There may be countless differences between ours and previous generations, but for me the biggest difference lies in the way we work. Our employment pattern and conduct are always in disagreement to the way our previous generations viewed their jobs. India is emerging and today we have opportunities like never before. We are confident, upfront and no more insecure.
I faced a strange situation when I decided to quit one of my previous organizations, as neither my job excited me nor was my organization willing to listen to my concerns. My manager responded, “But why do you want to quit? You are so young and you should stay here longer. This is a comfortable place to be in.” I tried explaining my position but couldn’t. I finally asked what she would have done if she would have been in my place; to which she replied “I wouldn’t have resigned. Temperamentally your generation is lot different.”
Being ‘young and restless’ and therefore ‘immature and unprofessional’ is something that was pointed out by our Vice President too. He also refused to understand that I was leaving an organization that provided me ‘secured’ job. And there was no stopping to this ‘young & restless’ theory. Many self proclaimed well wishers delivered sermons on why I shouldn’t leave. And everyone cited the same reason – a secured and comfortable job. For them my aspirations were far-fetched and instead of looking out, I should concentrate on consolidating my position in my present organization.
People were finding it hard to accept my issues as important.
Our generation is better educated and more techno-savvy, but that doesn’t mean we are non-productive. In fact we are quicker to adapt than those who came before us, and have no issues to conform to traditional standards. Fortune magazine claims our generation is destined to be the most high-performing in history. Our only fault is that we boldly ask, ‘Why?’ and ‘What more?’
People find us distinctive in workplace and threat to established decorum. But we simply want to enjoy what we do. It isn’t that we aren’t hitting our targets; we just approach our work differently. We too have aspirations to climb up the ladder and stick longer to an organization, but are quite prepared to walk away from organizations that are unable or unwilling to match our values and concerns.
My only suggestion to organizations: Get it right – provide the sort of culture, incentives, contacts and development opportunities that we can respond to - and you get to attract and keep the brightest of us. Get it wrong and we will walk.
I faced a strange situation when I decided to quit one of my previous organizations, as neither my job excited me nor was my organization willing to listen to my concerns. My manager responded, “But why do you want to quit? You are so young and you should stay here longer. This is a comfortable place to be in.” I tried explaining my position but couldn’t. I finally asked what she would have done if she would have been in my place; to which she replied “I wouldn’t have resigned. Temperamentally your generation is lot different.”
Being ‘young and restless’ and therefore ‘immature and unprofessional’ is something that was pointed out by our Vice President too. He also refused to understand that I was leaving an organization that provided me ‘secured’ job. And there was no stopping to this ‘young & restless’ theory. Many self proclaimed well wishers delivered sermons on why I shouldn’t leave. And everyone cited the same reason – a secured and comfortable job. For them my aspirations were far-fetched and instead of looking out, I should concentrate on consolidating my position in my present organization.
People were finding it hard to accept my issues as important.
Our generation is better educated and more techno-savvy, but that doesn’t mean we are non-productive. In fact we are quicker to adapt than those who came before us, and have no issues to conform to traditional standards. Fortune magazine claims our generation is destined to be the most high-performing in history. Our only fault is that we boldly ask, ‘Why?’ and ‘What more?’
People find us distinctive in workplace and threat to established decorum. But we simply want to enjoy what we do. It isn’t that we aren’t hitting our targets; we just approach our work differently. We too have aspirations to climb up the ladder and stick longer to an organization, but are quite prepared to walk away from organizations that are unable or unwilling to match our values and concerns.
My only suggestion to organizations: Get it right – provide the sort of culture, incentives, contacts and development opportunities that we can respond to - and you get to attract and keep the brightest of us. Get it wrong and we will walk.
