Why did you write a book on Generation Y and how they affect the workplace?

As psychologists, coaches, business women and professors, we have had unique exposure to this generation and the generations that manage them. On the couch, in the office and in the classroom, we have been able to witness this generation’s incredible strengths as well as the frustrating challenges that have accompanied them into the workplace. As psychologists, our role is to understand human behavior and to assist with positive change. Therefore, we felt that by bringing our business and psychology worlds together, we could explain the social, psychological, environmental and cultural influences that have shaped this generation and through clear cut coaching solutions, illustrate how these characteristics can be used to the advantage of the workplace environment.

The truth is, you can sit and complain about how hard the Ys are to manage, or you can do something about it. Every generation has complained about the next and every generation has felt that their methods and solutions were best, a term we call gencentricm. The reality is every generation has something to offer, and as unorthodox as the Ys may appear to be, they have a unique skill set that warrants nurturing and development as they have the ability to become great business leaders.

Forty years from now, what will organizations look like due to the influence of Gen Y?

If organizations use the strengths of this generation to their advantage, we imagine that some of the changes we will see will include:

a. Work-Life Integration: People and organizations will value the idea that personal time and work time are equally as important and therefore, workers will experience more fluidity between work , life, expectations and goals. This will actually lead to an increase in productivity. Ultimately, workers will not simply be defined by their jobs, but also by their outside interests and accomplishments.

b. Intertwined Social Networks: There will be less or no distinction between friends from work and friends outside of work. Due to the shift toward work-life integration, our social networks will merge creating a healthier work environment and a larger pool of resources to draw from.

c. Socially Conscious Organizations: More and more companies will develop and/or augment processes to create sustainable work environments and organizations as a whole. In addition, organizations will shift gears from more organization-centric approaches to socially conscious approaches where processes and behaviors will be considered not just for the impact on the organization but also for the greater social good. Although not every company is concerned about this shift currently, most companies will embrace it quickly as they realize their inability to recruit and retain young talent to their organizations. Basically, Gen Y is very resistant to working with companies that do not espouse socially conscious, environmentally friendly values.

d. Technology Advances: With rapid technological advances, technology will continue to streamline processes, enhance work productivity, and enable work-life integration.

If we groom this generation successfully, forty years from now, we will have emotionally intelligent leaders who value relationship building, mentoring and community within the workplace. We will have leaders who help their employees integrate their life and work, producing better quality of life and increased productivity. We will have cross trained employees who not only excel within their jobs but understand functions of other jobs and how they interrelate.

Why is this generation taking longer to grow up and what effect is it having on the workplace?

This generation, more so than any other generation before, grew up in a time where the child was to be seen and heard and their opinions were considered and important. This child centric focus was a revolt against the more traditional idea that children are there to be seen but not heard. This parenting shift influenced the educational system, slowly weeding out games and activities that had clear winners and losers and building in activities and games that promoted self esteem and a “we are all winners” mind set. Being labeled a winner, without achievement or merit, inevitably means that you grow up without the critical building blocks and lessons that come from failure and making mistakes.

This, coupled with the advent of the “helicopter parent”, parents who hover in and protect their child at the first sign of trouble (grades, workplace, social..etc) and the “Boomerang Effect?” young adults knowing that they have the shelter of their parents to unconditionally fall back on , has created a generation that is, at times, suspended in a state of extended adolescence and ill equipt to deal with the realities of the workplace environment.

Fast forward to today as Gen Y enters the workforce and you have a crop of employees who break down with minor criticisms, have trouble accepting responsibility and accountability and a generation that requires constant praise, feedback and kudos, just like their moms and dads gave them, in order to sustain productivity.

What do people need to know about mentoring Gen Y?

Gen Y needs you and believe it or not, they want you to mentor them. They crave it. Relationships are extremely important to this generation and building a trusting, helpful, inspiring mentoring relationship with your Gen Y employee potentially can be the difference in shaping a future leader of your company.

• You have a choice. You can either react to Gen Y with all of the understandable frustration that results from the miscommunications, different styles of work, varying skill sets, disparate social preferences, et cetera, or help mold their way of working by helping them learn from your wisdom, experience and guidance.
• Traditionally, a supervisor’s goal is to do what is in the best interest of the company versus a mentor’s role of guiding their mentees in a direction best for them. We propose that, specifically with this generation, great mentorship combines both qualities. Helping your Gen Ys realize their own creativity and potential and at the same time, helping them find their niche within the organization only helps to influence and promote company success.

You mentioned several Gen Y strengths in this book, which do you feel are the most important and will have the greatest impact in the workplace?

a. Willingness to take on challenging tasks with confidence that they will succeed

b. Great importance placed on relationships at work, which can increase loyalty and commitment

c. Grew up working in teams so once they enter the workforce, they bring this strength to organizations

d. Value work life integration and demand that organizations honor this value and provide flexibility for this to occur

e. Shows refreshing initiative

f. Gen Y is an outspoken generation, not afraid to say what is on their minds, so you can be secure that the opinions you solicit are not tainted with politic.

g. Have been raised with technology at their fingertips so they bring technological savvy to the workplace

h. They bring the resource of massive social networks to the workplace as they have always been connected via social networking digital platforms

i. Gen Y values social and global consciousness, influencing companies to take a more active role in environmental, social and global awareness

You mentioned several Gen Y challenges in this book, which ones do you feel have the greatest impact in the workplace?

a. Their overly developed sense of self esteem often results in an inflated sense of entitlement, inability to fail or make mistakes, inability to accept constructive criticism, and an avoidance of accountability and responsibility,all impediments to the successful development of leadership qualities.

b. Gen Y ers tend to be very open when it comes to talking about their problems and less adept at dealing with them (poor coping skills), which can effect productivity and office morale.

c. They do not play politics when it comes to the workplace. This has not been typical of other generations and often causes significant friction in the office. Some examples of their non-traditional presumptions: extreme expectations regarding promotion, assumptions that companies will adjust to their needs rather than having to adjust their own behaviors, treating everyone as equals from day one versus an understanding of hierarchies typical of current corporate culture, etc.

d. This generation demands flexibility within the workplace and the ability to make their own agenda with regard to how they will work (e.g., socializing during work, making their own hours). Many organizations are starting to incorporate flexibility into their workplace models, realizing that this characteristic is one that influences the attraction, engagement, and retention of Gen Y employees.

e. They tend to be motivated externally, demanding instant reward, instant feedback and instant gratification at each step of every task. They require a lot of praise and attention from their superiors, which can cause tension in the workplace due to a precieved waste of time and resource.

f. Gen Ys often have commitment issues in terms of short term goals and long term career plans. This impacts overall loyalty and gives rise to enhanced risk concerning the overall investment in a Gen Y employee.

How do I implement the coaching solutions your book describes to make changes?

It varies. We break down the coaching solutions into 3 difficulty levels (no brainer coaching solutions, brainer coaching solutions, and big brainer coaching solutions). The easiest are able to be implemented simply through small changes in your day to day procedures. The more complex ones will require some organizational change and for others we recommend the assistance of an executive coach consultant. Each coaching solution should be considered with respect to your personal and organizational goals.