This post actually comes from a someone who has asked how to deal with millenials in the workplace. The scenario in this case comes from someone, (a Gen Xer) in a work environment who has noticed that her coworker (a millenial) constantly comes in late, will call out sick, and/or behave with entitlement. Both individuals are up for tenure in their positions and the Gen Xer claims to be just the opposite--showing up to work on time, getting the job done, and seeks to cultivate a cooperative work environment. It can be frustrating for this Gen Xer who is showing up on time, gets her work done diligently, to observe the millenial seemingly charm the upper management team. This team would be the ones in charge of eventually granting both tenure. The Gen Xer feels that millenials are spoiled and entitled.
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Even though millenials and Gen X are a different generation, I feel like it doesn't matter what the labels are because it sounds like the issue is really between coworkers in the same work environment. And I do think that these types of feelings can occur between people of the same generation as well.
However, this is the first time I felt a bit challenged because I have never been "up for tenure" at my day job, so in that sense I wasn't even sure I should be giving advice. However despite not having experience in this kind of position, my own intuition asked the Gen Xer questions such as:
1) Are you friends with your coworker? "No"
2) Are you willing to talk to the millenial about your concerns? "No"
3) Does the millenial get her work done? "Maybe, not sure."
4) Why do you care so much about what the millenial is doing? "I don't know, maybe because it will affect our program and if she's tenured, I foresee her being a pain." <I gathered that by pain, the millenial would continue to slack or worse--such as acting even more entitled.>
I did explain that once the Gen Xer became clear about why she cared so much about what the millenial was doing or not doing, she would then understand the root of her annoyance (perhaps it's not about the other person being a millenial after all). And once the Gen Xer gained clarity on why she was annoyed, it would help her figure out her next course of action.
To the advice above, the Gen Xer thanked me and commented that she didn't want to care and would try and get to a point of not caring. The Gen Xer also mentioned that she would take my questions into consideration and work through it. I can only hope she has by now and in case the Gen Xer is still in limbo with what to do, if anyone else has anything to add, or other advice to offer, hopefully it can make its way to the comments.
If the Gen Xer is reading, here are more questions that came to mind:
a) Do others notice and feel the same?
b) Are you willing to bring these concerns to upper management or to the committee who will decide tenure?
c) Why not give it some time and reassess every 2-3 months on whether or not the behaviors are improving?
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Overall, I don't think this was really a case of millenials vs. Gen X, but instead between two individuals in a workplace. I have met Gex Xers who act in this manner and so that's why I feel it's all relative. Hopefully this post will be also be useful for students in college who are about to graduate and apply to jobs. May you strive for and attain positions that motivate you to go to work each morning, where you feel happy with your team. If ever you encounter similar troubles, visit this blogpost, or continue to follow what resonates within.
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