Why millennials may be struggling in the workplace
Millennials are struggling in the workplace and are being labelled by bosses as self-entitled, narcissistic, lazy and tough to manage, says motivational speaker and author Simon Sinek. Though Sinek believes to have discovered the reason behind this – “failed parenting strategies”.
After the success of his video on millennials in the workplace, Sinek spoke to The Independent and explained that the parenting style millennials have experienced, combined with social media, work environments and impatient tendencies, may be at fault for generation Y’s professional struggles. He suggests that the above factors have led to a generation plagued by low self-esteem. Sinek noted that whilst growing up, millennials became accustomed to receiving unwarranted praise from their parents. Subsequently he states that they have grown up with unrealistic expectations and face shock when entering the real world as their self-images are shattered.
Sinek also highlighted that some millennials seek promotions at work purely for the purpose of sharing this news with peers via social accounts such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Furthermore Sinek attributes millennials’ constant need for praise and their inability to deal with criticism, a consequence of growing up in a social media age. The number of likes and followers a person receives is the new social currency, he argues. Thus a great deal of importance is placed on one’s online ‘image’. Sinek also argues that social media has created an impatient generation in millennials who jump from one job to another.
Additionally, as there has been a greater emphasis on the importance of a healthy work/life balance, this has caused a shift in millennials’ attitudes to ‘office hours’. Sinek suggests that whilst older generations may have felt chained to their desks, many millennials leave work no later than 5pm and refuse to answer professional calls or emails outside of work hours and thus could be perceived as entitled.
Ultimately Sinek stresses that millennials need to find out what kind of professional impact they want to have in order to be able to find a workplace that’s right for them.
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