Some Tips For The Young Workforce

In theory, only performance should count in any employee appraisal, but this is rarely the case in real life. Most of the time, there is a difference in mindset between generations. For those who have superiors who are older than them, knowing their boss thinks about them will be extremely relevant and useful.

I became more aware about the generation gap just recently when I had a reunion with some of my college friends. It has been decades since I last saw them so there was a lot of catching up to do. Much of the talk was on what we were currently doing. At this point, we are near the peak of our careers. As we came from a business school, most of us are now either entrepreneurs or in senior management.

After a while, the discussions went to how different the young employees are today compared to how we were before. Virtually everyone was passionate in his criticism of the current crop of workers. On the surface, this appears justified, but while there are a lot of basis for their dissatisfaction, there are also strong advantages to this generation that are overlooked by the seniors.

Two of the most often complained about behaviors are discussed below. When it comes to these, the employee who desires advancement should carefully study his thinking and actions.

Lack of respect for authority. During our time, respect for a superior is instinctive. Very few would dare question the instructions given by their boss. Nowadays, you see how the slightest manifestation of additional work or change to a procedure is usually met with resistance—even if the workload is just light. Even basic manners like saying good morning are often ignored.

There is no excuse for not observing good manners and courtesy, such as greeting your boss in the morning. While being a “Yes man” is no longer ideal, young workers should be wary of how they communicate their reaction to orders. If after thinking it through, you feel that you are at a disadvantage or that the task is beyond your responsibility, then express yourself politely.

If you want to express your resentment, there are better ways to do so than acting in a rude manner. Even if you do not like your boss, you could at least be civil by being courteous. Some time ago, an employee asked me if she should say good morning even if it was her worst day ever. She failed to understand that it being a “good” morning is not meant to be taken literally.

Lack of loyalty. This is evident in many ways with the most damaging to one’s career being the tendency to change jobs quickly with insufficient justification. But there are many smaller actions that lead your boss to have poor regard for your loyalty. One of these traits is being “makuwenta”. Few things irritate a boss so much and give the impression of lack of loyalty than this attitude.

The ideals of the past may no longer be applicable to the present. Still it also does not mean that current practices are automatically the best. Nor should you ignore the sentiments of your more senior boss. Young workers must understand the mindset of their superiors, not only because they have the power to affect your career, but most importantly because you truly have much to learn from the wisdom that can only be gained through many years of experience.

If you are able to take into account the perspective of your seniors, you could adapt your attitude and actions so that you have a better working relationship with your boss. Since there are so few who take the time and effort to bridge the generation gap, those who do so have a big edge over those who are content with their old behavior.

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, June 14, 2015. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.