It's no surprise that managers, HR gurus, and the media misinterpret this new generation. The Millennials are nothing like the earlier generations of Boomers or Gen Xers.
Great Falls, VA (PRWEB) July 14, 2010
With Boomers on the verge of retirement, organizations are gearing up to hire large numbers of young Millennial employees—a fact that has most employers throwing up their hands. Complaints about this incoming generation abound. A 2009 Pew Research Center study found that a majority of older Americans believe today’s young adults are inferior to them in moral values, work ethic, and respect for others. Each month, media stories criticize Millennial employees for everything from poor grammar and short attention spans to flip flops and Facebook breaks.
In his new book "Millennials in the Workplace: Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation" leading generational expert Neil Howe turns this downbeat message on its head. Managers and the media have it all wrong, contends Howe: Today’s rising youth workforce is not a liability and a challenge, but an asset and an opportunity.
Ever wonder why these Millennials are so different?
It’s no surprise that managers, HR gurus, and the media misinterpret this new generation. As Millennials in the Workplace explains, the Millennials (born 1982-2004) are nothing like the earlier generations of Boomers (born 1943-1960) or Gen Xers (born 1961-1981).
“They are pressured and programmed,” explains Howe. “They are special and sheltered, bonded to their parents and networked to their friends. They want structure and instant feedback. And they expect to be doted on and served.” Quite different from the Gen Xers, Millennials work well in teams and have complete confidence in their future. Adds Howe, “They fear risk and dread failure, and they have pretty conventional life goals. Above all, they want the system to work!”
Howe offers insights and solutions for employers, educators, and policy makers.
Millennials in the Workplace provides cutting-edge strategies to help organizations recruit, retain, and motivate today’s incoming youth workforce.
Howe explains what’s behind this newMillennial wave—how increasing societal attention, parental involvement, and pressure to succeed have shaped the collective personality of today’s youth. He identifies seven core traits that define this generation: special, sheltered, confident, team oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving.
Millennials in the Workplace offers a clear vision of how Millennials are changing the employment and hiring environment in America, including the rise of internships and early career planning, the new interest in community service initiatives, and managers’ complaints over “spoiled” young workers who lack “soft” workplace skills.
Howe offers a hands-on list of “what to dos” for employers, educators, and policy makers. He explains what many employers are doing wrong with Millennials—and what some companies are beginning to do right, from co-recruiting parents to implementing tight cycles of feedback to ramping up long-term benefits.
Howe authored Millennials in the Workplace with Reena Nadler, a Millennial employee of LifeCourse Associates.
About the Author
A national speaker and best-selling author, Neil Howe is America’s foremost expert on generations. Howe has coauthored many bestselling books with William Strauss, including "Generations" (1991), "The Fourth Turning" (1997), and "Millennials Rising" (2000). His "Recruiting Millennials Handbook" (2000) served as a guidebook for every branch of the U.S. military. "Millennials Go to College" (2003, 2007) has earned him speaking invitations at every major collegiate association, and "Millennials and the Pop Culture" (2006) is helping the entertainment industry navigate the shoals of its fast-changing market. "Millennials in K-12 Schools" (2007) explains the new youth and parental expectations to K-12 teachers and administrators.
The original coiner of the term “Millennial Generation,” Howe has redefined how America thinks about its post-Gen-X youth. His work on Millennials has been featured on CBS's "60 Minutes" and the PBS "Generation Next 2.0" special by Judy Woodruff.
About LifeCourse Associates
Howe and his longtime co-author William Strauss co-founded LifeCourse Associates, a publishing, speaking, and consulting company built around their generational discoveries. LifeCourse Associates has served over two hundred clients in a wide range of sectors—from Nike to Merrill Lynch, from Disney to the U.S. Marine Corps, from MTV and Paramount Pictures to the American Petroleum Institute and Ford Motor Company. A dozen federal agencies have turned to LifeCourse for strategic help, as have over a hundred colleges and K-12 school systems.
Note to Editors
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Story ideas that relate to the book content include: "No More 'McJobs' for These Young Adults." Today’s young employees have short time horizons and can’t wait to “job hop” at the first opportunity—or at least that’s the perception. Turns out it’s a misperception, and one that is seriously hurting employers. Surveys show that most Millennials want to bond with an employer who will partner with them to achieve lifelong career goals, and typically job hop only when they’re convinced that their employer is not offering the right long-term opportunities. In his new book, Neil Howe explains how top employers have stopped high turnover by showing their commitment to young workers’ long-term career paths and offering variety in a structured environment.
"Is the 'Me Generation' a Myth?" Everyone’s heard the assertion: Millennials demand unrealistic praise and encouragement from managers because they are entitled, egotistical, and self-oriented. A new book argues that this “me generation” trope is nothing but a myth. Yes, these young workers want tight cycles of feedback, explains author Neil Howe—but only to ensure that they’re doing exactly what their managers want. The Millennials also want to bring a culture of recognition into workplace environments that they see as far too cynical. So are “employee of the day” ceremonies here to stay? Howe explains how some employers are ramping up a new kind of feedback that raises the tone of the organization without inflating egos.
"With Millennials, 'Soft' Skills Don't Have to Mean Hard Times for Managers." Many managers believe that Millennial employees disrespect the rules of the office. Why else would they dress inappropriately, show up late, chatter on cell phones, and flub formal business letters? But according to Neil Howe, the problem is not disrespect. Millennials have never been taught “soft” workplace skills like appropriate dress and communication, or don’t know when or where to apply them, explains Howe. By understanding the real problem, employers can actually do something about it. Howe’s new book brims with examples of how employers have remedied soft-skills deficiencies by developing explicit policies about required dress and behavior, and by formally training young workers.
Contact: Rob Nissen Nissen Public Relations 973-410-1234
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7/14/2010
New Book Debunks Common Myths About Millennials in the Workplace
via prweb.com
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