Generation Y Connects

What is Gen Y?

Every 17 year old entering the workforce has been around the Internet for their entire life! Generation Yis the generation who has grown up around advanced networking technologies such as mobile phones and the Internet–also know as the iPod generation, the Echo Boomers, Generation “Why”, or the Millennials. I’ve been working on a research project for my employers to show how our clients can moreeffectively communicate with their Gen Y staff. Here’s the first part of what I’ve found: Read entire post

Here is an interesting set of misperceptions later in the post that I felt was worth adding:

Perception	Reality
They are spoiled.	Baby Boomer parents coddled this generation by constantly telling them how special they were and that anything they sought was possible. They were rewarded for every little thing, receiving trophies and prizes simply for participating.
They have a poor work ethic.	Actually, texting, instant messaging, social networking, and Web surfing have all made Generation Y workers more competent, efficient, and productive. They have a strong work ethic — not just in a 9-5 sort of way. Generation Y wants work to be fun and flexible and follows a mantra of working smarter, not harder.
They don’t respect authority.	This group has been raised to think critically, they’re very independent and not afraid to ask questions and challenge the status-quo. It’s not that these folks have little respect for authority; on the contrary, they admire their employers and want the same in return.
They’re self-centered and individualistic.	Gen Y have been taught the value of individuality and independent thinking. They see themselves as unique and, unlike previous generations, these workers do not plan to let their jobs define who they are.
They’re not committed to the company.	This generation has been raised in an age of unprecedented access to knowledge and communication. Gen Y workers believe their work should have meaning. More than ever, these workers are seeking greater fulfillment and are only willing to work hard at jobs that provide it.
They lack social skills.	Generation Y are some of the most social of any generational cohort; it’s just that they communicate and socialize much differently from the rest of us