|
New Generation of Worker Offers Challenges
Author: | Thursday November 30, 2006
"Gen Y" Workers Often Seek Someone Else to Blame.
"It's Not Fair"
Speaker Notes "Gen Y"
Workers Often Seeking
Someone Else to Blame
Bruce Wilkinson, CSP, believes he know why they call the latest generation the "Y Generation", because when you tell them to do something, they ask "why?" Wilkinson brought his unique brand of humor and insight to an audience of professionals who work "to save people from themselves, in spite of themselves", namely safety and health administrators.
The Georgia Safety, Health & Environmental Conference was held just outside of Atlanta, but it could have been anywhere in the U.S. because the issues and challenges are the same in today's workplace.
"We live in a new society where people believe they can blame someone else when things go wrong," Wilkinson told the audience. He said he knows of individuals who claimed they struck the car in front of them because the person in that car didn't run a yellow traffic light. "It wasn't their fault," he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
"In the workplace 90% of accidents are human related," Wilkinson said. "The number one cause of death of drivers of government vehicles is connected to drivers not using their seat belts," he added. What does this mean for the current and future workplace? "Six million Generation Y individuals are entering the workforce each day," Wilkinson pointed out.
They need education, the leadership expert admonished and it has to come from the employers and most specifically the front line supervisor with the full backing and support of the corporate leadership. Another phrased used by many of today's young workers is "it's not fair" when referring to discipline or work responsibilities. "Fair is not a characteristic of leadership. The world is not fair and the sooner young people understand that the better off they will be, he implied.
"Leaders have to choose to hold themselves accountable if employees are to believe them. They have to demand respect. Safety in the workplace has to be part of the value system of the company, not a priority," Wilkinson pointed out. A priority is a matter of choice, he explained. Workplace safety is not an optional consideration. "We should be looking at many workplaces as places where there is 'controlled danger'," he emphasized.
The son of a Marine, Wilkinson grew up in a family where respect and discipline were routine but he admits that things are a bit different in today's world. It isn't a matter of simply saying something should be done because "I said so." Except, perhaps, for the military, leaders have to learn and then teach. "This is a time for heros," Wilkinson said.
As to why leaders lose respect, he cited three main causes: Not doing what you said you were going to do; no followup; no feedback. Bottom line, individuals don't work for companies, they work for people they respect."
Ed. Note: Bruce E. Wilkinson, is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), one of less than 500 worldwide to earn that designation. He is President and chief Leadership Officer of workplace Consultants, Inc., Wilkinson Seminars and Presentations.
|
