New Hires Today Vs. 25 Years ago?

[Anonymous]

What do you see as main difference?

I ask as new hires today are so different. It is hard to relate. My biggest difference they view work as a job not a career.

They don’t seem as interested in their profession, company events or industry they work in.

When I graduated college we went to different industries, insurance, IT, accounting, banking etc and were passionate about our company, industry and profession. My IBM , PepsiCo, KPMG and American Express friends heavily invested into their career and company and a big part of identity.

That seems less today. I don’t know why?

[Anonymous]

The younger generation has seen that companies have no loyalty to you, so why should they be loyal to them?

They don't want their identity to be wrapped up in what they do but rather who they are.

[Anonymous]

I see it, I love it, and I adore Gen Z for this reason. I can’t wait til they are in the workforce on a broader scale. They are freaking amazing. I wish I had the courage they have.

[Anonymous]

Why? Because companies said it many times, loud and clear that they don’t give a crap about their employees. Your company is not your friend or your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The younger generation has seen that companies have no loyalty to you, so why should they be loyal to them?

They don't want their identity to be wrapped up in what they do but rather who they are.

Yes, this.

[Anonymous]

They don't want their identity to be wrapped up in what they do but rather who they are.

THAT'S IT.

[Anonymous]

They are smart enough to realize that they are expendable and that switching companies is the way to move up. But, job hoppers rarely make it to the C suite level. So there are trade offs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't want their identity to be wrapped up in what they do but rather who they are.

THAT'S IT.

But who are they? My generation and my parents generation I ask how grown kids are doing In past would hear Bob is doing good just made VP at Capital One, Tom just got a new job at Microsoft and Susan is wrapping up her Law degree and has two job offers.

But my adult nephew in 9-5 BS job with no future who plays video games, hikes, brews beer at home, goes to dog parks when sister is asked how adult son is doing what does she say?

And what if he meets a girl what does he say to future father in law? If he switched jobs what would he say in interview?

You spend with lunch 45 hours a week at work. Shouldn’t you be passionate about it and try to move up?

No goals at work in a job you don’t care about seems a long 45 years of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't want their identity to be wrapped up in what they do but rather who they are.

THAT'S IT.

But who are they? My generation and my parents generation I ask how grown kids are doing In past would hear Bob is doing good just made VP at Capital One, Tom just got a new job at Microsoft and Susan is wrapping up her Law degree and has two job offers.

But my adult nephew in 9-5 BS job with no future who plays video games, hikes, brews beer at home, goes to dog parks when sister is asked how adult son is doing what does she say?

And what if he meets a girl what does he say to future father in law? If he switched jobs what would he say in interview?

You spend with lunch 45 hours a week at work. Shouldn’t you be passionate about it and try to move up?

No goals at work in a job you don’t care about seems a long 45 years of work.

They are multidimensional humans just like all humans. What are you even asking?

Your nephew sounds lovely. He has a full time job. He has a pet. He has hobbies. I would be proud to have him as a son.

What is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are smart enough to realize that they are expendable and that switching companies is the way to move up. But, job hoppers rarely make it to the C suite level. So there are trade offs.

Almost none of us are making it to the C suite level, no matter what we do.

Gen Z has just finally realized that and they are acting accordingly. And they are right.

[Anonymous]

They are extremely practical and courageous, i love that. They understand they are expendable, that they will be maltreated by employers, that there is no loyalty or longevity in any given company or career. That an employer will push and break them mentally and physically if allowed. That sticking around makes you less marketable skill wise and limits your options.

[Anonymous]

This might give you some insight, assuming your question is genuine (seems more like a chance to gripe about the younger generation):

https://www.reddit.com/r/LateStageCapitalism/s/j6FA3VvlgR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you see as main difference?

I ask as new hires today are so different. It is hard to relate. My biggest difference they view work as a job not a career.

They don’t seem as interested in their profession, company events or industry they work in.

When I graduated college we went to different industries, insurance, IT, accounting, banking etc and were passionate about our company, industry and profession. My IBM , PepsiCo, KPMG and American Express friends heavily invested into their career and company and a big part of identity.

That seems less today. I don’t know why?

It seems less today because you are older. I remember thinking the new hires 25 years ago weren’t as dedicated as the hires 40 years ago.

[Anonymous]

I was never dedicated to my career and I was hired 25 years ago. I was in it for enough money to live life the way I wanted to. I wasn’t going to slave away for some stupid promotion that would just mean I work even more.

[Anonymous]

I think it's more nuanced than simply assuming Gen Z has "figured out they are expendable" and don't want their identity to be their career. I'm Gen X and plenty of us figured that out long ago. We know no one cares about us. We've managed to achieve a decent work life balance and are much less likely to have our identities wrapped up in our careers. We have been the ones in the trenches fighting for decades for changes in the workplace. And most of us couldn't be happier that so much of it is finally coming to fruition.

So as I see it, there is something more happening with Gen Z. The attitude is "if it doesn't directly benefit me, I'm not doing it." It's fine that they have lives outside of the office and that their job is just a means to an end, but there's zero desire to do more than to be a warm body filling a role. I understand that if you are working certain jobs, there's little desire or incentive to go above and beyond, but even young adults with "big" jobs can't seem to be bothered when circumstances require some flexibility (like a call with an overseas client on a different time zone that requires the US team to take the call outside of normal business hours).

And because of this, there is going to be a dearth of leadership in the next 10-20 years. It's going to be problematic, to say the least.