Gen Y, Millennials, Echo Boomers – so misunderstood

• Generation Y’s (1977-1990)
  • Also known as Millennials or Echo Boomers 

  The Gen Y’s are the fastest growing generation in the workforce today. This generation does not expect to work with one employer for life. They have great career expectations and a desire to make a difference immediately. They want meaningful work and a solid learning curve. They can, with a click of mouse let thousands of their friends know about how their companies are doing.

  They are family-centric in that the fast-track does not carry much appeal for them. They are willing to trade the high salaries and billable hours to focus on work/life balance. This can be viewed as narcissistic by the generations that have gone before them. This is an instance where conflict and struggles can arise in the workplace filled with generational diversity that includes the Gen Y’s.

As USA Today stated in this article:

They’re young, smart, brash. They may wear flip-flops to the office or listen to iPods at their desk. They want to work, but they don’t want work to be their life.

This is Generation Y, a force of as many as 70 million, and the first wave is just now embarking on their careers — taking their place in an increasingly multi-generational workplace.