Over the past few years I've come across many articles on the topic of Generation Y and our questionable approach in the workplace. As an older Gen Y, I see some of your points but I'm also going to stand up for my younger fellow Gen Yers. There has been multitudes of good, bad and indifferent articles written about us. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, however the focus seems to be on our behaviours towards career and work, how to recruit us, how to train us, how to manage us, how to retain us what drives us and what little shites we are. Most of these articles were written by Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who claim to be experts on Gen Y. A lot of you have raised us, lived with us and survived both. But, you are not an expert on Gen Y unless you are one of us. Peter Sheahan for example is a Gen Y expert. Read up on Peter he's very knowledgable on this topic.

ABOUT GENERATION Y

The general consensus seems to be:

• Those born between 1978-1993 - this number seems to fluctuate depending on which article or text book one happens to read.
• Generally the children of Baby Boomers
• Apparently we have no financial commitments so we have wild spending habits.
• We job hop a lot
• Sometimes suffer from an over-dose of self esteem according an article in the Herald Sun by Bryan Patterson on 8 July of 2007. The article was called "A-Z of Gen Y". Apparently people need manuals to deal with us.
• Bless Bryan, he also wrote that we are the most "technology fluent, multi-tasking, adaptable and team-oriented group in history" I like Bryan, he's sort of on our side.
• We get bored easily
• We are brand savvy
• According to the Australian Leadership Foundation (2003), our top 3 spare time activities are "going to parties", "listening to the radio" and "going to the movies". Isn't this the top 3 spare time activities of EVERY generation since the invention of the radio and, wasn't going to see a play what teenagers and young people do before cinemas? Really. Do a little more research.

The list is actually quite long but I won't bore you with ALL the details. If you wish to see us in action, go to your local university or central business district and observe.

Like every generation we are shaped by economic and social shifts, values and changes, technology, world events and upbringing. Among other factors I'm sure. So why are some people gasping in disgust at our thought process and behaviour? I like the ones who are nodding as though they were expecting this all along. It shows insight, I admire that.

WHAT'S WITH ALL THE FUSS??

The internet provides a myriad of how-to articles on how to handle us and everyone seems to have had their input. Many of them luckily are positive (we really appreciate it) but some are just down right annoying and defamatory to the entire generation. I'm thinking all this attention bestowed upon us might be due to the fact that preceeding generations are not sure what to make of our can-do anything behaviours, (sometimes) disdain for authority, job hopping nature (if we get bored or don't get what we want we take action). People are frustrated by our flippent and temporary attitude. Then there are those who see the good in us and are defending us....as well as those who see the economic value in our consumer behaviour.

WHAT'S BEING WRITTEN

The Good: Many good things have been written about us. Penelope Trunk wrote an article on www.ere.net on 14 October 2008 called "4 Things You Might Not Know About Generation Y". In it she wrote that we are more productive than anyone else. It must have something to do with our abiltiy to multi-task. Bryan Patterson was spot on. Even though it's a pretty broad stereotype. I've been both a temporary and permanent desk recruiter and I can tell you now, not all Gen Yers are productive. But there are always bad eggs. I've seen some Baby Boomers with questionable work ethic too.

David Lee also hit home when he pointed out in his article "The Hidden Gift Your Gen Y Employees Are Offering You", Feb 27, 2009 that Gen Yers want the same thing from their work as everyone else, they are just more likely to speak out and take action. Behaviours deemed as inappropriate and disruptive by those who don't like change.

Peter Sheahan always write good things about us.

In her article "Understanding Generation Y" 6 February 2009 (Dyanmic Business) Karen Williams questions whether "Generation Y" actually exists at all or were we conveniently invented to describe another cog in the workplace wheel and more or less scape goats for companies' inability to retain staff. She recognised us as dynamic, switched on and passionate.

The Bad: Well, there's actually a lot of bad crap written about us. Here are just a few examples. In an article titled "Gen Y Now Older, But Still Annoying" posted by Harold Mitchell on 29 May 2009 on the Canberra Times website, he labelled us annoying to our bosses because we change jobs every 2 years, confident to the point of cockiness and apparently we don't read the newspaper anymore. I think Mr. Mitchell is annoying. 

Then, I came across this gem on news.com.au: "Why Bosses Hate Gen Y" written in 2007 by Mike Preston.  It's a must read for Gen Y haters.  After reading this article I discovered that as a Gen Y I have these qualities:

• Short on skills
• Demanding
• Far from loyal
• Impatient
• Questionable communication
• I've only been hired because employers have no other choice

We also apparently have our own language and if you can master this and communicate with us in our language, you can dominate us again in the workplace.  Sure.  The languages I commonly use with my Generation Y peers are English and Vietnamese, oh, and I can tell you what I'd like to have for lunch in French too.  If you can speak one or all of the above I will put on the corporate gimp mask.  There is even a link in the article for readers to go to and tell the cyber community why the hate Gen Y.  Awesome.

Another article courtesy of University of Sydney labelled Gen Ys lazy. Hence we become obese earlier.  Ummm...I've noticed more fat Baby Boomers and Gen Xers than Gen Y.  Those fat kids seen on programs like Today Tonight and A Current Affair, they're not from our generation.  Next time you go to the gym, have a look around and see who dominates the sessions.

PERCEPTIONS

I'm not saying that all the points above are not valid.  Having been in the recruitment industry for most of my career, I've seen all the faces of Generation Y.  I've witnessed first hand how sometimes my junior colleagues glaze over when being given instructions.  I've seen them question authority (I have), I've given instructions that goes in one ear and out the other, I've witnessed their "you owe it to us", "poor me" and "it's your fault" attitude and sometimes their disengagement in the workplace.  And hell, all of this shits me to tears.  However, we are the product of our society, I'm not saying it's somebody else's fault that some of my fellow Gen Yers can be immature, demanding and lazy.  Some are immature because they're young and inexperienced, maturity will come and experience can be gained.  We are demanding because if you don't ask you don't get.  Most sales people will tell you the same thing regardless of their age.  And lazy.  I disagree with lazy.  Laziness exists in all age groups, it's a personal trait.  To go as far as not hiring us is actually your loss.  As Penelope Trunk outlined, we are excellent multi-taskers and tech savvy.  We're not afraid to explore alternatives to fix problems.  I've seen some very productive Gen Y when they are in the right environment with the right people, in a stimulating job that has a purpose.  Whenever I ask candidates I interview about what they want most tell me, the right environment, the right people and a challenging job.  This is not confined to age, we all want similar things at work, we are just driven by different motives and different levels of drive. 

It's a little harsh to launch hate propaganda against us because we are not afraid to go out and search for what we want.  To say that Gen Y are not loyal is also a fallacy. As people we are loyal to other people, not corporations.  Admittedly we sometimes get bored easily and are prone to cockiness, but isn't that just youth?  Those who write bad things about us must have a reason, I'm sure.  Maybe their kids didn't do what they were told that day or their Gen Y PA gave them the irrits.  Who knows.  All I know is these generalisations are just that and doesn't actually cover the entire generation.  Over the years I interviewed possible thousands of people, performed reference checks on them and I can honestly say, there are all sorts in every generation.  Stop making a big deal out of our sometimes odd behaviours because it's starting to look like Boomers are bringing attention to our shortfalls in the work place to divert attention from their own.  Capitalise on our ability to do lots of things at once, passion, curiosity, mobility, education and potential instead of work against it.  Like it or not, Gen Y are the corporate future, so perhaps Baby Boomer and Gen X managers should just go with the flow instead of swimming against the currents.  Y not?