GEN Y MIGHT NOT BE AS LAZY AS YOU THINK

Society doesn’t give our bubbly 20 and 30-somethings enough credit. Dubbed as the lazy, Insta-flicking cohort that ‘can’t stick to one thing for too long.’ Well, at least, according to the committed, ‘stay in one job for decades’ generation that came before, Gen X. 

The times are a-changing and we have more options than ever before. So, while it’s easy to assume that job-jumping is synonymous to GenY’s, maybe it’s more a thing of the current times. 

But, let’s talk about your millennials. You’ve probably got a few in your team. We know, it’s easy to jump to conclusions with our youngsters. They walk around with their phones glued to their hands, like it’s a body part. And their resume might resemble a buffet, all you can eat lunch, where they didn’t know what to pick to put on their plate. 

Let’s not generalise here, though. Gen Y love to be engaged and maybe that’s what’s really going on. 

Millennials are used to always being ‘on’ and they expect their workplaces to be like this, too. Fun, high-energy, satisfying and appreciated. This might come across as entitled, but maybe Gen Y are simply seeking for the best gig that suits them – and they won’t stop until they find it, because they know they have options. 

As Gen Y employers, it’s essential to accept that there are different ways for people to accomplish the same tasks. Just because they’re listening to music or catching up with mates on their lunch break, it doesn’t mean that they’re not focused. If you can give your millennials the freedom to work the way they know works best (for them), you’ll see just how productive they really are. 

Gen Y: The first to discover that they can ‘have it all’. 

Lifestyle and careers run parallel for the Gen Y’rs. What can be perceived as poor work ethic might simply be a misalignment. Ask yourself, do you really know this person and what drives them? Do they perform better in a team or work better autonomously? What ignites their passion and makes their ears ‘take notice’? 

Before you jump to conclusions about your millennials, first, respect that they work differently. Learn about their personalities (by using the Tick personality profiling tools) and don’t be afraid to change their role to suit them – and, of course, so the work gets done. 

Your ‘lazy’ millennials might simply be in a role that isn’t quite the right fit. Fill in your details in the red form and we’ll send you free samples of our personality profiles. 

Drop the labels, see beyond the perceived ‘ego’, and use the results of Tick’s questionnaires to give your millennials what they need to succeed.