Wired for Success

Yes, I do have a comment. This is one article I feel the need compelled to respond.

There is definitely a generational gap and conflict among the generations where I work. As an older worker, I'm tired of younger workers expecting me to carry them while they spend their time on the phone with their family during work hours. In my opinion they are irresponsible and fail to accept that they, and they alone, are responsible for their own performance. They don't realize how good they have it. . . maybe they should spend some time unemployed and unable to find a job instead of expecting everyone else to take care of them.

I find I have trouble as a Gen-X (and just barely; I was born in '65) with some of the older Baby-Boom generation's inflexibility regarding change that will bring efficiency and/or savings to the workplace (I'm in Engineering, and came up with a method for doing timecard record-keeping differently that would, ultimately, save the company a quarter-million dollars every year and was told "Oh, no, this is how we've ALWAYS done it!") and with that generation's hidebound and often intolerant behavior towards and occasional criticism of those who don't toe whatever social line the Baby Boomer personally holds dear. My experience is that it's the Baby Boomer generation that promotes difficulty and hostility in the workplace moreso than Gen-Y (a slacker can always be fired, but two Boomers with conflicting social mores going at one another snidely and using their coworkers as sounding-boards is a different story, particularly since Boomers tend to inhabit higher levels in a workplace and can be difficult to dislodge -- and yes, I have been caught in a situation similar to the one I just described, and it's not pretty!)

Sometimes it's best to do things by-the-rules and inside-the-box, because the box and the rules were originally created for good reason. However, when "the way we've always done it" is Chiseling On A Stone Tablet 4.0, and The Box is so tattered that it needs to be held together with packing twine, it's time to re-evaluate, and that's HARD to get Boomers to do!

i'm an immigrant. i was NOT pampered, nor were my sisters, my parents, or any of my immigrant friends. in fact, there was much more suffering in terms of racism, having to learn a new language (a new alphabet for some of us too), missing our families terribly, for my sisters and i, growing up without family...
as for the generation gap: i am a 'younger worker.' again, i am not pampered, i have always worked hard for everything i have. im not sure why, but i have and have previously had older coworkers of both genders who feel that it's appropriate to make harassing comments and from older females, the worst thing is, 'oh you girls have all these 'rights' these days!'' unity indeed!
before i continue, i'll say i know that everyone can't fit into the mold of 'older' and 'younger' workers--
now i'll say, it would help a LOT if older persons would just TRY a new thing or two, particularly if it would save time, if it would produce results more quickly & more accurately, would save effort, etc. it's gotten to the point where if i meet a coworker who is older, i think 'oh man! i have to fight to get this project into the 18th century!' and i'm pretty sure to hear 'must be nice to be 20.' (i am not 20)
truly, i find the discord very sad. i find it sad because everyone can learn from everyone else. i also feel sad that so many people who ought to be retired and relaxing on the beach or gardening are still at the office talking about how they've had to remortgage their homes. i know that in comparison, student loans arent that bad (although they really are stressful).
but, it is possible for older people to put themselves in our position, so you may want to try to do that from time to time- remember what it was like when you first started? your coworkers probably thought you were spoiled too.
however, we cannot remember being older.

I am an early Gen Y-er, and I personally find this article comforting. I'm in graduate school now, but as I look for potential jobs, I find that I am turned off in a lot of cases by the work regime that was established by the baby boomers. I am willing to work hard--I spend an average of 10-12 hours a day working and studying right now and am comfortable with that. But I want a job that will let me be flexible with work hours, work from home, and spend my best time with my wife and daughter. Just because we don't like to completely cut ourselves off from the rest of our lives during office hours doesn't mean that we're lazy!

The comforting aspect to me is that in the near future, workplaces will have to adapt if they expect to recruit people from my generation.

Franklin Covey has a really good webinar that talks about the different generations and how to interact well with each other. Maybe you can check it out!!

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