Unlike the Boomer flower children, the iPod
kids are not about the counterculture. In fact,
they are the culture and it is our workplaces
that are out of sync with the new 24/7,
global, plugged-in, downloading, computerinterfacing
rhythms of the digital society.
As I watch my 16-year-old do her homework,
I realize the future is already here. She's
tapping away on her wireless laptop, linking
to her assignment from the teacher's web site.
She's researching on Google, and copying and
pasting quotes and stats into Word.
Yes, I think approvingly, this is what the
wise use of technology should look like. But,
of course, there's more. She's got six IM chats
open. A couple, thankfully, are about the
homework and the upcoming dance recital.
But the others are about weekend plans, the
hot movie, and the cute boy. All topped off by
a flaming session among the girls. At the same
time, she's updating her profile in MySpace,
downloading music, burning CDs - and talking
on the phone.
"Marisela, are you doing your work?," I ask
with that 'father-knows-best' tone. "Yes, Papi,
don't worry." "But what is the quality of that
work," I continue with furrowed brow. "Papi,
don't worry. It'll be fine." And sure enough, it
is, as that quintessential scorecard, the report
card, shows. |
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I can just see her and her classmates at
their first job. They are outside catching some
rays. They are on high definition wireless
laptops they have slipped out of their purses.
They are shaping a client report while planning
their service vacation to Costa Rica, doing their
holiday shopping, updating their resumé on
Monster, and catching up on the latest outrage
on YouTube. And always with ever-present
multi-instant communication with co-workers,
family, and friends around the world to the beat
of background music by their favorite artists.
Sure enough, the judgments about this
Generation are flying. "Not serious about hard
work." "Distracted." "Self-centered." "Not
interested in learning from how things were
done in the past." "Don't want to pay their
dues." "They spend too much time online."
"They want to be CEO in just five years." And
on.
As a diversity leader, I've seen that a
tell-tale sign of inclusion breakdown is
when judgments pop up unchallenged and
group-think sets in about the newcomer.
When behaviors by others are different from
behaviors we believe are right, it elicits one of
two reactions about the other: They either are
incompetent, or a bad person.
This is now happening in reaction to the
Millennials. As in other forms of diversity, this
kind of stance not only is exclusionary: it is not
helpful in addressing the real issues.
Generational diversity is as much an issue
as gender and racial diversity.
And resolve this divide we must - not only
to nurture inclusive environments that enhance
corporate culture and optimize results, but also
because the work force will need to adapt to the
Millennials' way of doing things. Just by nature
of who they are, these Millennials will transform
the workplace.
Already they are transforming the U.S.
political landscape: The 25-and-under
generation is voting in record numbers
and influencing the outcomes in the 2008
presidential elections.1 It's not just their values
and idealism, but also their technological
savvy that lets them build a digital grassroots
movement advocating for their beliefs.
If they end up being a key factor in who
wins the general election, their impact will
be felt not only in the U.S. but throughout the
world, given the many global issues at stake
today. |
