m not sure when it became a bad thing to not put up with being disrespected.
Photo by garryknight
As is evident across Matador Network and other travel sites, we’re also imbued with the knowledge that we only have one life to live, and we want to live it well. We are well aware of this single truth and our desire to ditch the cubicle. In fact, we’re encouraged to do so. I see absolutely no problem with this; so what if we want to be happy?
Never mind the study doesn’t seem to highlight any Gen-Y employees who actually are eager to work and are fantastic at their jobs. The kind of 20-something folks who show up on time everyday at the office, are open to constructive criticism, work long hours and give it their best shot…even if they don’t necessarily enjoy their work.
The future of the workforce is bleak? I don’t think so. The workforce is a constantly changing entity. Employers will have to deal with it, and they will have to find new ways to cope. Rather than resist, employers need to embrace the unique qualities of Gen-Y: we’re tech savvy, we can multitask at breakneck speeds, and we’re aware of the world.
Treat us young workers with the respect we deserve, and we’ll return it. If you find yourself with a whiny, unmotivated ass, fire him or her and lesson learned. There’s more than enough of us willing and deserving to fill big shoes.
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Do you think Gen-Y are a bunch of spoiled brats, or does the workforce need a facelift? Share your thoughts.
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36 Comments... join the discussion!
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That sounds like an excellent resource, Ameya! Thanks for pointing it out. Nice to see there’s actually been studies on this sort of thing, most of it doesn’t seem to swing in Gen-Y’s favour.
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“Gen-Y workers want more leisure, less strenuous work, and higher pay, and they’re not willing to go the extra mile for it.”
Sounds like Americans wanting to fight wars and retain social services but also demanding lower taxes. It’s not a generational thing but a cultural one.
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I’m with you on that, Hal. Breaking news! People want all the good and none of the bad! Act surprised! And judge the younger generation for it.
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Never thought of it that way Hal, good point.
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Great article. Glad you highlighted those who ARE willing to work hard WHILE wanting to live a full life.
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Precisely! Why can’t we do both?!
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Excellent points Candice. It’s all within the context of old-school thought on what work is/should be. Perhaps it’s time to change the whole paradigm.
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Now we just need some movers.
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“Rather than resist, employers need to embrace the unique qualities of Gen-Y: we’re tech savvy, we can multitask at breakneck speeds, and we’re aware of the world.
Treat us young workers with the respect we deserve, and we’ll return it. If you find yourself with a whiny, unmotivated ass, fire him or her and lesson learned. There’s more than enough of us willing and deserving to fill big shoes.”
Amen.
Thank you Candice. This article was awesome, well spoken, and so true!
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Thanks, Madison! Glad you could relate.
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In the past few years we’ve seen lifetime employees downsized and foreclosures on family homes. We’ve seen the above mentioned ballooning tuition for bachelor’s degrees and decreasing return on investment. We’ve seen an elite class of those older than us scoop money from public pockets and flat out run. And we’ve come of age during an unjust, expensive war where years later it was revealed: we were being lied to.
So… why would we trust any of the older generations who tell us to “work hard’ and “pay our dues”. To most of us (ok, me, but there have to be others out there?) it looks like yet another scheme for those above us, major stakeholders in companies like investors and senior executives (even small ones), to get richer, and bleed us dry. Or, in the case of government, just haphazardly manage the flock so poorly it’s wide open for the kill. We fear that when it’s our turn to climb the ladder they’ll knock the rungs off and we need to see tangible benefits now because we don’t believe in what will be left later.
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I wouldn’t say EVERYBODY from generations before us are like that, otherwise I wouldn’t have the job I have now! But yes, I see what you mean.
It’s funny because many people from generations before us didn’t even NEED university degrees or college diplomas. I know CEOs and business people who built their way to the top simply by using their talents and networking skills, and their years of experience are far more valuable than any post-secondary education. Yet, VERY few of us have the same opportunity.
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It’s such a funny thing, I was thinking about this yesterday! Everything you said is true in my opinion, and same with the studies- fine, we’re spoiled brats who expect the world. But every generation that comes into being has higher expectations than the last one. Maybe we as humans are trying to reach a state where we balance work with play (unlike previous generations who worked 16 hours a day because they had no other choice if they wanted to survive), and maybe we have high hopes for the future! We have the whole world at our feet; more people than ever before are getting to travel, volunteer, explore, have hobbies, develop themselves personally and spiritually, and make independent decisions instead of falling into the work-and-have-2.5-kids-and-a-picket-fence mentality. We have more options than anyone ever has and we’re taking advantage of it.
I’m very hopeful for our generation for the reasons above. To everyone who thinks we’re selfish and lazy I say take a good look at how many of us are activists, environmentalists or making eco-friendly lifestyle changes, volunteers, socially conscious, creative and athletes. If you watch The Hills and are judging our generation based on that then of course you’re feeling negative. But come on Matador, go to the college campuses, contact volunteer organizations and open your eyes- maybe we seem lazy because we don’t want/have to work all day every day but in my opinion we are far more well-rounded and concentrate our energy on the parts of life that lay outside the office!
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Amen to that! It’s terrible all the great points of Gen-Y are being overlooked. Someone needs to conduct a study about our activeness and drive.
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Candice,
Interesting article (especially for those of us whose children are Gen-Y folks!). I was flattered to see that you listed me as the person who had provided the “Feature Photo” for the article … but I didn’t see any of my photos anywhere. There are two other photos, with citations to the people who presumably took those photos … but unless you hid my photo really well, it seems to have disappeared.
Thanks,
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Hi Ed! We seem to use your photography a lot around these parts. The feature photo is actually yours, it’s shown on the Matador Network front page or Matador Life front page. Check it out!
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Madison,
Got it, thanks! I had not thought to look at the Matado home page, with the short summary of this article. That particular photo, by the way, has been published about 50 times — it was one of my typical extemporaneous “hip shots” of life in the city, actually in Bryant Park in mid-town Manhattan.
I’ve been enjoying the comments being made by various people here; you’ve obviously touched a nerve!
Ed
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I’m impressed by all the commentary as well, and glad to see other Gen-Y people aren’t just letting these kind of ideas prevent them from making their opinions heard…which, I guess, is exactly the point.
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An objective article. There are always two sides to a coin. Many call Gen Y the “strawberry generation”, calling us fragile. it’s really a toss up, whether it’s that Gen Y really split at the mention of hard work; or whether the work environment should change because Gen Y arrives with plenty of fresh ideas.
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This is exactly why I love this site. I was just talking to a friend of mine yesterday about the sense of entitlement that our generation has regarding our ‘right to work’.
I wonder when the “pursuit of happiness” became the “right to happiness”
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Funny thing is, most Gen Yers (and the tail end of Xers like myself) I know work harder and longer hours than our parents did. Sure, part of that entails using social media, but just because it’s social, doesn’t mean it’s not work. I see people disconnecting from work as a much worse problem now than it even was 10 years ago.
At the same time, people are taking an active role in carving a life that fulfills them, whether at an office or on their own, and I think forward thinking companies (usually run by more youthful people) like Google and Clif Bar, among others, not only get that, but reinforce it. Fulfill other parts of yourself outside of work, and you will bring more innovative ideas to the table at work, plain and simple.
And what the hell is wrong with thinking well about yourself and believing you deserve to be treated respectfully?
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“Could it be that new graduates, fresh out of university, having devoted four or more years to studying their craft, pouring thousands and thousands of dollars into their education, are merely expecting what the universe has promised to them?”
Great point Candice. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, how so many people my age took tens of thousands of dollars worth of loans that they will now spend years, decades even, paying off, many times in jobs they could have gotten without their degrees. Colleges, especially private colleges looking for more tuition money, play a big part in instilling this attitude of entitlement.
I see younger people in college now making what I see as completely ridiculous decisions because they are putting so much trust in their college advisers about what the right path is. Unfortunately the “right” path often involves more years of school, more tuition money, and more loans to pay off afterward / keep them slaves to the system.
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@WorldFriends: Most definitely, and I don’t mean to make any generalizations about Gen-X. I know there are many (if not most) who embrace the Gen-Y change.
@Lindi: Just finished reading a book titled “Happiness” by Will Ferguson which touches on that very topic. Pick it up!
@Christine: You’re so right! Happy employees = better productivity.
@Heather: Yep, and I’ve also seen more than a few people return to school because they couldn’t find a job in their fields and really didn’t know what else to do, especially with having to face paying off all that debt. Just doesn’t make sense.
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This is very interesting and great discussion. I’m intrigued because I agree with the whole “entitlement” thing, but at the same time, many people my age and recent graduates I know work much more beyond the 9-5 schedule. Mind you, many people may not call some of these activities, work, like someone mentioned earlier; but I strongly believe that face to face networking, attending events and social media are all integral parts of it. Also, I would also venture that many younger people are getting work done in 5 hours, that it took people 20 years ago 8 hours to do. Certainly not always the case, but I see it as a very ambitious generation.
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Hear, hear! So well said. Love your writing style Candice. Way to empower! Especially for those of us trying to ignore the economy, not settle, and go after that dream job…
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@Spencer Spellman: Yep, most definitely! Not tooting my own horn or anything, but using myself as an example, I work 9-5 and then freelance every evening until perhaps 12:30 a.m. Then I also do volunteering on the side. If anything, Gen-Y lives REVOLVE around work.
@Lauren: Thanks so much Lauren, one of the nicest comments I’ve received yet!
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I think perhaps many take this study a bit too seriously. Those studies — which often end up driving marketing — are based on entire groups. It would make sense that a group who has grown up in a world where you have everything at your fingertips in a way only the internet can provide would expect things to be easier in all aspects.
Then come economic crash.
This current generation — with generations now being measured as 10 years as opposed to the 20 years a generation used to be — will not do as well monetarily as their parents generation. Thus, this generation will either moan and complain (as some do) or they will go out and find other types of measurements (as others do).
That said, there are studies on every single generation. Some negative, some positive. You either accept it or ignore it. If I believed everything about Gen-X, I’d probably long ago have locked myself in a dark room listening to Kurt Cobain and wondering why the world isn’t fair.
But the idea of blaming previous generations and people for the state of the current world is pointless and will lead to the sort of entitled navel gazing mentioned in the study.
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I know you’re going to hate me for this, but I do see this. I see it with younger writers and photographers who will get around to it when they get around to it. I saw it when I was waiting tables, too. And it seemed more about the inability to be self critical or to take criticism or even gauge the appropriate behavior in the context of superiors
than it did laziness. ‘I feel like I’m working hard – so don’t I get any credit for that?’ You’re doing it wrong is answered with “I’m doing the best I can” instead of “OK. I’ll work on that.”
Low men on the totem pole have to get the coffee. That’s what it’s like till the next low man on the totem pole comes along. But kids are told that they don’t have to do anything they don’t want to and they take it to heart.
A friend of mine is a photo editor on a paper here in Argentina, and the interns plan their vacations and instead of asking when would be best, just tell her when they will be taking their vacations. Behaving that way would never cross my mind in a situation like that, but it’s often the case that this sort of disrespectful behavior is not even thought to be taking liberties. “What’s her problem? I told her I was taking a week off! Sheesh! I told her!”
When I hear stories about this on NPR, I totally get what they’re saying about GenY and the sense of entitlement. And while I can see Hal’s point above, I have noticed this among Europeans and South Americans as well. It’s not just the US.
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Thank you.
I am so tired of hearing these complaints about my generation. Corporate culture is wrong. And so new workers are demanding respect for their rights as human beings, not just cubicle workers.
Non-profits are not off the hook either. For instance, it’s wrong to expect unpaid interns to do the work of employees who get full benefits and pay. It’s also illegal, but there’s extremely little goverment oversight in that area.
I say we should give ‘em hell until we get fair treatment and compensation. In the words of Lauryn Hill, “respect is just a minimum.”
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This is a wonderful article. I’ve passed this on to two colleagues in the Baby Boomer generation who are working to change corporate culture to embrace Gen Y-ers for what we are and what we have to offer. A passionate, motivated, adaptable, highly educated workforce should be encouraged to excel, not forced to fit an outdated model of employed life. As someone who already spent her time at the bottom of the totem pole exploring multiple internships throughout high school, college and graduate school, and who also emerged from her schooling eager to make real change in the world, I was offended by the many positions I was offered that expected me to work long hours yet offered me few benefits, low job stability, and incredibly low pay ($12.50/hr with a graduate degree is ridiculous). Instead, I started my own business, and am now doing what I’m passionate about AND making a decent living with great potential for growth.
I don’t see a workforce that doesn’t want to spend their entire lives working in jobs they hate or rarely get time off to explore what other amazing experiences life has to offer as being problematic. “Entitled” has a negative connotation in our culture, but it shouldn’t. Young people who work hard and love what they do are *entitled* to a say in their future. It’s only the people who don’t do their jobs and expect to be compensated that are a problem, and if anything, the financial meltdown should show us that young people are not the only ones with this attitude.
We are the generation of change. So let’s change the way we view employment, too.
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Great article Candice! It inspired me to add some of my own reflections here:
http://re-be.com/blog/intergenerational-stone-throwing/When some older people express their disdain at the selfishness of younger generations, I wonder if they are actually masking the guilt that they feel for their generation’s part in creating a more individualistic world. The louder that these people label other generations as greedy or individualistic, without questioning their own part in this process, the more likely this seems to me.
Regardless of whether we think young people are part of “Generation Me” or “Generation We”, it’s time to stop throwing stones between the generations.
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@Leigh: Yeah, it really does work both ways…If Gen Y and Gen X are set against each other, a change in the workforce will never, ever happen.
@Kate: I hear you, but why does someone need their coffee fetched for them at all?! I mean, I understand seniority commands instant respect, but such roles are going to get harder and harder as many Gen-Y folk commit a job for a few years rather than 25 years.
But yeah, the kids plotting vacation before they even ask permission is kind of a serious flaw in personality, not just in work ethic.
@Anne, Leah and Nick: Thank you all for your comments! I love seeing people so fired up about this. And I’m glad we’re the strong-willed, dynamic generation we’ve become.
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I’ve felt this about myself, a Gen-Y-er, on more than one occasion. But I know where it comes from. Your parents and teachers tell you that if you get good grades and go to college, that a high-paying job will be waiting for you on the other side and you’ll never want for anything. But after you do those things, you find out that the world isn’t just giving away money to anyone with a college degree (or with a masters for that matter). You only make the big money if you chose one of a handful of lucrative careers like finance (before the recession, anyway). But if you didn’t, it’s a little hard to take. If this is called “entitlement,” then so be it, I feel entitled.
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I wonder if it would be more responsible for the “elders” to educate the younger generations on the realities of post-school life. What is being told to highschoolers these days? Are degrees/masters/doctorates the only value that is impressed on young people? If everyone has a masters, who’s going to do all of the other jobs? It’s funny, the vast majority of 20-somethings I’ve come across in recent times are either going or going to go to graduate school. Especially Americans…who then end up with 100K debt at the end because of the exorbitant costs of school in the US.
Is it really worth it?
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These days, I’m not sure graduate school is worth it unless you know exactly what you want to do with it. And to be honest, travel or living abroad first is probably a better way to figure out what you want then school. There are also plenty abroad options for people in the US and elsewhere that are far cheaper.
But the state of the education system in the US is a relatively new phenomenon. Programs like study abroad, AP and SAT that were initially designed to support students seem to be more money making machines than they used to be. The same applies to many schools and their tuitions. Fifty years ago, it wasn’t a given that everyone in the US go to college. Now, if you don’t, you’re considered lacking.
In the end, it’s incumbent on the individual to do the research and figure things out for themselves. It’s not like these “elders” are the only source of information. And in fact there is a smallish but growing group of people who are opting out of the traditional American education system.
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