320-763-3161
ALEXANDRIA LAKES AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | ALEXANDRIA, MN
  • Chamber
    • About Us
    • Chamber Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Committees >
      • Alexandria Area Young Professionals
      • Chamber Ambassadors
      • Finance Committee
      • Personnel Committee
      • Government Affairs
      • Grow Minnesota
      • Membership Team
    • Newsletter
    • Visitor & Resource Center
    • Do Business Local >
      • Chamber Bucks
      • Pride of the Lakes
    • #CommitToKindness
  • Visit Here
    • Lodging
    • Food & Drink
    • Fishing
    • Things to Do
    • Shopping
    • Find Us
  • Live Here
    • Relocate
    • Jobs
    • Education
    • Health Care
    • Economic Development
    • Government
    • Senior Services
    • History
  • Events
    • Chamber Events/Programs
    • Community Calendar
  • Members
    • Member Directory
    • Member Benefits
    • Join Us!
    • Member Login
  • In the Know
    • Blog
    • Email Sign Up
  • Resources
    • Community Resources
    • Event Resources
  • Chamber
    • About Us
    • Chamber Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Committees >
      • Alexandria Area Young Professionals
      • Chamber Ambassadors
      • Finance Committee
      • Personnel Committee
      • Government Affairs
      • Grow Minnesota
      • Membership Team
    • Newsletter
    • Visitor & Resource Center
    • Do Business Local >
      • Chamber Bucks
      • Pride of the Lakes
    • #CommitToKindness
  • Visit Here
    • Lodging
    • Food & Drink
    • Fishing
    • Things to Do
    • Shopping
    • Find Us
  • Live Here
    • Relocate
    • Jobs
    • Education
    • Health Care
    • Economic Development
    • Government
    • Senior Services
    • History
  • Events
    • Chamber Events/Programs
    • Community Calendar
  • Members
    • Member Directory
    • Member Benefits
    • Join Us!
    • Member Login
  • In the Know
    • Blog
    • Email Sign Up
  • Resources
    • Community Resources
    • Event Resources

The problem isn't the millennials...

8/28/2018

1 Comment

 
By Tara Bitzan, Executive Director, Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Picture
   You've probably heard many times over about the generational differences in the workplace and how employers have to treat Millennial (born 1980-1994) and Gen Z (born 1995-2012) employees differently than the generations that have come before them.
   Personally, I have found much of the information about the younger generations and their work ethic to be critical or negative, and in conversations with people in these age classifications, many of them have felt a bit attacked by the stereotypes as well.
   I'd encourage employers to stop paying attention to the stereotypes and start paying attention to the individual people.
   Hopefully the following doesn't come as a surprise to you: you will find unengaged, lazy, entitled, highly sensitive employees in every generation. But there's good news! You will also find committed, hard-working, enthusiastic, adaptable employees in every generation.
   I am a believer that everyone is shaped by their upbringing. You model the behavior of those you learned from growing up - parents, siblings, extended family, friends, peers, teachers, adult mentors, and so on. Everyone is also shaped by their surroundings, circumstances and educational opportunities.
   While the "people" part of this equation may not change drastically through the decades, the "opportunities" part of it most certainly does.

   Technology (Internet, social media, cell phones) has made our world much smaller. People are connected in ways never before possible. Along with that comes an overwhelming amount of information and opportunity and abundance that of course includes countless benefits, but also countless detriments.
   The best thing we can do as a society is to continue modeling the behavior we wish to see - in both our personal and our professional lives. How do you want your child to act/react/perform? How do you want your employees to act/react/perform?
   I have two Gen Z daughters, ages 21 and 18. They are very different from each other, yet I often see a lot of my habits in each of them... good, and - as hard as it is to admit - not so good.
   I have three Millennial employees and a Gen Z intern. They are also very different from each other. They have different characteristics, thoughts, beliefs, strengths, areas for growth, good habits, not so good habits, hopes, dreams and needs. They are all incredible employees who don't exhibit the stereotypical "it's all about me" attitudes that many articles will tell you are true of Millennial workers. I also catch glimpses of them picking up my ways or behaviors, again good and not so good.
   It's time we stop looking for flaws in the next "generation" of employees and turn the focus back to the employees as individuals.
Don't fall prey to the generational stereotyping. The biggest mistake any leader could make would be to try to set up a generalized "Millennial-friendly" workplace and think that will make all the employees in that age bracket happy.
   The second best thing a leader can do - for any employee of any generation - is to have open conversations with them to find out what they need to be successful and to be great employees.
   The first best thing a leader can do? Model the behavior you hope to see in your team.
1 Comment
Russell Clear link
12/7/2018 06:38:41 am

Good stuff. Thank you.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018

    Categories

    All
    Blog Post
    Spotlight Videos
    Testimonial

    RSS Feed

Copyright Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.  All Rights Reserved.
206 Broadway St.  Alexandria, MN 56308
320-763-3161 
info@alexandriamn.org

refund & privacy policy
Accessibility
Picture
Pride of the Lakes Logo
Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce BBB Business Review