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American job satisfaction is at its lowest level in two decades across all generations, but Generation Y hates their jobs the most. This does not prove Millenials are lazy and hate working; rather it simply means they don’t like entry-level jobs.
Only 45 percent of American workers are satisfied with their jobs, according to the report released by The Conference Board, a non-profit organization that distributes information strengthen businesses. But less than 37 percent of workers under age 25, the lowest percentage among all age groups, reported being satisfied with their jobs,
This report is creating lots of chatter all across the Internet and will likely continue to spark more jabs labeling Generation Y as whiny and entitled. But that just isn’t the only logical conclusion.
The survey was first conducted in 1987, (long before even the oldest members of Generation Y entered the work force) and the under 25 workers were the most dissatisfied then as well (that would be the Gen X’ers). This is probably a strong indicator that no one, Millenial or Gen X’er (or anyone for that matter) finds great satisfaction in entry-level jobs. No one really expects to anyway. Everyone knows the first few jobs (years) are all about paying dues.
Interestingly enough, the next age bracket, 25 to 34-years old, is the MOST satisfied at work at just over 47 percent. By most definitions, the oldest members of Generation Y are between 30 and 32. Clearly Generation Y as a group is not resoundingly unhappy with their jobs. By age 25, most men and women are advancing in their careers, officially out of entry-level positions, and can start to see a hopeful and bright career path.
This data speaks to the known optimism of Generation Y, but is a harsh reality check that something is dreadfully wrong in today’s workplace. In 1987, over 61 percent of the population was happy at their jobs.
"The downward trend in job satisfaction could spell trouble for the overall engagement of U.S. employees and ultimately employee productivity," said Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center at The Conference Board, in a news release.
Productivity is definitely affected by the categories from the survey: interest in work (down a total of 18.9 percentage points since 1987), job security (down 17.5 percent points), job design, organizational health, managerial quality and extrinsic rewards.
The real thing we should be focusing on from this study is not that Generation Y doesn’t like to work (right now, it doesn’t seem as the majority of Americans do, at least at their current positions anyway), but rather the problem is getting worse instead of better. The percentage of satisfied workers has been almost a steady decline since 1987.
What are we as Americans, and especially the emerging Gen X and Gen Y leaders, going to do about it?
For more information: The report was based on a survey of over 5,000 U.S. households. The study was conducted by TNS, a global market information and insight group. The full-report is available for download (by purchase) on the Conference Board Web site.
From the simplest point of view, increased job dissatisfaction can be only be caused by two things:
1) the work environment getting worse
2) the bar for satisfaction being raised
While #1 might be true in some circumstances, I see #2 as the bigger contributor.
Precisely because Gen-Y is so optimistic, we have high expectations for the work place. It's no longer just money and promotions that motivates us - now freedom, significance, and other *values* are playing a bigger role in measuring a job.
Not that this is a bad thing. But the corporate work structure is slow to change. As more companies begin to adopt more modern organizational structures (results only work environments, Wii-rooms, etc.), we should expect to see job satisfaction rise.
Sharalyn,
I think some of the resentment comes from the fact that a new generation of workforce knows so much more about the emerging technologies and have a better grasp about how the info economy works. "Old schoool" business leaders and execs still have this entitlement philosophy that they "own" talent. Think of terms like "human capital" and "talent management" - all synonomous with the idea that one person can "own" another person. I've written elsewhere that "Humans Are Not Capital" see: http://bit.ly/6fUKSl
Generationally, we are enslaved, working to fund the retirements, pensions, and social security for people who expect to take much more out than they ever put in. On top of that, health insurance premiums will reflect a larger and larger portion of our deductions as we shoulder the health issues of previous generations.
What can we do about it? Start our own companies. Refuse to work for "The Man." Refuse to give 110% for salaries that continue to decline. Be as loyal to our employers as they are to us (which isn't very much sometimes). I'm open to other ideas as well!
I think that part of this issue could be coming from the fact that a lot of the Gen Y workforce in entry level jobs are EDUCATED and TRAINED for higher level jobs. For example, I have a friend who just graduated law school and works at J. Crew because she cannot find anything else. Same for a friend of mine trying to get into med school - Abercrombie and Fitch.
I know a lot of people in retail that are using it as a way to pay bills while they try to get into a job they actually want.
pretty unsatisfying.
@Yiefi I definitely agree. Although I think it is a pretty healthy combo of #1 and #2. I've seen it in the corporations I've worked, the environments just got worse and worse as the pressure for success mounted in the recession (probably didn't help they were media-based companies!) The increase in #2 does give some founding to the negative stereotype that Gen Y is demanding and entitled, but I don't think it is all bad. I've been talking recently with fellow Brazen people about how more widely accepted use of telecommuting and so forth will really help boost employee satisfaction. Thanks for your insight. I appreciate.
@Steven Oh, I CRINGE at the term human capital as well. I think it is AWFUL! These are age-old business problems. Sure we can all go off and do our own thing, but I think Gen Y has it within our grasp to actually start making some change in corporate America. It definitely isn't going to come all at once, but I think it will eventually. As more Boomers retire and more X'ers take the primary leadership roles, I think we'll see more of this. I like your ambition for sure. Thanks for the feedback!
@Caitlin SO true. Nothing is more frustrating than knowing you're doing something you're over-qualified for. Due to a number of circumstances I worked a retail job this year for basically the first time in my life. I detested it. Especially when the commissioned sales people at this clothing store talked down to me. I always wanted to rub my national sales experience in their nose and say "let me see you in a boardroom negotiating with hundreds of thousands of dollars rather than a $300 suit." But, nothing productive came from that attitude. One thing we can be learning from those entry-level and retail jobs is how to deal with tough personalities, you'll inevitably find them in all avenues of business. Thanks for your insight.
I honestly think Gen Y thinks because they have degrees and such they are entitled to better jobs. Yes, but not always right from the start. It's called the bottom of the totem pole. And while you don't have to settle there, you in many cases do have to pay some dues. Why are people happier in their mid-career? Because they know what they want and they have more flexibility to make demands in most cases because they have more to offer. I hate to say it but new grads don't have much more to offer than the next one. By paying dues and developing your career, you gain your advantage--and your happiness.
Thanks for the great material to blog about! I'm going to start a post at http://www.ramenrentresumes.com now!
@Caitlin, not new at all! Plenty of Gen Xers had that very experience.
I've seen companies want to hire the best of the best with amazing backgrounds and high end degrees...and then us them as file clerks. No one wins there: the company is paying a higher salary to someone it's under utilizing, and the employee isn't challenged and (especially if he can't see a career path) moves on quickly. While you don't have to hire a Gen Yer to be your head of sales, if he comes with 5 years of experience in retail/food service/whatever work experience, let him try a hand at sales...not just scheduling your appointments. Most of us have had multiple part-time jobs since we were legally allowed to work (and some earlier), but companies ignore those 7-9 years of experience as if the day you got your diploma was the day you first needed to earn a dollar.
Why entry level jobs? Mainly because the gap between academics and real world experience is so wide and seems to be growing. You may have the latest and greatest knowledge in a specific field, but do you have any idea how it applies to your company and industry?
When you start an entry level job, you're in the modern day equivalent of a guildhouse apprenticeship. Do you realize that over 90% of the knowledge of a business or industry is not written down anywhere? And this is what an entry level job does, it teaches you the basics of the company, imparts the institutional knowledge the company holds, and introduces you to the processes and people that drive things. Mentorships are crucial, (even if it involves fetching coffee), because someone is needed to explain things and introduce you to the people who hold the knowledge.
It's not fun, and it never has been fun. That's okay, it's traditional, going back more that a couple thousand years. It's not going to change any time soon, so you might as well save your energy, swallow your discontent, soak up as much knowlege as you can, and make the contacts with the people who know more and are willing to teach you, in order to get up out of the apprenticeship and make journeymen money and opportunities.
Nailed it JRandom - though college educations are imparting more knowledge and ideas than ever, very little of it (outside of, perhaps, engineering) has any real world application (though they do teach essential skills: writing, time management).
Coming out of college many think that they know enough to jump right into the deep end but, as we all know, in reality there is no basis for this assumption. At 23 I sure thought I knew it all, but my career really took off once I realized I did not.
I really only hated the entry level jobs I had when I realized that opportunities for advancement that had been touted really weren't available towards me. Rather than hate my job, I found another one. Employers shouldn't expect loyalty from someone in an entry level job if there is no opportunity for advancement or real training and mentoring. It becomes a low-paying waste of time.
As a brand-new graduate I decided to skip an entry-level job. Instead I volunteer at a environmental nonprofit in Seattle. I get to do some many things that a paying job would have taken year to do.
I don't get paid in this position, but the skills, contacts and experience I'm gaining are worth so much more.
I lucked out on my entry-level job, personally. I spent five jobs in an admin position for an energy company and in that time I fought like hell to prove my technical aptitude and it was actually recognized - resulting in a promotion to the technical team (note: I am the youngest one in my position and the only to not have a technical 4-year degree). Granted, I'm also the only one with any education directly related to the field, but still. Had I been at any other company, I am confident that this opportunity would not have presented itself.
Cameron - I think you're doing the right thing! Your contacts and networks from that volunteer opp will probably prove much more fruitful than the entry-level, too!
I meant I *spent* five months.
@Megan:
I wouldn't say you lucked out, you worked for it. Luck is when being prepared meets opportunity. Pat yourself on the back and always remember your accomplishments, its material for interviewing! ! !
Bottom line is all employees have the same function, to help THE BUSINESS succeed.
At my workplace, I probably have the least amount of letters behind my name. In my first 60 days I got a promotion along with a 20% raise. In 6 months I received another 10% increase. As my boss said, you are a victim of your competence. I proved myself to be a valuable asset and was rewarded well. The piece of paper I have is the least valuable part of my resume, interview. My real world transferable skills carry much more weight. I had an audit by an outside agency. They spent 10 minutes with me and the comment was: we just sat in to make it look good, we already know the quality of your work and your competency.
My employer made the comment, "you may only have a diploma from a school, but you have a PhD in experience and knowledge." I started with my current employer as a 8 week relief person (sick leave), after 2 weeks my manager informed me the sick person was returning, however they were creating a new position (same pay), so I would not go somewhere else.
We may be looking at cutbacks. I, having the least time with this company fully expect to be laid off first. My co-workers disagree. They all expect me to be the last to be laid off; in their words "you're too valuable, you can do all the jobs here and you do them very well and you're probably the best facilitator we have ever had." Appreciate the vote of confidence, however it also says something about them. If they do not see themselves as valuable it begs the questions: Are they valuable? and will the boss see their value?
My interpretation, start at the bottom like everyone else, prove yourself and earn your upward movement with proven results in the real world, you GPA doesn't impress me.
@KF said
"I hate to say it but new grads don't have much more to offer than the next one. By paying dues and developing your career, you gain your advantage--and your happiness."
Couldn't agree more,
A degree (piece of paper) tells me you answered all the questions of academia in the manner the professor wanted. Great, you now have the basic knowledge required to pass a school course BUT you don't know MY business. AND if the piece of paper carries such important weight then all one needs to do is hire the person with the highest GPA....just doesn't work that way in the business world.
As usual a great article with some fantastic comments.
WOW! Some great commentary. Thank you everyone. I have some thoughts.
@Kristen you know my thoughts, commented on your blog post. Check it out here: http://www.ramenrentresumes.com/2010/01/entry-level-jobs-real-purpose.html
@Katenonymous Of course they did! A lot of the things that frustrate Gen Y are the same that frustrated X. We can learn from Gen X in many ways.
@Emily Honestly, I don't think the biggest problem is companies not giving credit to a Gen Y'er with 7-9 years of part time experience. The problem is a Gen Y'er doesn't always know how to really present what they did. For example, maybe you worked the counter at McDonald's (awful job, I know for a fact). Don't list assembling Happy Meals during lunch rush on your resume (you know just the actual duties) explain that you advanced through the initial training program in 2 weeks and they wanted to train you for management after two months. Sounds like common sense, but I've been asked to review enough resumes of friends that I firmly believe most people don't know how to poster/position their own experience. That is crucial regardless of experience level.
@JRandom42 ALWAYS LOVE your feedback. Yes, so much of a business isn't written down, and each company is different. I've taken mid-level sales jobs and literally spent months just learning the way things were done at the new place. Your point is very valid that we just have to dig in and learn. I would just add, that to a certain extent, that process never stops, there's always a "journeyman" (at least temporarily) at any new job/company/position.
@Paul It's the age old argument of book smarts versus street smarts or common sense versus acquired knowledge. To really make it, we need both. Once a former company brought in a new person for an entry-level sales job. She didn't have any related experience and was a "street-smart" kind of person. She was a disaster. She was definitely in the deep end. She managed to stay afloat and eventually advance, but she sure did a lot of splashing to the extent that EVERYONE, even far on the outskirts of the pool, got wet. We need both.
@JRMoreau Yes, entry-level with no path is not usually the best option. But, again it is situational. Maybe the job is just good for learning what you need to advance somewhere else. You have to just weigh your options. My philosophy is to try to avoid making a lot of lateral moves (especially early in your career). Try to switch when you're actually moving up.
@Cameron Cool idea. I've never thought of that. I will say this, try everything you can, tackle any project. Especially because you aren't getting paid, it is all about experience. Entry-level jobs at small companies are also great for experience. Employees at small businesses tend to wear many hats. My job through college was at a small TV station and I got to try many new things outside of my role with one TV program. It wasn't until I started working for a large corporation that I realized just how valuable that experience actually was.
@Megan GREAT job! That's exactly what it's about. That's exactly the attitude Gen Y'ers need to have as they start working. Find your path and make it happen. That's just the sort of thing that gets people talking and gets you noticed to receive the promotions @anthonysc mentions.
@anthonysc The degree, your GPA, all of that--it's just a starting point. It's the initial qualifier. Then it does come down to experience and knowing how to make the most of it. Sounds like you have an excellent handle on that.
The common theme is work hard. If you don't see your chance to advance, maybe look elsewhere, but you have the opportunity to learn skills and gain experience which can be transferred elsewhere, stick it out. It'll be worth it.
Thanks everyone! BTW, I'm transferring these comments to my actual Examiner page. Hope no one minds. I appreciate it!
Stop using your companies pre-printed thank you notes. Hand write a thank you note! Hand writing is much more personal and it shows you care. More...
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