Comments on: Myths about a younger workforce

By: Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:10:52 +0000

I found this post really interesting! Being only twenty myself, I have little experience in the workforce. However, I did have an internship this summer and I work part time at my schools library, so I get to see what you’re talking about a little. I wouldn’t consider myself lazy, but at the same time, as I begin applying to full-time jobs out of college, work/life balance is very important to me. I think this may change though once I get out on my own and have to support myself. I think maturity has a lot to do with it.
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By: Bethany

Bethany — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:23:19 +0000

I am the youngest at my school. I’m 24 and began there when I was 22…everyone is 5+ years older than me! I work as hard, and harder than some of the people in my work environment…but I’m always surprised to find how many people really seem to be lazy bums- very sad!

By: Mica

Mica — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:18:37 +0000

I realized that my last comment kind of makes me sound like a member of this terrible Generation: Entitled. I don’t think all the blame should be placed on the preceding generations, obviously. Nor do I think that the baby boomers “messed up” our society. However, in creating a comfortable, easy-to-live-in society, I think that my parents’ generation inadvertently created a social climate where it is too easy to fall into the trap of being entitled without repercussion. (Except that all the older generations continue to hate us.)
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By: Mica

Mica — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:50:22 +0000

Meh, I’m sure there are lazy, pathetic people in this generation, but at the same time, I think there were lazy, pathetic people in the generations preceding us. Every generation thinks the one that follow them are lazy, entitled, morally corrupt, etc. I’ll deal with it now and then probably talk shit about younger people later.

Also, if this generation is so “entitled”, whose fault is that? People aren’t born with a great sense of entitlement. It probably comes from the society we grew up in, i.e. the one the baby-boomers messed up. Hmph.
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By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:30:19 +0000

You are the exception. I think you work very hard. And I work with a few people in their mid 20s that work really hard, but that is not the rule. I see a lot of 20 somethings that feel they are entitled to lots of money (with no work experience), they rarely want to work more than 40 hrs per week. The want to be promoted almost immediately (and want to have constant conversations about when they will be promoted) without ever having done anything to deserve a promotion. Most move on to a competitor within two years just to make more money–there is no loyalty. I have one guy that works for me (for just over a year). He is extremely disappointed that he doesn’t have more responsibility. When I tell him that his actions have shown me that he isn’t ready for more responsibility, he is gets upset with me. He is arrogant enough to think he is doing a stellar job. I actually had a 25 year old woman that works for me wag the paper with the job description of her new position in my face on more than one occasion informing me that the task I just assigned her “wasn’t on the job description,” and could I get someone else to do it? Are you kidding me? All our interns do is network within the company and they wonder then why we don’t hire them full-time. Be proud! You are a credit to your generation! It’s the other 90% that are giving you a bad name!

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:40:00 +0000

I’ve never really witnessed this because I’ve always been one of the youngest people wherever I’ve worked. I do think that younger people have to work harder to prove themselves, though.
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By: diane

diane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:24:06 +0000

Well, it’s sort of funny because the youngest person in our department is also the hardest working and very clearly the smartest!
But I think…there is a generational thing to having unlimited options and a sense of entitlement. I see this sometimes just in interpersonal interactions with people in their early to mid twenties. But, like everything it’s just a generalization. I certainly don’t see it with you!

By: Penny

Penny — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:17:16 +0000

I have also witnessed this, but I thought it was a combination of age and money. The area we used to live (Hoboken NJ ) was very affluent and most of the people joining the workforce had NEVER had a job before…they came to work feeling entitled. It was very frustrating and they had very little sense of responsibilty or professionalism….I tended to think it really had more to do with their upbringing then just their age….
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By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:11:57 +0000

I am constantly noticing the increasing laziness of new/younger employees. .-= Author's last blog post... Spring-Like! =-.

By: HotchPotchery

HotchPotchery — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:10:32 +0000

I teach those 20 somethings right before they hit the workforce, and I do think lots of them feel like they deserve effort points just for showing up—I can’t help think they are still that way at work.
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