Talkin’ ’bout my intergenerational business III

Getting to Know Millennials in the Workforce

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, make up the majority of the active workforce anywhere in the world today. These are people who are between the ages of 30 and 44 and are without a doubt at the prime of their lives.

Characteristics of Millennials

Most millennials grew up in a very comfortable environment and with smaller families. Both parents typically work so they are often left on their own. They are also the first generation that did not really experience corporal punishment. Instead, they received frequent praise and acknowledgment at home and in school. This type of upbringing created in millennials a very different attitude and way of thinking compared to previous generations.

Expects Frequent Recognition and Feedback

Since they were very young, this generation had already constantly received rewards for the smallest accomplishments, either in the form of words or a tangible object like a trophy or a certificate. Thus, they grew up expecting such recognition for achievements that older generations might consider insignificant.

Grew up with Technology

The internet is part of any millennial’s life. Older generations might look down at these young people for their lack of interest in books and traditional methods of learning but looking at it from another perspective, it is quite impressive how easily millennials can master the latest technology.

Maintains a Work/Life Balance

In sharp contrast to the traditionalists and boomers of older generations, millennials will not spend more time at work than they absolutely should. Work/life balance is very important. This highlights their belief that there is so much more to life than just work. In fact, many millennials will and have quit their jobs if they feel that it is a threat to their preferred work/life balance.

Productive

Millennials are sometimes labelled lazy by older generations, primarily because of their more relaxed approach to work, but that is far from the case. Whilst millennials prefer to have flexible hours, choose their own work schedules, or work remotely, their output is no less excellent than if they are kept in an office from 9 to 5. In fact, they like being productive and are just looking for an environment where they can deliver maximum performance.

What Millennials Expect in the Workplace

They were brought up with a lot of praise and feedback and that’s what they expect at work as well. Constant feedback can actually lead to better work output but some millennials only react positively to good feedback and might not take too well to criticisms of their work.

As children, they were taught to speak up because their opinions and thoughts are important. Hence, they expect people to listen and collaborate with them whenever they have ideas. They do not care much about job titles or positions. The ultimate goal at work is to deliver the required output, preferably with the use of technology.

Millennials handle multitasking quite well and might actually get bored when they only have one task to take care of at a time. Managers can use this to the company’s advantage by assigning multiple tasks to them or having them work with more than one project at a time.

Getting to Know the Generation Z in the Workforce

Consisting of individuals born between 1995 and 2009, Generation Z or Gen Z is the youngest generation that is part, or soon to be part of the workforce today. But just because they are the youngest doesn’t mean that they have the least to contribute. Whilst they do still have a lot to learn, Gen Zers also have a number of admirable traits that other generations might want to emulate.

Characteristics of Generation Z

The members of this generation are aged 14 to 29. Obviously, only the older half of the generation is actually part of the workforce as the rest are practically still kids. Nevertheless, many of these youngsters already share the same qualities as the older members of their generation.

Tech-Savvy

This is probably the most distinguishing characteristic of Gen Zers as they are the generation that was born into technology. From the moment they could read, they were already on social media. Everything they do is rooted on the internet or posted on the latest cool social media sites, which today are TikTok and Instagram. They are also very adaptable to technology, upgrading to the latest versions as soon as they come out and mastering it instantly without even batting an eyelash.

Environment-Conscious

This young generation is also very aware of our ecological impact and they try to do whatever they can to save the planet from further damage. They are passionate about environmental causes and will incorporate these advocacies into business and career however they can. Creating a better and more sustainable environment holds high priority for these young individuals.

Prone to Ghosting

A large portion of the life experiences and relationships of Gen Zers are online, where it is very easy to just cut someone off and disappear, hence the term ghosting. In the event of a conflict, many people from this generation will resort to ghosting instead of resolving the situation and finding an amicable solution.

This attitude might prove to be a problem in the business environment. Let’s say a Gen Z contractor finds himself in disagreement with some of your ideas. There’s a real chance that they might suddenly disappear, leaving you in thin air.

Some Factors that Affect a Generation Zer’s Work Life

There are a lot of similarities between Generations Y and Z such as being highly educated, having a desire to live a meaningful life, and keeping a healthy work/life balance. When it comes to work, however, Gen Zers tend to be more competitive and more driven by work goals. Here are some of the things that might affect how a Gen Zer approaches work.

Dependence on Technology

They are always on their phones no matter where they are or what they are doing because many Gen Zers view their gadgets as their personal extensions. Some are so attached to the gadgets that they feel anxious whenever they are away from it for even just a few minutes. On the upside, this almost permanent attachment to technology can also be good because there are a lot of online tools that Gen Z people use for learning and for improving on their job.

Juggling Two or More Jobs at a Time

It is common practice for Gen Zers to have a secondary source of income on the side, along with keeping a regular job. Some really need the extra income but many of them actually like being busy and being able to accomplish more. Many also like to turn their hobbies into income-generating activities, which is really not a bad idea at all.

Next, Intergenerational Business 4 suggests strategies or learnings to manage or avoid Intergenerational Conflict in business.

Intergenerational Business 5 looks at real leadership.

Intergenerational Business 6 pulls 1-5 together to discuss real examples of Intergenerational Sustainable Farm Business Transition.