TAN #64 - A Case of Temporary InTANity

Alpharetta, Georgia

Bronze member

Subject: RE: TAN #64 - A Case of Temporary InTANity

wurkit_gurl - 2009-01-15 8:06 AM

I think companies don't value their employees because in part, and more frequently, employees aren't committed to their workplace. At least with our generation (I mean folks around my age, mid20s/early30s) and the kids following us, many people think that they just need to work a year or two at a place, and then head out to move up to a bigger position somewhere else - they don't want to put in the effort to work their way up. Our parents and probably a small group after are a dying breed of people who worked for the same company for 30+ years. My dad was forced to retire after 28 years with the same company (because they could bring in younger and CHEAPER people) - he was VERY upset. My grandfather worked for Chrysler from 1938 to 1975!! That's crazy. Granted, business models are changing and so I think both phenomena are related (people not staying long vs turnover by management). But still, I do find that with a lot of younger folk, they don't want to put in the "work" so to speak. It's all about moving up faster and making more money.

I'd also caveat that my dad's family is from the midwest where it seems that hard-work-ethic is more valued than here on the East Coast.

/rant.

Employees aren't committed to their workplace because they don't HAVE to be. That is... if you are in a high-demand job. For example. Engineers where I work (like Tom). Straight out of college, no internships, no experience. These kids get paid a starting salary of $55K/year with full benefits. Guarunteed annual raises, etc. Then the next year we start hiring newbies at $57K/year to be competitive, and those with their 1 year of experience are pissed because the newbie is making more than they are, and they've put in a year+ already. So they leave and get hired in at $65K/year down the street. Rinse. Repeat.

I have been at my job for just over 3 years, and it's the longest job I've ever held. It's my 4th job in 7 years. I didn't stay with companies because they treated me like crap. I could make more money elsewhere, and get treated better. No brainer? If companies want to keep their young employees, they need to start treating them better, IMO. This means realizing that they need to be flexible when it comes to working from home, working four 10-hour days a week, offering a different set of benefits, etc. Because if your company is not doing that, your competitor is.

In my experience, young people are VERY intersted in working hard to move up. Unlike the "research" out there, they don't expect to be handed promotions and such. But managment believes that based on the so-called workplace "experts" out there.

I also think that young people work at a MUCH faster pace than older generations. With Instant Messaging, multi-tasking, fast computers, (I also think being raised on video games makes people who work with computers MUCH faster) etc... I think a lot of times it APPEARS that young people are slacking off, when in reality they've just done a tradiationl 8 hours of work in 4, and can't get another task to do. Then people are like "why aren't you working, slacker? you expect to do nothing and get paid?" In reality they are 2x as productive as some of their co-workers. I see it daily.

/rant!

TAN #64 - A Case of Temporary InTANity (Page 27)

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