The workplace diva has arrived

Edie G. Lush says that ‘Generation Y’ – youngsters now entering the workforce – are a sensitive bunch who need very special handling by their employers

Generation Y, also known as the Millennials, are people born between 1980 and 2000. The oldest of them are now 28. They have a strong sense of, and bond with, family. While many grew up in a family where both parents worked, or were raised by a single parent, they were anything but ignored or unloved.

Reverend Bob Mayo, author of Making Sense of Generation Y (2006), says: ‘The weaker the structure of the family, the stronger can be the bond between parent and child.’ These are the children raised under the psychological theory that the child is the centre of the family. A paper by NAS Recruitment says that active parenting was the norm for Generation Y. Their parents helped them plan their achievements, took part in their activities, and showed strong belief in their child’s worth.

Strong support at home has led to a few issues at work. First, it gives young workers a sense that they can ‘have it all.’ NAS says, ‘this generation has a strong sense of entitlement. Striving for a quality of life only known by the rich and famous, wanting the best and thinking they deserve it, makes Generation Y driven and ambitious, with high expectations.’ BT employee Craig Smith, aged 19, says, ‘as the children of baby boomer parents we’ve been over-indulged, overprotected and oversupervised. We think we can do anything and achieve anything.’ Founder of Brave New Enterprises Lucian Tarnowski, aged 24, adds, ‘Gen Y-ers are now on the front foot. We have entered the era of the workplace diva. Whether good or bad, this is an employee profile that isn’t going away.’

As those comments might suggest, these are people that aren’t afraid to speak their minds. The strong bond and involvement with family also means that they appreciate – and need – constant feedback, and can benefit from a workplace mentor. According to Bruce Tulgan of Rainmaker Thinking, they have high expectations of their employers – namely they want managers who are highly engaged in their professional development. Generation Y employees view their colleagues as vast resources from whom to gain knowledge.

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