these workers do not plan to let their jobs define who they are.

The key for employers is finding the right mix of individual and team projects that allow these workers to grow professionally.

Generation Y workers need to realize that almost all work will be some combination of individual assignments and teamwork with people of all back- grounds and ages.

Generation Y Perception: Overinflated/Unrealistic Expectations REALITY: While this generation may be more anx- ious than others to rise quickly to the top, it’s less about unrealistic expectations than it is about being better prepared for work than previous generations -- with perhaps a touch of the need for instant grati- fication thrown in. This generation also has no interest whatsoever in working in a cubicle -- not because it is beneath them, but because they feel advances in technology should let them be able to choose to work from home, Starbucks, or anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection. (This most likely won’t work for operations of an automotive recycling facil-

Millennials (also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y) are the demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates when the generation starts and ends. Most researchers and commentators use birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.

ity. But as a manager or owner, consider alternative work spaces for break times and lunch breaks as a Gen Y option.)

The key for employers is to redesign and rebuild some of the old career ladders that were destroyed with the flattening of organizations and greatly expand telecommuting, remote, or alternative work- ing arrangements. Gen Y workers need to see a pro- gressive promotion path or they will move on to the next employer.

Generation Y workers should learn to pace them- selves and gain the necessary experience and skills before expecting a promotion to the next level.

Generation Y Perception: Not Committed to Work REALITY: This generation is the most educated workforce ever, and partly because of this level of education, Generation Y workers believe their work should have meaning. They have a mistrust of man-

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