Generation Y describes our young workforce, born between 1977 and 1990, who are in their early twenties to mid thirties. But for many employers, they’re also the least understood group.
Immersed in technology from an early age and constantly moving from one idea or trend to the next, Gen- Yers are often labelled as having short attention spans and blur the line between their work and private lives; just as they might receive personal text messages and visit Facebook at work, they’re also comfortable with checking work emails over the weekend. They prefer – or rather expect – job profiles full of variety, flexibilty, meaning and interaction in return for their loyalty (which explains why they usually move on after 18 months).
All of this places new demands on the employer to harness a group with mixed characteristics – new media savvy and ethically driven on the one hand and flighty and easily bored on the other. Gen- Yers may be naturally communicative, but does this mean they are more collaborative?
Let’s be clear about what we mean by ‘collaboration’ – an organisational culture where staff across disciplines and roles are able to work together co-operatively towards the business’ objectives. Companies that nurture this kind of environment are less likely to suffer from conflictual behaviours and associated symptoms such as work stress, absence, turnover, low engagement, etc.
On the face of it, the always-on, always-connected Gen-Y worker naturally fits the profile of collaborative contributor. Certainly for organisations built on remote/mobile working, Gen-Y’s inclination towards email, text messaging and online networking as ways to communicate with team members is a valuable asset. But this group has also been criticised for its tendency to favour such methods over face-to-face or telephone contact with colleagues and customers, despite the potential of email to generate misunderstanding, conflict and delays. In this respect, Gen- Yers could learn from older colleagues who more likely to pick up the phone to iron out an issue, or seek out more ‘in-person’ teamwork.
More than effective communication and teamwork, being collaborative at work means behaving in a fair and equitable way, appreciating diversity in colleagues and having a high level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). MBA student, Michael Miranda, believes that “Baby Boomers are able to ‘self-manage’ far better than Gen- Y,” the latter being less aware of and in control of their feelings – a core component of EQ.
Of course, each generation (and individual) brings something different to the workplace, and it is a shared appreciation of these varied attributes that makes for a truly collaborative culture. For the passionate, iPhone-reliant Gen-Yer, today’s workplace must present an environment in which individuality can be expressed and collaborative behaviours are rewarded and reinforced from the top.
