Today’s guest post comes from Carrie Tilton — a twenty something who is passionate about women’s rights, country music and George Clooney. She recently graduated with a Masters in Organizational Leadership and works for a private university where she spends her days practicing good leadership, discussing office politics and drinking green tea. Read more from Carrie on her blog, Carrie-ing On (http://www.carrie-ingon.blogspot.com/).
The Huffington Post recently published an article claiming that Gen Y (our generation) wasn’t creating the kind of work environments they said they would create. The article said Gen Y was supposed to “usher in a new workplace model where employees don’t have to be tied to their desks 9 to 5 or slowly climb the corporate ladder of success” and goes on to explain how we have not changed anything. The author claims that our generation was supposed to bring more balance to the tension between work and home.
Gen Y cannot change workplace culture until the leadership of each office is run by someone from Gen Y.
Photo from Diego da Silva - Creative Commons
How can a group of young people at the bottom of the corporate ladder change anything when their bosses believe in running an office culture as they see fit? Of course, my dream job includes flexible hours, childcare centers, longer paternity and maternity leaves, and sees working from home as a viable office option, but that is not possible at this point in my career.
I work in an environment where seat time is more important that productivity, absences are frowned upon, despite having vacation time, and where men are in most top positions in the office. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my job and who I work with, but it is not the ideal “Gen Y” set up.
I often wonder if our generation just doesn’t care to fix anything.
Are we too lazy? Do we lack a work ethic? Some think so. I have heard many adults our parents’ age talk about how their young staff members are disrespectful, attached to their cell phones, and not focused on the job at hand. Judging by some of my own employees, I can see their point. However, I like to think I am a 25 year old exception to their rule.
So, what do we do, Gen Y? How can we work in the kind of environments we hope to work in? I’m not completely sure, but I think it starts by working as hard as you can within the rules of your current work culture. Then, once the leadership at the top retires, your hard work will hopefully lead you to their positions and then you can be the change you wish to see.
The key is not to lose sight of the work culture we hope for in our future. I have seen many people get to top positions and no longer believe in changing the status quo. Don’t be that person. Work hard, get to the top, and then change the way we work. Bring in flexible work hours, options to work outside the office, and remind your staff they are family members first and employees second. The work-life balance can only be achieved with bosses who believe in flexibility, freedom, fun, and family.
We need to be those bosses.
Photo Credit: Diego da Silva – Creative Commons
Great thoughts here! I also wonder if the cell phone time and “blatant” disregard for work ethic is also further proof of an older regime that simply doesn’t get that we are mutitaskers as well? Is it like the culture that used to say that only riff and bad people have tattoos? I see various shades of productivity from the older set as well… It’s just carefully crafted around coffee breaks and longer lunches. If employee “x” works more quickly and efficiently than employee “y”, then why shouldn’t they be allowed to check Facebook, send a text, or get outside and go for a walk? Frankly, I think the boss should reward this behavior and maybe even let them leave early!
Great points Erin. It seems it comes down to the question, is productivity more important or the appearance of productivity?
You’d think the answer would be obvious…
I really get where you’re coming from, Carrie. But I don’t think it’s because we’re lazy, I think it’s because that’s just the way it’s been for so long that we just don’t know any other way of doing it.
There have been several creative organizations that have been a bit more flexible in terms of clothing worn and the ways in which to work out that creativity (instead of just sitting behind desk), but they’re few and far between.
But as you said, we can’t change the work place until we take control of the work place. Right now, very few places are being led by GenY leaders, unless they’re startups.
It’s such an interesting topic to think about. I, too, have wondered why work places haven’t changed, but you really laid it out.
I agree with the other commenter, Erin. If we’re more productive sitting outside on our laptop, why can’t we sit outside on our laptop?
It’s about being happy while still being productive.
Love this article!
Morgan – Always a pleasure when you swing by All Groan Up. Thanks for the great perspective.
You raise a great question — can productivity and workplace happiness align? It seems for most organizations the answer is no.
I feel a workplace revolution coming. Just not sure when…
Have you heard the phase “there is nothing new under the sun”? Well it applies here too. I am a Gen Xer and everything you describe is what I experienced during my first job out of college. Same frustrations, same feelings that I needed to be the boss to make it better.
Looking back now, I realize that I although I wanted to make it better, I didn’t yet have the life experience to make that a reality. There is NO substitute for life experience, and by experience I mean both success and failure.
So what do you do while your getting this “Life Experience”? Well, you make a decision that you are going to make the most of the opportunity presented to you. You chose to learn from those in authority over you, you respect them, you recognize that they will make mistakes and you give them the grace to fail. In return you ask for the same.
In the end, ask yourself some of these questions:
Am I diligent?
Am I accountable?
Am I Gracious?
Am I Teachable?
If you are these things, you will become a great leader, you will be successful, you will become a person of character, you will be ready to lead. I would also guess that if you are these things, no one will care if you take walks, a long lunch, or work from a park bench.
You chose “The way you work” right now, so make your choice.