Does Gen Y Have an Attitude Problem?

From what I hear from a majority of leaders and managers, the younger generation entering the workforce have an attitude problem. They are “me” centered, they don’t want to climb the corporate ladder, they only want the best tasks, they want frequent praise and recognition.

But doesn’t every new generation of young people irritate the older ones? Every generation makes noise when they join the adult world. Young people stir things up, which can be a good thing. This period in time is unique because it’s a time of transition for everyone in business: Globalization and technology are changing the rules of the game for everyone.

The younger workers happen to be a natural part of this revolution. The Gen Y’s attitude isn’t going away as they mature, they will be more difficult to recruit, retain, motivate and manage. But they also offer the possibility of a very high-performing generation, for those who know how to manage them properly.

From what I see, there are signs that the new generation of young employees – Gen Y – may be difficult to manage, yet full of more potential that can be leveraged for everyone. I’m curious what your experiences have been. I’m looking for stories for an upcoming book and I’ve set up a special email address for you to share with me in private your stories: clearconduct@scholzandassociates.com.

Here are some comments managers report in the book Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage Generation Y, by Bruce Tulgan.

Hare you heard similar things?

• “They walk in the door on day one with very high expectations.”
• “They don’t want to pay their dues and climb the ladder.”
• “They walk in the door with seventeen things they want to change about the company.”
• “They only want to do the best tasks.”
• “If you don’t supervise them closely, they go off in their own direction.”
• “It’s very hard to give them negative feedback without crushing their morale.”
• “They walk in thinking they know more than they know.”
• “They think everybody is going to get a trophy in the real world, just like they did growing up.”

I am still noodling leadership change in relation to generational change. What are your thoughts about how the new generation is the driver for leadership change?

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