Millennials in the Workplace

[HeroHog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MC2X-LRbkE&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=BraydanWillrath

I'm pretty good with it and agreeing up till the 10:30 mark when things go off the rails for me. 

Discuss/cuss 

[RoadKingLarry]

I agree that some millennials need a different management/leadership style but I'm not sure molly coddling them is the right way to do it.

[RocketMan]

Just wait until you have millennials running the workplace.  Much fun. Oh, joy.

[grampster]

We had millennials back in the '70's.  They were folks with degrees in business that were hired as sales people.  They promptly put their feet up on the their desks and waited for the customers to come in and dump money in their laps.  They didn't last long.

[RevDisk]

As much as people, correctly, rag on Millennials... Our previous generations still managed to accomplish things a thousand times worse. Hippies. We're still long since dealing with the consequences of that particular group.

[K Frame]

One of my tasks at my current job is to manage certain aspects of the work we do, which means managing the people, as well.

I'm pretty flexible on how I manage this stuff, but I do it in a way that I find it to be the most productive for the least impact. If that doesn't match up with the needs of one of our precious flower children, that's tough *expletive deleted*it.

As far as I'm concerned, it's my job to manage, it's their job to deal with my management style and get the work done.

If you can't do either, I'm more than happy to discuss it with you, but I won't guarantee that it will change how I choose to run things. If they don't like that, well, the economy is pretty good right now.

The only person I've ever had a problem with was a relatively new graduate who also happened to be the son of one of our mid-level program managers. He bucked against how we did things on the team as a whole, and especially how I was running my end of things. The bigger problem was that he didn't want to discuss it, he wanted to do it his way and to be lauded for it, even when his way didn't produce positive results.

The frustration level was increasing dramatically, and it came back to bite him in the ass at annual review. He thought he should be getting 5s across the board, when my boss and I felt that he had a couple of areas where he was OK, and others where he rated a solid 2 -- needs improvement. He NOPED the hell off our team and his Daddy found him a new position elsewhere on the contract.

[KD5NRH]

As far as I'm concerned, it's my job to manage, it's their job to deal with my management style and get the work done.

That seems to be the one that some management forgets.  Worked for one idiot for a while, who came in our remote office about 3:00 one day to find me sitting back with a cup of coffee and a snack.  When he asked why I was there instead of out on a service call like the other two techs, I handed him the daily numbers.  Of the x service calls that day, I'd done .6x, .1x were waiting for parts or manufacturer input, and the other two techs were muddling their way through the remaining .3x.  Ended up excusing myself to the restroom at some point during his lecture and calling his boss, (who fully understood the way things - and people - actually worked at the site) to remind him that he was sent 1100 miles to deal with one of the other techs' service calls, not to bitch about what's going on at a site with one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the company.  (Partly because we usually had someone in the office to quickly deal with any minor emergencies that popped up.  Fixing a popped key or loose cable on an exec's laptop within five minutes, or un-jamming the door switch on the security department's microwave (way outside our scope, but having the guards on your side can make miracles happen) does wonders for the client's opinion.)

(And for the record, I'd already looked over the technical issue on the trouble call in question.  It was well within the tech's ability, and the actual problem was the client trying to do things the equipment couldn't handle, but of course the low-level manager who bought the machine wasn't going to believe a tech on that, thus the reason our company sent a "regional manager."  He was gone about a month later.)

[Hawkmoon]

I agree that some millennials need a different management/leadership style but I'm not sure molly coddling them is the right way to do it.

I'm pretty certain that mollycoddling is NOT the right way toi do it. This guy's thesis seems to be that since the parents failed, and the schools all (kindergarten through university) failed in loco parentis now it's up to employers to stop worrying about making money and start worrying about in loco parentis.

That approach just exacerbates the problem. The answer is to stop the mollycoddling, from kindergarten on up. Stop giving out medals and awards for showing up. Prepare kids for the real world before they enter it, and we won't have to be offering remedial relating to people who are 25 or 30 or 40 years old.

[Hawkmoon]

The frustration level was increasing dramatically, and it came back to bite him in the ass at annual review. He thought he should be getting 5s across the board, when my boss and I felt that he had a couple of areas where he was OK, and others where he rated a solid 2 -- needs improvement. He NOPED the hell off our team and his Daddy found him a new position elsewhere on the contract.

Therein lies the crux of the problem: failed parenting.

[KD5NRH]

This guy's thesis seems to be that since the parents failed, aand the schools all (kindergarten through university) failed in loco parentis now it's up to employers to stop worrying about making money and start worrying about in loco parentis.

Which could be sort of helpful if said actions included spanking, grounding and sending them to bed without supper.  Unfortunately, that's generally not allowed.

[brimic]

Therein lies the crux of the problem: failed parenting.

Yep.

[K Frame]

I watched about 30 seconds of the video, realized it was going to be a shitshow, and closed it. Nope. Not interested in new theories of hemogenistic workforce psyche development participation paychecks.

Work, or GTFO, and remember, McDonald's is always hiring if you don't like it.

[K Frame]

Therein lies the crux of the problem: failed parenting.

Yeah, but I've got to wonder, was this kid a result of failed parenting, or did the parenting fail because he was such an incredible little *expletive deleted*it.

I didn't really know his Dad, but I really think it could realistically have been either.

Only 20something I know who routinely wore 3-piece suits to the office to sit in a cubicle farm.

[charby]

Work, or GTFO, and remember, McDonald's is always hiring if you don't like it.

Yep, for the most part there is a person waiting in line for opportunity to replace that person.

[HeroHog]

Work, or GTFO, and remember, McDonald's is always hiring if you don't like it.

THIS, so much THIS!

[Perd Hapley]

Only 20something I know who routinely wore 3-piece suits to the office to sit in a cubicle farm.

Is that a good or a bad thing? I mean, I get he's over-dressed; I just don't know if that's a complaint, or just a comment on how odd he is.

[dogmush]

Which could be sort of helpful if said actions included spanking, grounding and sending them to bed without supper.  Unfortunately, that's generally not allowed.

I actually sent a 25 year old to bed without supper last night.  Apparently he thought I was flexible on my posted chow times and would make my cooks work late because his phone call home ran long.  Feelings may or may not have been hurt.  I also grounded two last week. (grounded, did not grant liberty, whatever)  Once again the military leads the way.

[mtnbkr]

Is that a good or a bad thing? I mean, I get he's over-dressed; I just don't know if that's a complaint, or just a comment on how odd he is.

When I was a 20-something cube-farm worker, suits were required.  A 3-piece was overdoing it, but only by a little.

Chris

[K Frame]

When I was a 20-something cube-farm worker, suits were required.  A 3-piece was overdoing it, but only by a little.

Chris

That was when you worked for Jug Ears, right? He was a notorious *expletive deleted*che nozzle when it came to that sort of thing.

A friend of mine who was semi-retired was pursued mercilessly over several years for his rather unique skill set by a company that had a tie/jacket dress code. He told them flat out that one of the conditions of him working/consulting there was that he'd wear chinos and either a polo or button down shirt, but would NOT wear a jacket and/or a tie.

They finally agreed to it. On his very first day he was in a meeting and some mid-level manager who apparently hadn't gotten the memo and who really laid into him. He stood up, announced his re-retirement and went home.

The people who had hired him went absolutely nuts trying to get him back, but ultimately never could.

[lupinus]

That was when you worked for Jug Ears, right? He was a notorious *expletive deleted*che nozzle when it came to that sort of thing.

A friend of mine who was semi-retired was pursued mercilessly over several years for his rather unique skill set by a company that had a tie/jacket dress code. He told them flat out that one of the conditions of him working/consulting there was that he'd wear chinos and either a polo or button down shirt, but would NOT wear a jacket and/or a tie.

They finally agreed to it. On his very first day he was in a meeting and some mid-level manager who apparently hadn't gotten the memo and who really laid into him. He stood up, announced his re-retirement and went home.

The people who had hired him went absolutely nuts trying to get him back, but ultimately never could.

Should have agreed to come back in with a stipulation being an in person apology from said manager. THEN announcing he was sticking with retirement

[RevDisk]

Work, or GTFO, and remember, McDonald's is always hiring if you don't like it.

I'm a big fan of work. Longest I've been unemployed in the last decade or so was about 15 minutes. Layoffs at Sikorsky. Drove straight to a buddy's place and snagged a IT consulting gig. I worked 60-100 hour weeks from roughly the time I turned 18 until my current job.

One should always work hard and do one's job to the best of one's ability. But crap bosses? Life is too short. Leave as quickly as possible. Not saying you have to be best friends. But if a boss isn't at least a decent person or if the company treats its employees like 1800's coal miners, get the hell out as soon as possible. I noticed a correlation between those types of employers and the tendency to screw over their employees at the drop of a hat.

[KD5NRH]

I noticed a correlation between those types of employers and the tendency to screw over their employees at the drop of a hat.

Yeah, pretty much, though I did work with a girl who made a point of seeking out, working for, and the suing the hell out of temp agencies that did that.  I was a direct hire at the client, but she was with a temp agency that was pretty much on their last straw with us already.  Her first paycheck didn't show, (for which she carefully documented every expense/damage that caused) and after a few days when she'd yelled at enough people (recording all of it, of course) to get one overnighted from their headquarters, that one bounced.  She let us in on what was going on so we wouldn't drop the agency until she had her case ready, and she ended up making the equivalent of about two years pay (after attorney's fees, etc.) off of three months of work, plus a few court dates.

[K Frame]

I think it's more a comment on what a posing little douchenozzle he is.

[Brad Johnson]

Interesting this subject popped up now. We're working a termination package for an employee who has decided the phrase of the day is "family emergency", something he has begun to use ad nauseum. When questioned about the nature of these regularly-occurring emergencies he steadfastly refuses to disclose what's going on, giving us no basis to approve his request. We finally figured out it's he and his wife not planning enough ahead for someone to be able to be reliably available to pick up their kid from school, something they only seem to notice about an hour before the pickup is supposed to happen. (The kid also became "developmentally disabled" at the last time off request even though he's not presented a medical status report, requested FMLA accommodation, or mentioned her status to a soul in the three years he's worked here.)

Day before yesterday he exploded, confronting his supervisor with a lengthy, loud, and imaginatively descriptive tirade regarding her personal character. That alone would have gotten him a Final Warning write up for insubordination. The icing was his aggressive physical posturing. His sup is now scared to be around him, and rightfully so. He's a stocky 5' 8" and 200 lbs. She's 5' 2" in heels.

Brad

[KD5NRH]

I think it's more a comment on what a posing little douchenozzle he is.

Depends; a 3 piece just works better for some body types, but there is a strong element of knowing how to wear it.  Unless you're intentionally peacocking, you've got to be able to look like it's just what you feel right in.

Day before yesterday he exploded, confronting his supervisor with a lengthy, loud, and imaginatively descriptive tirade regarding her personal character. That alone would have gotten him a Final Warning write up for insubordination. The icing was his aggressive physical posturing. His sup is now scared to be around him, and rightfully so. He's a stocky 5' 8" and 200 lbs. She's 5' 2" in heels.

IMO, more employers should be willing to subsidize effective self defense training for at least the higher risk positions.  (Mostly customer contact, evening/night shift and supervisors.)  More than once I've had my ass handed to me when I underestimated some ~90 pound girl at the dojo.  (Whoever came up with "if you forget your belt, we'll loan you a white belt" should have also put cameras in the dojo for the inevitable "go easy on the white belt then find out she's a brown or black belt" moments...or worse, she's a black belt in judo but just started jiujitsu.)  It's hard to up your game after she's got you in a three-point wrist-elbow-shoulder lock.

Heck, the effects of just getting some of them off their butts and active for two hours a couple evenings a week should be worth the cost in a lot of workplaces.  Fairly sure I'm the only one in my office that does more than an hour of cardio a week, and for all the everyday aches and pains, I'm also the only one who hasn't missed work for joint surgery.