Here's a not-so-rosy picture of the Generation Y
THE jury is in on Generation Y and the verdict isn't good.
Employers say Gen-Ys are short on skills, demanding, impatient and far from loyal.
The deep ambivalence of small-to-medium employers (SME) towards Gen-Ys, those born between 1977 and 1992 and now aged 15 to 30, is revealed in the latest SME Opinion Leaders poll, a survey of 315 SME owners across the country conducted by SmartCompany in conjunction with Roy Morgan Research and Dun & Bradstreet.
Poor spelling and grammar and failure to understand what constitutes appropriate corporate behaviour are the biggest bugbears, with almost 70 per cent of surveyed employers reporting dissatisfaction with Gen-Y employees' performance in those areas.
The communication skills of Gen-Y staff disappointed 48 per cent of employers, while 37 per cent complain Gen-Ys lack acceptable technical skills.
But, it seems, Gen-Ys either don't know or don't care about their employers' lack of enthusiasm.
Almost 90 per cent of employers surveyed agree Gen-Ys are more demanding than other workers when it comes to advancing their careers, and 79 per cent say they are more likely to ask for a pay rise.
Gen-Y can be brats, says Jo Nagle, chief executive of Sydney-based marketing company Let's Launch.
"Some have grown up with indulgent baby-boomer parents and they're very demanding," she said.
Why would anyone hire a Gen-Y?
For most, there is no choice. Labour shortages mean few businesses can afford not to hire anyone who might be able to do a good job, let alone a whole generation.
There is an upside: the SmartCompany Opinion Leaders poll shows Gen-Ys also have a key strength that many baby-boomer bosses lack - tech savvy.
Although 94 per cent of employers say Gen-Y employees are demanding when it comes to getting the latest high-tech gear, 85 per cent say they are happy with Gen-Y employees' technology skills.
The key issue for employers is not whether to hire a Gen-Y, but how to make the most of them.
source: news.com.au
Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=2645.0
