Millennials: A boil on the butt of the work ethic

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

I read the article ‘Millennials Really Do Ruin Everything, And Big Oil Is Next’, by Julianne Geiger, this morning. Apparently, once again, the message is that we must placate this generation in an effort to survive. I refuse to buy this nonsense and I think that it is unhealthy to do so. 

I found a list of Millennial characteristics on the internet, and present them here:

·      Narcissistic

·      Lazy

·      Coddled

·      Delusional

·      Civically and politically disengaged

·      Focused on materialistic values

Apparently, among Millennials, the trend is “more of an emphasis on extrinsic values such as money, fame, image and less emphasis on intrinsic values such as self-acceptance, group affiliation and community.

From what I have read, it seems that we, the ‘older generation’ must bow down to these entitled little snits and ‘work with them’ on such issues as flexible work hours, working from home, ‘onboarding’ (a favorite HR buzzword) them once we have actually given them a job, and so forth.

Keep in mind that this generation has amassed a mountain of student loan debt. I will not get into the argument that education is too expensive, but these Millennials knew the rules of the student loan game when they decided to play it, they got their degrees, now they do not want to take responsibility for that decision and want the loans forgiven – that is, the American taxpayer to pay for their bad decision making process. These children did not have to attend universities, they had other options such as the military or a trade…but dammit they were entitled to go to university!

Now let’s carry that thought further. We, as corporate entities, are now expected to hire these people, who have already shown poor decision making capabilities, who need to be coddled and apparently have no loyalty to anyone except themselves, and now allow them to create their own schedules and possibly work from home to achieve the right ‘work/life balance’. Does anyone else see the opportunity for abuse and the subsequent lack of production? 

Furthermore, we are supposed to provide ‘premium on-the-job’ training, an ‘easily climbable career ladder’, and ensure that these people are convinced that ‘their job means something’.

Let’s just be honest with ourselves, these Millennials have little or nothing to recommend themselves to the work force. They have no work ethic, no loyalty, poor decision making capabilities. They feel entitled to succeed, yet are not willing to put the effort in to make that happen – we are supposed to ensure that they are successful in their job, not them! Would you actually want one of these people running your companies, making executive decisions and spending your money?

Apparently, if we do not coddle these kids and make them feel wanted in the corporate workspace, they will simply leave (remember, no loyalty) and provide their wealth of knowledge and experience to a competitor. Do you remember in the ‘old days’ that you were warned that if you kept jumping jobs that it would show up on your resume and that eventually people would refrain from hiring you? I believe that is still in effect today.

Granted, these Millennials are now the pond that we must fish in for talent. But there are still many out there, born in that specific period, who maintain a strong work ethic, are loyal, are willing to work to progress and at the end of the day are appreciative of having a job. These are the ‘Millennials’  which we should be looking to nurture and hire. We should not get into the mindset that we are forced to hire and mollycoddle Millennials simply to fill a slot in the organizational chart. Doing so will degrade any company in the long run.

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

Millennials Really Do Ruin Everything, And Big Oil Is Next

By Julianne Geiger 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

29 minutes ago, Douglas Buckland said:

it seems that we, the ‘older generation’ must bow down to these entitled little snits

If you think the Millenials are bad, I invite you to go drop in on your local elementary school and watch the "little snits" of the next generation running rampant.  Those charmers will:  spit on the teachers, throw food, run out of the school (forcing some teacher to go sprint after them), hit each other, bite each other, bite the teaching staff,  urinate on their shoelaces, tell outrageous lies, refuse to cooperate, scream,  and demand attention.  Goes on all day long.  And yes, the teaching staff gets totally burned out.  

I shudder for where the country will be with THAT generation.

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

30 minutes ago, Douglas Buckland said:

Granted, these Millennials are now the pond that we must fish in for talent.

Your solution is to hire guys in their seventies.  They know how to work, and buckle down to get the job done right. 

[cbrasher1 + 272]

47 minutes ago, Jan van Eck said:

Your solution is to hire guys in their seventies.  They know how to work, and buckle down to get the job done right. 

And don't forget us in our 40s, I've worked since I was 12, old deacon would come get me and take me down in the woods and I'd split wood and load on a trailer for $20 an afternoon.  I have always worked and been self-driven to succeed.  Previous job was 12 years, but made barely enough to male it.  And here I am now doing 3 month hitches, 7 days a week, 14 hr days whole 3 months.  

[Old-Ruffneck + 1,177]

4 minutes ago, cbrasher1 said:

And here I am now doing 3 month hitches, 7 days a week, 14 hr days whole 3 months.

Very hard on a family those  hours. I remember watching to see headlights for next crew. Sure learned to pack a bigger lunch!! Just pray the work no stop, like in 84. 

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

2 hours ago, cbrasher1 said:

And don't forget us in our 40s, I've worked since I was 12, old deacon would come get me and take me down in the woods and I'd split wood and load on a trailer for $20 an afternoon.  I have always worked and been self-driven to succeed.  Previous job was 12 years, but made barely enough to male it.  And here I am now doing 3 month hitches, 7 days a week, 14 hr days whole 3 months.  

At least you’re working!

[Rasmus Jorgensen + 1,169]

5 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

Furthermore, we are supposed to provide ‘premium on-the-job’ training, an ‘easily climbable career ladder’, and ensure that these people are convinced that ‘their job means something’.

 

5 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

Apparently, among Millennials, the trend is “more of an emphasis on extrinsic values such as money, fame, image and less emphasis on intrinsic values such as self-acceptance, group affiliation and community.

 

5 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

From what I have read, it seems that we, the ‘older generation’ must bow down to these entitled little snits and ‘work with them’ on such issues as flexible work hours, working from home, ‘onboarding’ (a favorite HR buzzword)

 

5 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

Doing so will degrade any company in the long run.

 

I once saw an interview with a Danish CEO guru. He listed many of things you listed above. However, he also said - not everything millenials do is bad. And the companies that figure out how utilize millenials and their talents will be winners - afterall millenials are the future consumers. Like it or not. 

Personally, I try to raise my kids old school, but I know that I can not ignore that the world they are growing up in is different to the one I grewq up in. It is a bit like falling in trap of what works for one culture may not for another. 

[Meredith Poor + 883]

8 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

We, as corporate entities,

Now I understand all the label slapping, name calling, and stereotyping: you're a corporate entity.

Have you considered a role in a horror movie?

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

14 minutes ago, Meredith Poor said:

Now I understand all the label slapping, name calling, and stereotyping: you're a corporate entity.

Have you considered a role in a horror movie?

A figure of speech mate, get over it. 

[ChrisG + 13]

As a millennial with a job that I enjoy, without debt, aggressively investing for the future, keenly interested in economics and history, and who greatly values a free and capitalistic society (after all, everything else is crap), I find the constant complaining from previous generations about “accommodating” millenials to be as pitiful as the snowflake safe zone attitude that the youngest portion of my generation has adopted.

As the economy has continued to integrate and we are verging on/already in a 4th industrial revolution, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that creative destruction is on an upswing. Unfortunately, that little, oft-conveniently-neglected element of a free market economy is leaving industries and specialized groups by the dumpster as new, previously unthoughtof industries rise up and create value for society, investors and employees. 

Going back a few sentences - can I go down a quick rabbit hole? Cool, thanks. Outside of Mutually Assured Destruction, global economic integration has been one of the most important elements in minimizing great power warfare... so that’s pretty cool. Maybe it’s worth not losing sight of that as we - correctly - challenge those economies trying to take advantage of said system. Ok... climbing back out of the hole now.

Are societal norms and generational preferences major drivers of who wins and loses? Of course... in addition to an incredibly rapid development of a “tech” industry - and in particular a more “ethereal” software component to value creation that is hard for many to understand given the lack of physical production. (You know, valuing things other than what you can touch and feel is just so childish).

Here’s the thing though - the makeup of the economy changes over time as society progresses, and I was taught by previous generations that it was part of what made capitalism awesome (and America badass). Now that it is hitting a few generations particularly hard, and these generations are having to adapt and change to new environments and expectations, it’s changed to “those damn kids on my lawn.”

So I suppose, now that the big bad millenials are trying to carve out their preferences in this short period we have on this planet and find fulfilling jobs to support those preferences, it’s only perfectly logical that we should do everything we can to smear their decisions. Hell, we should probably start subsidizing these poor, critically important industries that they, unlike any previous generation ever (lol - is that acceptable?), are so unfairly destroying. I mean, to think that industries that have been raking in massive amounts of profits (in the case of oil, 100+ years) should have to spend some of that money and pay some smart people to capitalize on these major changes is just so unfair (wait - that sounds like something a millenial would say...). 

Anyway, there’s so many things about the generational blame game that I find distatesful, I’ve sort of lost track of where I was going.

(Goes and eats an avocado toast - the devils food)

Oh yes, now I remember. Pull up your pants and put this vaunted work ethic to use and CAPITALIZE on the changes... be better than your competitors, make more profits and provide value to society (of which millennials are a part of). A business that doesn’t change, dies. Probably it used to be that older generations understood that- they’re the ones that taught it to me after all. 

Alternatively, b***h and moan, and perhaps we can set you up a competing safe space (adult day care) where the millenials cant keep destroying everything good in the world that your all knowing generation is so confident must survive or global catastrophe will ensue (sounds like another hot evil millenial topic...). 

- sincerely, a destroyer of industries

Edited September 23, 2019 by ChrisG

[BillKidd + 139]

12 hours ago, cbrasher1 said:

And don't forget us in our 40s, I've worked since I was 12, old deacon would come get me and take me down in the woods and I'd split wood and load on a trailer for $20 an afternoon.  I have always worked and been self-driven to succeed.  Previous job was 12 years, but made barely enough to male it.  And here I am now doing 3 month hitches, 7 days a week, 14 hr days whole 3 months.  

You work three months straight of 14 hour days with no days off? Holy cow, how do you not go insane? What type of work, and where? Do you get a paycheck in months you don't work, do they spread it out, or not? Interesting.

 

[Keith boyd + 178]

I read the first 2 paragraphs then moved on to reading something more worthy of my time. 

 

She identifies some actual market trends then implies the least economically engaged  people with the least resources would  have any impact.

Millenials didnt ban straws, leftist totalitarian marxists control freaks masquerading as liberals banned straws, and they would ban you from using 2 ply to wipe with and going canoeing on the weekend because you crushed a lily pad if they could get away with it too. 

[Keith boyd + 178]

Do you remember in the ‘old days’ that you were warned that if you kept jumping jobs that it would show up on your resume and that eventually people would refrain from hiring you? I believe that is still in effect today.

 

I disagree with this one tho. The muscle companies are moving more and more to 3 month contracts that renew every 3 months. They aren't willing to promise any more then that. 

 

every time I bounce companies I have been getting better and better compensation. It's hard to get raises once you are locked in their contract routine (because it auto renews no rate change and they shove it in your face to sign. You can try to  negotiate but they stonewall you until you sign or quit)

sometimes you have to leave for an employer to notice what they lost when you leave. 

 

I always used to tidy the yard wherever I work. Keep the bins organized, empty oil trays and buckets out, collect the litter (other empoyees) 

 

I do It because I take pleasure knowing whenever I leave their business will look like a dump again very quickly. 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

18 minutes ago, Keith boyd said:

I do It because I take pleasure knowing whenever I leave their business will look like a dump again very quickly. 

Keith, you have a wicked, truly diabolical, sense of humour!   Your plan is the ultimate sabotage of middle management!

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

58 minutes ago, ChrisG said:

As a millennial with a job that I enjoy, without debt, aggressively investing for the future, keenly interested in economics and history, and who greatly values a free and capitalistic society (after all, everything else is crap), I find the constant complaining from previous generations about “accommodating” millenials to be as pitiful as the snowflake safe zone attitude that the youngest portion of my generation has adopted.

As the economy has continued to integrate and we are verging on/already in a 4th industrial revolution, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that creative destruction is on an upswing. Unfortunately, that little, oft-conveniently-neglected element of a free market economy is leaving industries and specialized groups by the dumpster as new, previously unthoughtof industries rise up and create value for society, investors and employees.

Pleased to make your acquaintance sir. Or is it Zir? I get so confused, what with all the trans this and that nowadays. I have my own millennial children, and they despise the term. They also despise their "millennial" brethren who can't hold a job, can't hold a conversation and can't quit whining. I can't blame them. They've got cousins who epitomize all the negative complaints about millennials and can barely hold a job. Statistically it looks like a lost generation.

Do I blame the millennials? Hell no, I blame their PARENTS! Those kids didn't raise themselves, they didn't invent the rules so their "sports" consisted of scoreless "contests" where Everyone "won" a "Participation Trophy". Edumacation consisting of "math" that was incomprehensible to me, a math major. I had 30+ years of stomach churning revulsion to observe this train wreck coming. Society foisted this mess on all of us, even those members of society (like me) who complained vigorously that it was a disaster, to Cassandra applause. 

However, that said, there were those few who seem to have escaped the trap, who've learned, like you, to value a job well done. Kudos to you, you're the ones old farts like me are counting on to come up with solutions to the problems coming our way.  The only thing standing in your way? Other millennials…

[ronwagn + 6,290]

17 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

If you think the Millenials are bad, I invite you to go drop in on your local elementary school and watch the "little snits" of the next generation running rampant.  Those charmers will:  spit on the teachers, throw food, run out of the school (forcing some teacher to go sprint after them), hit each other, bite each other, bite the teaching staff,  urinate on their shoelaces, tell outrageous lies, refuse to cooperate, scream,  and demand attention.  Goes on all day long.  And yes, the teaching staff gets totally burned out.  

I shudder for where the country will be with THAT generation.

All adults should have seen this coming. The worst problems started with the strict rules against physical discipline by parents and teachers. Check out the actual high school GRADUATES average scores on educational proficiency. Then consider that one fourth of students in large cities don't even graduate from high school. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-schools-graduation-rates-20160905-htmlstory.html

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/15/u-s-students-internationally-math-science/

 

[Guest]

@James Regan    *cough*  UK, all 3 ...  *cough*

37 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

All adults should have seen this coming.

It's not all bad... you beat the Dominican Republic in all 3.

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by Guest

[Guest]

Is it just me or is this thread just old guys moaning about a younger generation?

Like every older generation, ever.

  Just sayin'

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by Guest

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

 

6 minutes ago, DayTrader said:

Is it just me or is this thread just old guys moaning about a younger generation?

Like every older generation, ever.

  Just sayin'

Even the youngest generation pokes fun at millenials....

 

[PE Scott + 563]

Sadly, I agree with pretty much all of you. That being said, I qualify as a millennial. I was born in 1984.

You all shake your fist in dismay, I look at post like @Douglas Buckland 's and see opportunity. I hope there are some other millenials out there reading this, but if you put in the work, don't bitch about everything, show up on time, and just generally try to be considerate of your employer and do everything you can to help their business flourish.....you'll get promoted very quickly. Honestly, it has never been easier to stand out. That initial foot in the door is the hardest part because, rightfully, older generations are hesitant to hire millenials. 

I mean, to our strengths we know how to operate computers and other technology pretty well. For example, look how I highlite and reference just a piece of a post.....

4 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

Do I blame the millennials? Hell no, I blame their PARENTS! Those kids didn't raise themselves, they didn't invent the rules so their "sports" consisted of scoreless "contests" where Everyone "won" a "Participation Trophy".

I'm just messing with you @Douglas Buckland, I completely agree with you. I also think, as Ward pointed out, that parents are the ones that acquiesced to all of this in the first place. What's worse, millenials are having kids now....likely the ones that @Jan van Eck is referring to at that demon academy. 

Still, I would have to agree with Ward's kids and say being lumped into millenials drives me nuts. I do my very best to be the opposite of what @Douglas Buckland was describing.

[PE Scott + 563]

15 minutes ago, DayTrader said:

Is it just me or is this thread just old guys moaning about a younger generation?

Like every older generation, ever.

  Just sayin'

 

Yeah, but you have to give it to them. One day we'll be the old one's bitching....it's cyclical. 

[Guest]

Meh.

Blame the young . com 

Boring.   Moody old men.   Jeez.

Moaning about the young while doing nothing but moan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just messing with you guys haha

Edited September 23, 2019 by Guest

[PE Scott + 563]

5 hours ago, BillKidd said:

You work three months straight of 14 hour days with no days off? Holy cow, how do you not go insane? What type of work, and where? Do you get a paycheck in months you don't work, do they spread it out, or not? Interesting.

 

That's the oilfield for you though. I think it takes a different breed. I just got off a 63 day hitch in the middle of no where. It was almost 30 miles to a paved road. Same 14 hour days after safety meetings and hand overs. For me, it isnt grueling work, but it does take a different mindset than what the typical millennial is described as having.

After those 63 days, I had a week off before going out for another indefinite hitch. Am I complaining? Hell no, I am very very glad to have the work.

A good way to prepare for oilfield work, do some time in the military. In fact, I sometimes think there would be virtue in requiring a year or two of military service. That's for another thread though.

[Guest]

Scott they don't wanna hear these stories as it goes against their perception. They wanna moan about you.

· Narcissistic   Lazy   Coddled   Delusional   Civically and politically disengaged    Focused on materialistic values

You're meant to be all of these

 

24 minutes ago, PE Scott said:

That being said, I qualify as a millennial. I was born in 1984.

What is the official rule then? I just miss out I think. Dang.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Guest