Generation Y

Generation Y is known as the generation that was born in the 1980s and 1990s, although experts do not agree on when this era started. The people who create Generation Y are often the children of baby boomers and are therefore called echo boomers or Generation X. Most of them are in their late teens or twenties and totally different from other generations.
The most significant difference between generations X and Y are that X kids are often thought of as the "lost" generation raised at a time when both parents had to enter the workforce leaving their "lost kids" to fend for themselves while Gen Y are considered the most parented generation in history. They are also the largest generation of youth in history being three times larger than Generation X. Other terms used to describe Generation Y include Millennials, the Net Generation and the Trophy Generation, due to the tendency for kids in this demographic to get trophies from activities regardless of their actual achievement levels.

Generation Y have hundreds of friends who are part of their online social networks. Blackberrys, cell phones, iPods are normal to this generation. They like to communicate via text messaging, Facebook and other online technology. They're often considered egotistical and brash, yet they're eager to learn and contribute. They want to make a lot of money , but they also believe in supporting nonprofit causes.

The members of Generation Y, perhaps like all the generations to come before them, consist of traits that often seem incompatible. Perhaps the main traits among these is their unceasing optimism despite the fact that they grew up at a time when students were gunning down other students and terrorists were crashing planes into buildings. But it seems that instead of making them fearful and introverted, this made Gen Y more positivity. This seems to come from the practically that anything can happen in life, so you should enjoy the moment while you can. Not only have global events shaped their outlook, so have personal moments.

As they watched their parents divorce and friends make relationships with other nationalities, Gen Y has become one of the generations that's most open to changes. In fact, 93% approve of interracial dating relationships.

Yet despite their liberal leanings, the members of Generation Y tend to be much bigger conformists than the more radical, individualistic X that came before them. They want to have an impact on the world, but they're happy to wearing the same "cool" jeans and sneakers as the rest of their friends.

So, now we can talk about how Generation Y fits (or doesn't) in today's workplace. Due to the endless positive feedback which Generation Y kids have throughout their lives, the young adults of this generation tend to be extremely confident or would say overconfident. They tend to enter the workforce with very high expectations how for themselves and for their employers, and they often have plans to effect change at their company from day one. They also often have much higher salary expectations than entry-level positions actually pay.
Additionally, many members of this generation have headed home after graduating college, they have a nickname of the Peter Pan Generation for not really "growing up" and heading out on their own until their early 30s. They have the luxury of jumping from job to job until they find one that suits them.
While job security might not be near the top of the list for young Generation Y, financial security certainly is. Often having watched their parents lose a lot in the stock market or as a result of the housing market crash, Generation Y tend to be savvy about finances and value of Retirement investing from their employer.

Yet this generation tends to keep money and work in its place. Generation Y are likely to see work as something that helps them live the rest of their lives rather than seeing work as life in other words, they work to live rather than living to work. Generation Y youths have a different attitude towards work. It means something different to them than it did to their parents or grandparents. They do not want to work as hard as their parents but spend their life in a meaningful way. On the whole, they'd rather work at an interesting job for less money that allows them plenty of time out of the office (or working at home using freelance ) rather than spend in 12-hour days for a salary. They prefer taking a day or two off to spend with their family when the weather is fine.

In short, Generation Y want stimulating work that gives them lots of opportunity for change and growth both personally and professionally. They crave instant feedback at work, much in the same way text messages to their friends are often answered within seconds, or their posts on Facebook are quickly "liked." They don't want to be cogs in a corporate machine, nor do they want simply to be told what to do by an overbearing boss. They want to shape and be shaped by their daily work experience and if that experience could include working with their friends in a casual and fun environment, so much better. They need more freedom, changing places, faces, need more emotions. They don't want be a robots. Young people of Generation Y just want to live their own life.