Has the work ethic changed?

[Phrebert]

Is it just me, or is the younger work force not as motivated. I ask this since I am on day 12 of 13 and mostly through a double shift. The rest of the crew is in their 20's and they won't pick up extra shifts or seem to care about their job. The owner pays us REALLY good wages and bonuses, but I can't seem to get them off their *** and it's like pulling teeth to get them to cover other shifts.

 

[mum4jenn]

I think it has. I know people that will miss work to take a dog for a bath and me...I go in sick if it is inventory or ordering time.

 

[Stacerita]

I think it has definately changed. There are tons of things that factor into it I think. Younger people seem to expect more for less IMO. I also find that they have an attitude of them "deserving" something for nothing. I still consider myself on the youngish side and find that people in my generation are at polar opposite ends. Either they are total over achievers working hard and striving to do well.......or they tend to be slackers and just doing what needs to be done to get by. Its pathetic.

 

[slo]

I manage a retail store and it has definitly changed. Many, not all, young people just don't care about their work ethic, and it's very sad.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

It has changed due to several factors:

1) No more job stability. Why would anyone want to pour their heart and soul into a company that would cut them in a heartbeat to save the bottom line?

2) Overall poor company morale. Why work extra for a company that doesn't appriciate you (bonuses, 401k match etc..)?

3) A generation of workers who are used to having mommy and daddy bailing them out when they don't want to do something.

 

[Nite0wl71]

My manager and I were just talking about this today. We have a management trainee and he called in this morning to see if he really had to come in. I also work in retail and we were open today for only 7 hours, he ended up coming in. He can't understand why he has to close, work weekends etc. He has only been with the company about 5 months

We have some really great kids working with us but some call in all the time, or their mom's call in for them.

 

[georgina]

Maybe it has changed - but I certainly can't blame them for not wanting extra shifts. I have seen many people devote extra hours to jobs only to have it not get them anywhere. Why should they work extra, is work more important than family time or down time? I believe in doing the job you are paid to do, but it seems like (in the OP) a lot extra is being asked - why not hire a few more workers instead of piling it on the current ones? The days of company loyalty to workers are long gone, I'm not sure I feel a need to be loyal to the company.

 

[LadyBears]

It has changed due to several factors:

1) No more job stability. Why would anyone want to pour their heart and soul into a company that would cut them in a heartbeat to save the bottom line?

2) Overall poor company morale. Why work extra for a company that doesn't appriciate you (bonuses, 401k match etc..)?

3) A generation of workers who are used to having mommy and daddy bailing them out when they don't want to do something.

I think you nailed that!

At my last job - my position was eliminated for "budgetary reasons". The way I look at - if they canned the ones that called out sick from the beach, etc. Then they wouldn't have to pay other people overtime to cover their shifts, then those covering get burned out & need a mental health day, the cycle would go on. That money would be there for my position if it wasn't for the beach bunny.

I was fortunate to get a years notice about my position, by boy did my attitude change!!! I stopped doing everything extra & just did what I absolutely had to do as per job description. Yes, I still did overtime when needed - I knew I was going to need the money & the referrals - but I stuck ONLY to the job description! I left on great terms, but I was very resentful of them!

Kids see that kind of stuff happening to their parents so they don't understand that yes, people actually did work for only 1 employer for 40 years!!

I think that kids aren't being "taught" common sense either! It amazes me what kids would wear to interviews!! It's like they just walked off a brazilian beach. Those that did have resumes - instead of including myname @xyz.com, they would use things like illdoyounow69 @xyz.com. UUMMM yeah - let me email you to let you know you are hired! NOT! I'm not a prude, but there's a time & a place for everything. Kids don't seem to know that.

 

[Blondie]

I think it has definately changed. There are tons of things that factor into it I think. Younger people seem to expect more for less IMO. I also find that they have an attitude of them "deserving" something for nothing. I still consider myself on the youngish side and find that people in my generation are at polar opposite ends. Either they are total over achievers working hard and striving to do well.......or they tend to be slackers and just doing what needs to be done to get by. Its pathetic.

I agree with it being either an over achiever really trying to do their hardest, or the complete opposite with the entitlement mentality. Who is to blame? Is it the parents who spoil their kids rotten and bail them out of every hardship during school? Or what? I don't know.

One thing I do know is when I'm training someone new, nobody takes notes or writes anything down anymore! Now I know there are some really good people who get it and get it quickly, but then there are those who don't, who should've been taking notes and then pull attitude when nobody has the time to help them do their job, the one they should've been paying better attention to during their training period!

It has gotten so bad that my manager has started to hire the older generation, I'm referring to women who have retired from the government and are looking for some extra income. They are the ones who are willing to come in extra when needed and have been taking notes and referring back to them often until they feel comfortable in their new position.

Another situation I'm seeing is when someone (as in a spouse or child) calls looking for another staff member. If the "newbie" isn't familiar with that person, they simply state they don't know that person, whether they work there or not and aren't about to put the caller on hold to find out either! What's up with that?

 

[jgmklmhem]

It has changed in academic aspects as well. When I was in grad school I taught for a few years and the amount of stuff the students want handed to them is amazing. I mean in a review session if they wouldn't be laughed out of the class by myself or the professor they would have asked to go ahead and get the answers for a few questions on the test. Unlike the company loyalty and such passing the class was only for their own benefit not any one elses. So I just think in general this generation seems to be coddled too much from an early age to the point where they can't fail in their own minds which in turn leads to a poor work ethic because they feel whatever effort they put forth they are right.

 

[barkley]

i don't think it's just the current generation (i.e. the 20 somethings), i encountered employees with horrible attitudes and work habits 10 years ago.

i think allot of it has to do with the "reward everything" trend that has become the way of life for kids since the 80's. just being on a sports team results in getting a trophy (who cares if you put forth any effort?), just handing in your school assignment or homework earns a sticker or "certificate of achievement" (despite the quality of the work), everyone who tries out for the school play gets a "part" (even if the script calls for a cast/chorus of 20 max). allot of these now adults have a definate sense of entitlement that makes it very difficult to employ/supervise them.

i recall heated encounters with employees wherein i would point out (tactfully) an error in a work procedure and i would immediatly get a "you just don't like me, you have it out for me"-uh, no-here are the numbers you miscalculated and here is what happened as a result of your miscalculation...
these same employees would immediatly jump to the top of the chain of command in a company or agency to whine (and i mean WHINE) when something did not happen in the manner they wanted it to go-i suspect many of these were the one time kids whose parents would immediatly call the head of the school board when their was a classroom problem that could have been easily resolved at the local school level.

these employees became outraged when they could not promote up as quickly as they desired (in my line of work you could not jump up rungs on the ladder-managment had to have job experience in the classifications they supervised), could not take prime time vacation (seniority called the shots for this, people waited YEARS for prime vacation time), and allowances could not be made so they could attend every school hour play or field trip (we were open to serve the public, we could'nt adjust hours for someone to stay 3 hours late-THE BUILDING WOULD BE CLOSED!). we tried to accommodate occasional planned absences, but frankly (and i know this sounds cold hearted) it is not your employer's problem if you no longer have grandma to watch the kids after school, you forgot to drop off your bank deposit this weekend and you have to do it today or your rent check will bounce, your daughter needs a ride from school to dance lessons....they have hired you for a specific job at a specific wage, if bonuses and matching 401k contributions were'nt in the package you could have said "no" and sought employment elsewhere. or you could have taken the job, gained skills and a good reputation which would have helped you seek the job you desired.

 

[luvthatduke]

I voted YES, absolutely!
For most of the reasons pointed out here.
My DH & discuss the truly frightening prospect
that these same people are going to be the
ones running the country! God help us!

 

[Planogirl]

I think that the work ethic has changed but I don't believe that it's all the younger people's fault. Sure they are a bit spoiled and expect things to be handed to them which is wrong but a lot of it is the workplace's fault IMO.

I can say without hesitation that I've always had a strong work ethic. But after what's happened to me and others I know, I don't feel so sure about it any more. I believe that most companies have no loyalty to their employees any more and don't particularly want to reward hard work either.

I think that the younger worker sees all of the layoffs and dissatisfaction and probably doesn't see much sense in a good work ethic. I know that if I were just starting out I would at least tone mine down.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I wouldn't want to be 21 years old and entering the WF right now. I've been at the same job about 13 or 14 years and they would get rid of every single one iof us if they could and replace us with technology.

 

[barkley]

i'm not saying i agree/disagree with it but: when in our history did the concept of any workplace/employer "loyalty" to employees come into public mind?

decades ago working conditions were far worse and far more unstable than today. yes, there were those individuals who worked for the same company for years but it was hardly the norm. better working conditions and increased pay and benefits came to be in large part because of workers organizing unions and forcing employers to make changes (it was not because employers suddenly woke up and said "hey i want to treat my employees better and damn the effect on the bottom line".

my late father was a teenager during the depression, and like many young men his age traveled to where ever work was available-it was more often than not backbreaking labor at starvation wages. my mother, young during the depression-recalls that her only working options prior to the "rosie the riviter" opportunities of ww2 (as a high school grad with no ability to attend secretarial school or other trade classes) was to work in a factory with no guarantee of a maxiumum 8 hour day and certainly no overtime. until the advent of the gi bill following the war college and trade school attendance was the exception not the norm (to finish high school was a tremendous achievement in many families often not achieved without the finincial help of older siblings who dropped out to work). the workforce was by and large what would now be referred to as "unskilled labor". and employers paid accordingly.

i think in large part, because the traditonaly stable, well paying, "respected" jobs (with all the perks, the bonuses, the "gold watch at retirement") have been held by college educated "professionals" the newer employees
enter employment believing that because of their "education" they deserve this treatment as a given. what they fail to realize is that the majority of employees in professional trades ARE ALL college educated, and many so called non professional trades require if not college education extensive technical training and expertese. a college degree is no longer a guarantee of a high paying job.

i have encountered many college educated professionals who turned up their noses at taking a secure, lower paying entry level job with a government agency that would require time to promote up, opting instead to "go for the big bucks" in the high tech industry (they wanted the high wages and the stock options). that's fine-it was their choice, but they did'nt take into consideration that the high profile employer might like so many others go belly up in a year and they would be without employment. there is very little thought given to long term planning.

i think in general, the mind set is very skewed (again-it's this "instant gratification" concept).

 

[Claire L]

Yes things have changed, here in England, my job used to be seen as a 30 year career. Now people breeze in and out as they please and it is effecting the job as there are very few people with any decent experience anymore on the shopfloor so to speak, which is sad to see. I know alot enter the job just as a stop gap or without the intention of seeing through the 30 years, which is soon to be 35 years I have also heard of people working in the retail industry who just leave a job when the going gets a little tough, it makes me wonder how much will power they have. I partly blame our system of social security handouts which often pay more than a normal job!!!! Why work when you get more for not working is a common theme amongst the young.
Oh and BTW I am 31 and have been in my current job for nearly 10 years and I have seen some huge changes in the past 10 years, most of them bad with regards work ethic.

Claire

 

[Marseeya]

3) A generation of workers who are used to having mommy and daddy bailing them out when they don't want to do something.

It's only going to get worse! Look at all the parents pushing 9 year olds around in strollers these days.



Sorry, my mind is still boggling at that.

 

[shellybaxter]

As a supervisor for a child care center where having reliable employees isn't just a plus, but a requirement if we are to meet State ratio laws, I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. Generally young female job applicants are the norm for us. They are ususally parents themselves, or first year college students studing to become teachers. We pay well and have a benefits package.

During one interview process we asked the applicants to describe how they had developed their work ethic. Not a single one of the seven applicants answered that question well. Most didn't completely understand what work ethic was. One applicant spent several minutes explaining how they were open to working with children of many races, describing "ethnic" instead of "ethics".

I've also spent several years judging job seeking skills for a local high school competition. We are not doing our children any favors by allowing them to take after school jobs and then allowing them to place those jobs behind family, school, church, and extra cirricular activities. The kids would compete by going through a mock interview for a part time job. They would describe all of their existing activitites as achievements and then state that they could only work on Tues afternoons and Saturdays. As a teenager that kind of a schedule may be appropriate. My issue is when they are 18 or 19 and decide that they can call off because they have a big test and haven't had time to study. Because we've taught them school is more important than job, they see nothing wrong with this. As an employer who needs a certain amount of employees by law, I see a big something wrong with this.

But whose really to blame. Obviously the employee has some blame, but as a society we also take some of the blame.

 

[MickeyGirl555]

I'm a teenager and i am so sick of hearing how are generation is so bad. I know we have some problems, but compared to the issues other generations had, we really are not so bad. Think about how many people of 50's were racist or sexist. There are also many students who work very hard, including myself, and it seems like we're never given credit for it. The media only covers stories on teenagers who go on shooting spree's or the ones who rob banks. To the person who said they were afraid of this generation leading the world please don't be, there are a lot of very motivated young people out there who are more than capable of doing the job.

 

[barkley]

i confess it was me you saw pushing my almost 9 year old around in a stroller at epcot it was easier than having to carry him back to the boat after a late night (and darn those handles are handy for holding shopping bags . honestly we got one just for the trip so we could take him from his bed into the airporter, put him in the stroller and hopefully have him sleep during the 2 hour wait for the plane.


shellybaxter-I HEAR YOU! i sat in on so many hiring boards wherein people would go on and on about their community service activies ("my cheerleading squad raised $500 for new library books"), their "academic achievements' (?) (" i was twice elected student counsel representative for my senior class, carried a 4.0 g/p/a, and i was published in my high school annual"). they never gave us any tangible work skills that they had aquired. similarly when we asked them mock procedural questions "a,b,c,d and e are all happening at the same time and must be done immediatly-what do you do?" we would most often get "oh one of my coworkers could do this, another could do that", we would follow up with "no it's your responsibiltiy-what would you do?". most often we were told "well thats just impossible-is this a trick question?". it was mind boggleing.

now i was one of those kids with extracurriculars in highschool and worked a part-time job. BUT my parents only let me accept a job that had a set schedual and a minimal number of hours per week. if they saw that my grades were slipping i did'nt miss work to study-I STAYED UP LATER AT NIGHT, STAYED HOME WEEKENDS AND BUCKLED DOWN. that not working i would have been made to give my employer 2 weeks notice and explain why i could no longer work for them. my extra curriculars came last (and therefore would have been the first to go before the job).

i truly believe life skills classes need to be a prominant part of the high school curriculum (job seeking skills, preparing for the oral interview, mock oral interviews, work ethics, time managment, fiscal responsibility (or what i like to call "what you make aint what you take-a.k.a. your salary as compared to your actual take home pay ).


MICKEYGIRL555-i don't think anyone on this thread is blaming teenagers, we are speaking to ill prepared and unrealistic new employees of all ages. and as far as your comments regarding racist/sexist attitudes in the 50's, i can honestly say that having worked full time in a variety of jobs since the late 70's, i encountered during the 90's the highest degree of racial discrimination, racialy motivated intimidation, threats, hateful statements and the like directed against myself and others (all things we found abhorant) largly on the part of younger people who simply looked at our skin color and ethnic background and operated under the incorrect assumption that we were "born and bred" racisits, and therefore "had it in for them" it was a tremendous mechanism for calling into public question any employment actions that did not goes as an applicant/employee desired (most chose to ignore that another applicant had greater skills, completed job task more efficiently, was available ALL OF THE HOURS THE JOB DEMANDED...).

not all employees are bad, not all teenagers are bad-the ones that are (and display it in a very public manner) simply reflect poorly on the rest.