Young workers want acknowledgement, not money

[purbeast0]

i'll just leave this here

https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation?language=en

a more simplified, animated version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

I really liked that 2nd link there. And it makes a ton of sense and working for a company like that one talks about being a "good company" it is a lot more enjoyable to go to work than it has been for other companies, money aside.

 

[ImpulsE69]

They are full of it. My boss is great about giving out bonuses for good work when he can, but even then the company tries weird 'atta boys' on occasion.

Earlier this year my boss tells me I was awarded a "title". The title itself sounded very important 'president blah blah of blah', but when I asked what it meant and what did it get me, they were like, nothing. It's just a title. I asked where does it show up? It doesn't. It's just a certificate and you know about it. etc. etc. I asked my boss, why am I supposed to be excited about this, it sounds like a participation award. It felt like an empty gesture. I certainly am not a money hungry person, and the acknowledgement was fine, but it felt like they were trying to sugar coat it.

 

[purbeast0]

They are full of it. My boss is great about giving out bonuses for good work when he can, but even then the company tries weird 'atta boys' on occasion.

Earlier this year my boss tells me I was awarded a "title". The title itself sounded very important 'president blah blah of blah', but when I asked what it meant and what did it get me, they were like, nothing. It's just a title. I asked where does it show up? It doesn't. It's just a certificate and you know about it. etc. etc. I asked my boss, why am I supposed to be excited about this, it sounds like a participation award. It felt like an empty gesture. I certainly am not a money hungry person, and the acknowledgement was fine, but it felt like they were trying to sugar coat it.

Sounds like my last company I worked for (for 8 months) where there were like 5 "PMP"'s working on my project, and everyone had a title of President in it too.

Few years ago when I asked for a larger raise (and got it) I also got a title bump from Senior Software Engineer to Senior Software Architect. My day to day stayed the same 100% but the whole reason for the title change was so that they could bill the customer more to compensate for my raise. That was fine by me lol.

 

[leper84]

Don't care about a pat on the back

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I think we should always let the hottie in the workplace know she's doing hot.

 

[pete6032]

YAMHT

 

[ImpulsE69]

YAMHT

You're A Millenial Hating Tranny?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

You're A Millenial Hating Tranny?

Yoda's Ass Means Hot Twerking?

 

[OverVolt]

Depends on the job.

Paid $10 to move rocks, goes at X speed.

Paid $15 to move rocks, the rocks move faster. Read an article about it.

Computer/analytical/research work doesn't quite work like that. Salary was basically independent of the speed/productivity/result. The big thing being that people who actually do the work well command good salaries.

In terms of millennials, that will change. They move out of mommy and daddy's house, they probably still have an old free car, they don't realize how much a house, kids, healthcare deductibles, and car repairs cost. So long as they have a couple bucks to go out and drink some beer they don't realize the actual expense side of the equation to life. They're just thrilled to be apartment poor.

So they're willing to accept a pat on the back and a highfive from mom and dad and the supervisor (with the safety of always being able to move back) but that will change as they learn the risks and costs of life. Give it ~5yrs for millennials to start demanding more money and being just like the boomers..

 

[ch33zw1z]

Pretty much. Empty gestures and atta-boys only get you so far. As costs of living rise, and quickly for the middle class, employees will eventually reach a breaking point where money will be what motivates. Try paying your bills with IOU's and high-fives, then let your employer know how that went.

I'm looking at you healthcare , you have mugged my wallet more every year since the ACA was enacted.

 

[96Firebird]

And people wonder why we are ok with switching jobs after a couple years. That's where the increase in wage comes from, since praise gets us nothing.

I negotiated my salary when I started my current job (was 27 at the time), even though my mom and my sister both told me not to. They seem to think I should be grateful that I even got an offer, which is probably what most people my age think as well. Screw that, I am going to get paid what I think I'm worth.

 

[Anubis]

Made me think of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZp9bu8pmeQ&t=35

I'm technically a millennial. I want a decent wage and then job satisfaction. Praising me is nice, but not critical. However, praising other people who I know aren't doing anything special will piss me off.

this

i think the younger generation is much more aware of people that dont do shit but seemingly are still employees because employers never fire anyone

 

[destrekor]

I'd say with all this, being a millennial (note: millennials are generally agreed upon to be in the 23-35 age group, with some deviation depending upon source), this is partly true, but also partly false.

I definitely want more money in my job, but if a raise isn't going to happen or no bonus, at least make me feel like the company appreciates me. That is, only if I deserve it. Shitty employees shouldn't get much in way of positive acknowledgement. At my company, that's generally the case as well - the so-so ones don't really get much in way of the atta-boys, but those, like me, who are good at their job, will get those.

But the whole concept does not revolve around simply money or praise, that is over-simplifying what the new workforce wants. This all comes back to the "work-life balance" and a positive workplace. We don't want to work shit jobs for money and that's all, we at least want to enjoy what we do and, barring that (can't always get what you want), at least try to make it a friendly work environment that makes working a little more enjoyable or at least less stressful. Obviously stress based upon pressing needs is one thing, but there is plenty of artificial stress introduced in some workplaces that does not produce a better employee.

The idea out of all of this is a happier employee = a more motivated and more productive employee. Over time, as the praise builds up, raises and bonuses should also come into play. I don't a damn gift card, but enough praise should wind up meaning you respect me enough to provide a raise because you fear losing me to a better paying job if you know what I have can transfer elsewhere for more pay.

So it's not so much we just want praise over money (or money over praise), in general, we are more vocal about demanding better work environments. It's that startup attitude vs corporate behemoths. And that's why some corporate behemoths are adopting more of a "startup" environment to cultivate happier employees. It works, you get a better product out of them. That much has been fully established. Make people feel like you care about them as an employee, that you respect their work, and that includes both praise and monetary benefits of some method be it a wage or bonus.

 

[SearchMaster]

Pat on head, participation trophy and proud coos from mommy. No wonder everyone laughs at millennials.

"Validate me!! Make me feel pretty!!"

Nailed it.

 

[herm0016]

our HR people keep telling us "its not about the money" as we watch a steady line of people go to work for our competition for a 50 % increase in pay.....

 

[sdifox]

So print a stack of employee of the day and macro the name list to pick one randomly?

 

[Anubis]

our HR people keep telling us "its not about the money" as we watch a steady line of people go to work for our competition for a 50 % increase in pay.....

they are correct but only partially. the main reason most people leave is because they are unhappy. more money someplace else isn't the sole reason people leave, its just really hels get them out the door

 

[Chaotic42]

I want to add that the current trend of open floor plans is really a bad thing as well. I want an office with a door I can close and a window I can see out of. Cubes suck and even worse are the "card tables against the wall" setups. It's not conducive to quality intellectual work. Developers, mathematicians, and scientists need places where they can be alone and not hear people on the phone, bouncing balls, or playing some stupid video.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

What OP stated is very true, I have seen it happen and changes made because of it. I have been in sales or sales management for 17 years.

 

[Feneant2]

I call bullshit on this. There are news articles daily about millennials being underpaid, unable to buy a house, having to expect to work 40-60 years and never fully retire, etc. but yet they think these kids want a pat on the back instead of cash?

Sure, I'll take the acknowledgement, but it better come with a cash bonus otherwise you can stick that 'Thank you' where the sun doesn't shine.

Go read this, replace exposure with acknowledgement so the concept is the same : http://theoatmeal.com/comics/exposure

 

[Fenixgoon]

apparently i am getting some sort of spotlight award at work and a $250 check. wut wut! the $$ is nice, but the company-wide acknowledgement will be better I think

I call bullshit on this. There are news articles daily about millennials being underpaid, unable to buy a house, having to expect to work 40-60 years and never fully retire, etc. but yet they think these kids want a pat on the back instead of cash?

Sure, I'll take the acknowledgement, but it better come with a cash bonus otherwise you can stick that 'Thank you' where the sun doesn't shine.

Go read this, replace exposure with acknowledgement so the concept is the same : http://theoatmeal.com/comics/exposure

look at it this way - a one-time check is great, but it's not going to change your lifestyle.

now a $10k pay raise...you can do a lot with that. from a purely monetary point of view, it's not about whether you have more money...it's about whether that money is going to change your lifestyle, and whether the effort to do that is worth it.

 

[pete6032]

You're A Millenial Hating Tranny?

Lol. I was going for yet another millenial hate thread, but I like yours better.

 

[Exterous]

I call bullshit on this. There are news articles daily about millennials being underpaid, unable to buy a house, having to expect to work 40-60 years and never fully retire, etc. but yet they think these kids want a pat on the back instead of cash?

Given the disconnect that can often be seen with finances ("I am always in debt!" a few weeks later "Check out my new luxury SUV I'm leasing!") I think a strong case can be made that just because someone is underpaid that doesn't mean they'll do something about it. If they 'like' work because they get recognition or token awards then perhaps the current reward is enough to offset desire for change (more money) given those rewards may be much farther down the line. Risk aversion may also play a role (I know and am comfortable with this job. I may hate the new job so and more money isn't worth hating my job)

 

[destrekor]

I want to add that the current trend of open floor plans is really a bad thing as well. I want an office with a door I can close and a window I can see out of. Cubes suck and even worse are the "card tables against the wall" setups. It's not conducive to quality intellectual work. Developers, mathematicians, and scientists need places where they can be alone and not hear people on the phone, bouncing balls, or playing some stupid video.

Now I like most of the new work environment trends, but I agree, open floor plans suck. If it's a call center then cubicles are just fine. But unfortunately a lot of office designs aren't going to have complete offices for every employee. But you can make some nice cubicle/shifting wall designs to make some good setups. I once worked IT for an office design company, they did just that. I had a cubicle but it was a large office, just one without doors.

But barring the open floor plan, I think a lot of the other trends are spot on and are doing wonderful things for worker morale. Remember, we are the most overworked developed nation, we apparently hate vacation and until now basically hated happy employees.

our HR people keep telling us "its not about the money" as we watch a steady line of people go to work for our competition for a 50 % increase in pay.....

Of course HR says that, HR is there to protect the company. They don't care about individual employees unless it's impacting them or the company.

 

[Chaotic42]

But barring the open floor plan, I think a lot of the other trends are spot on and are doing wonderful things for worker morale. Remember, we are the most overworked developed nation, we apparently hate vacation and until now basically hated happy employees.

What kind of trends do you like?