As more people continue working well into their 70s and 80s, the workplace becomes a multi-generational melting ground. Myths get mixed up with realities, and people start making assumptions about co-workers based on age.
One group that’s received the most blunt assumptions about itself is the Millennial generation. People in this generation are usually looked at as entitled, lazy, and flighty.
“The notion of entitlement is the one you read about most,” said Lauren Stiller Rikleen, president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and the author of You Raised Us – Now Work With Us: Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams. “They’re also labeled as not being loyal or committed to their jobs, and that they only want positive feedback.”
These labels are not always true, because every person is different and shouldn’t be defined by generation.
“People always complain about youth in the workplace,” Rikleen said. “But for Millennials, these complaints are at a different level and are more frequent.”
Rikleen will address these complaints and the myths around Millennials Monday, July 28, at 1:15 p.m. during her VenueConnect session, “Demystifying Generational Differences and Finding Common Ground to Ensure Workplace Success.”
The session, sponsored by Sodexo, will present practical recommendations to help other generations respond to the opportunities that Millennials bring to the workplace, how to motivate and inspire Millennials to navigate their career successes, and provide strategies for Millennials to employ that can help other generations see beyond the stereotypes.
“We need to understand what we’re seeing in the workplace,” Rikleen said. “For example, Millennials want feedback, and it doesn’t have to be positive. Instead of a year-end review, they want frequent updates about their performances.”
Rikleen said that attendees will learn some specific strategies for creating multi-generational teams at work.
“It’s wrong to make assumptions,” Rikleen said. “At this session, attendees will walk away with better abilities to separate myths from realities.”
(photo credit: reynermedia via photopin cc)
