Learning to live with Gen Y

OPINION: Generation Y are those born between 1978 and 1994. So they are aged early 30s down, writes Mary-Jane Thomas in this week's Work to Rule.

This group presents challenges and opportunities to employers and managers who are "Baby Boomers" (born between 1946 and 1964) or Gen X'ers like me (born in the late 1960s through to the late 1970s).

I know I have ranted about Gen Y in the past which resulted in some of my staff getting quite irritated with me since seemingly I "don't understand them".

Fortunately, I do not see my raison d'etre as being to understand my generation Ys but to ensure that they do what I tell them to do.

I have adopted my father's method of instruction when I helped him on the farm as a child which runs along the line of – Do this – If you didn't understand the instructions listen harder next time I tell you what to do – You are not at school now with school teachers – Do it quickly.

Luckily, Dad never had to contend with cellphones and texting – I can, however, imagine what would have been said but cannot print it here.

Gen Y – quite obviously see things very differently from the rest of the world and react accordingly.

I have recently come across a table that attempts to explain the differences between the generations. (Thriving and Surviving with Generation Y at Work, Peter Sheahan, 2005).

In a future article Brian Richardson will suggest ways that employers can manage Gen Ys – it will be of more assistance to you than what I have set out above and will be less likely to result in a personal grievance claim.

» Mary-Jane Thomas is a partner at Preston Russell Law. E-mail questions to mary-jane.thomas@prlaw.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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