By J.T. O’Donnell
The word ‘entitlement’ is being used so much to describe Gen Y workers these days, to me, it’s now known as the ugly ‘E’ word. While not a part of that generation, I’m still tired of seeing Gen Ys get a bad rap for their professional attitudes. As the old saying goes, “Those who throw stones, shouldn’t live in glass houses.” Entitlement in the workplace isn’t a generational issue – it’s a societal issue, and it’s affecting every generation in the American workforce today.
Consider this: America is one of the most educated societies in the world, and has one of the highest standards-of-living, yet we also hold the distinction of having 55-75% (depending on which survey you read) of our workforce being so unhappy on-the-job, they are actively seeking a new one. That percentage is not made up solely by Gen Ys. Gen X, Baby Boomers and Matures are all part of this dissatisfied group of employees as well. And given that Americans spend roughly 1/3 of their lives at work, suffice it to say we have a lot of people, from all generations, who are just plain unhappy in life, and blaming their work for their suffering. How do I know? Given how much emphasis our culture places on career as a way to define an individual’s personal identity and self-worth, it’s easy to deduce that when an American isn’t feeling good about work, those feelings will carry over into their personal life. (Just think of the last time you had a bad day on-the-job, how was your overall attitude?) To sum it up: while our country has great professional success, it’s costing more than a few Americans a happy life.
I hope you are thinking: How did we get here? Here’s what I’ve identified as the reasons for our entitled workforce:
1) Pop-behaviorism – After reading the book, “Punished by Rewards” by Alfie Kohn, I came to understand how our culture’s addiction to praise, incentives, bonuses, and other bribes, has made us so externally motivated that we now struggle to understand or appreciate how to do things for the pure personal satisfaction it brings. Any time we are asked to do something, especially at work, our first thought is, “What’s in it for me?” Our culture has adopted a “Do this and you’ll get that,” approach to parenting, education and employment. It’s no wonder we don’t want to lift a finger until we know what we’ll get in return.
2) Cinderella Syndrome – The belief that some day, some how, our problems will be magically solved by our own version of Prince Charming. Whether it’s dreams of winning the lottery, becoming famous, hitting it huge in the stock market, finding that special someone who is rich and can’t wait to fix all our problems, and even landing the perfect job with a big salary, many Americans have come to secretly expect the fairytale ending to eventually come true.
3) Sensorial Assault – Thanks to technological advancements, we are now bombarded from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep with images that remind us that what we have isn’t good enough. We are told non-stop to want something better, faster, cheaper…24/7. It isn’t a question of willpower, because unless you are willing to move to the middle of nowhere or a third-world country, you can not escape the visual and verbal assault of consumerism and the dissatisfaction programming it delivers.
4) Social Disconnection – Dr. Hallowell’s book “Crazy Busy” discusses the impact technological and industrial progress is having on our ability to feel accomplished and satisfied. He describes Cultural ADD and how we are all overwhelmed by the use of technology and the pressure to make ourselves more efficient. But more importantly, he outlines how we are becoming lonelier, hiding behind technology and losing our ability to communicate effectively face-to-face. We are slowly becoming less tolerant of other’s communication styles and feeling more isolated in our ability to connect personally with people.
The result is a working culture hooked on instant gratification, lacking of coping skills, and growing more frustrated by the day because it can’t find a simple solution to fix all its problems. We see the desperation in the news - the facts speak volumes:
- The use of anti-depressants is on the rise.
- Alcohol and substance abuse continues to grow.
- Gambling and shopping addictions are now mainstream.
- Workplace violence is increasing.
So, how do we start to turn things around? In my experience, a fundamental shift in how individuals view themselves, their values, and their priorities works wonders. This is what I’ve seen successfully implemented so far:
1) Create an authentic definition of a satisfying career that supports your vision of a successful life. Stop trying to live up to the expectations of others and start pursuing goals that are internally motivated (guided by the personal satisfaction it provides, not the reward) to achieve.
2) Stop evaluating people by their professions. Instead of asking, “What do you do?” start a conversation with “What do you like to do?” It’s time to re-assess how much respect and admiration we bestow on those who are professionally successful but whom achieve it at great personal sacrifice. Should we really be proud or support someone who has cost themselves their health or their relationships with their family in exchange for wealth? I’m not saying we should disrespect them, because everyone should live their life on their own terms (see #1 above), but at the same time, those who successfully create a work-life balance should be recognized for their accomplishment.
3) Practice (because it takes a lot of it) living in the moment and being satisfied with what you have. Some people call it ‘counting your blessings’ I call it ‘satisfaction programming.’ Whatever the term, the goal is to develop ways to remind ourselves throughout the day to appreciate and enjoy all that we have in order to push out a negative focus on what we don’t.
4) Model the way. Nike got it right with their slogan “Just Do It.” Americans are spending lifetimes thinking and talking about what they want, but not enough time doing what it takes to get it. Negative Self Talk (NST) in the form of excuses and self-imposed limitations help the average person talk themselves out of making an effort. It’s time to step up and be accountable. We need to take action and be willing to risk making a mistake to achieve what we want. Besides, there is no such thing as failure. We experience life; both good and bad things happen, and from these experiences we learn and grow. We can’t sit around and wait for the world to change, it’s time to get in the game and make change happen for ourselves.
5) Treat your co-workers like customers. This is by far the most important. If we want respect and appreciation from the other generations, then treat them like you would a customer. Be kind, be understanding, be patient and above all else, be willing to compromise. A harmonious, enjoyable workplace is built on a team who recognizes the need to help each other in order to help themselves.
It shouldn’t go unnoticed that none of my suggestions above focus on what employers should be doing to help us. That’s because an employee’s happiness is not the employer’s sole responsibility. We are a nation who has come to assume that professional satisfaction and a happy life are entitlements (ugg, there’s that word again) – to be given automatically, like a birth right. Yet, ‘satisfaction’ and ‘happiness’ are both states-of-mind. We choose to feel a certain way, and feelings are controlled from within. Just ask a foreign immigrant who is smiling and happy in their $7/hour job at a local fast food chain. Perception is reality, and the average American’s perception of a “good job” is often the root cause of their discontent. So, when it comes to work, we must stop blaming co-workers, managers, companies and the workplace in general for our dissatisfaction. Instead, we must first change our own perceptions and attitudes. From there, we can find the energy and passion to lead efforts to change the workplace and create corporate cultures that provide the kind of professional satisfaction we want and deserve. I’m not saying that corporate America doesn’t have a responsibility to do its part to improve the situation. I’m just suggesting as individuals, we start in the one place where we have complete control over the outcome – ourselves.
Are you struggling to find career satisfaction on your own terms? Check out our products and services designed to help individuals make ‘work’ something to look forward to. Visit our ‘Spark Tools’ page today.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:36 am
[...] the younger ones, are job jumping more than ever. And let’s not forget that things like technology and generational differences are making employees feel even more [...]
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
As a co-leaner/teacher of Gen-Ys at York University in Toronto, you have hit the nail on the head ..beautifully.
Your article will be compulsory reading for learners in my HR Course at York and my clients in private practise.
Regards,
Gary
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
[...] discussion around ego is very important when strategizing on ways to improve a corporate culture, especially, if your [...]
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
[...] the younger ones, are job jumping more than ever. And let’s not forget that things like technology and generational differences are making employees feel even more [...]