posted June 12, 2007 01:55 AM         

I manage a large scale dining operation in a seasonal environment. I get a lot of returners- employees who come back every year, but still each season I get a brand new batch of newbies, often times college students looking to enjoy the environment and make cash for their next semesters.

SO-

My crew this year is quite young- those deemed "Generation Y" or "Millennials" by the ever present media that feels obligated to pigeonhole us.

Wow, these kids are killing me. Literally. I have lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks running after them, trying to GET THEM TO DO THEIR D@MN JOBS.

I now have 150 children who can't make coffee without me by their side, lovingly guiding them to PRESS THE @@^^!!? BUTTON AND GET ON WITH IT.

I don't get it. I really don't. Have we spawned an entire generation that can't think for themselves? That cannot follow direction (directions repeated, ad nauseum, 3 meal periods a day for the past month???!!)

That's almost 100 times, and still, still- they cannot brew coffee without backup. They can't find the coolers. They can't find the handy sheets I have posted all over the kitchen with step by step detailed instructions on how to do their duties.

100 times, 3 times a day, 1 month later.

This is why I can't sleep.

I have spent hours researching on how to best deal with this new worker phenomenon. This season I vowed to be the "kinder, gentler, MK."

I don't yell anymore, I don't snap, I am patient and kind and I lend a sympathic ear to the never ending stream of whining and emotional breakdowns.

Its not working. I need to bring back the b!tch, because I can't get my work done. I am too busy chasing them around and reminding them to wash their hands after they blow their noses into them.

These kids are NOT dumb, I know this. And, yes, many of them are wonderful- sweet and calm, and they do care. But they are content to sit back and let the managers take care of everything, just like mommy and daddy did.

I am all for children being raised with a healthy sense of self esteem- however- doesn't self esteem come from conquering obstacles? Learning how to stand on one's own feet? Maturing?

Have we done a disservice by throwing out the red pencil, and giving everyone an award for just showing up? I spew out positive reinforcement like its benevolent vomit, and still everyday someone is in my office, in the midst of a "nervous breakdown" crying that they just can't handle working 35 hours a week.

WTF??? Seriously??

Please don't get the idea that I think they are all evil- its not like that. Perhaps in 10 years when the rest of us are paying gobs of taxes to support the glut of retired Baby Boomers, all the good paying jobs will require heavy doses of emotional melodrama with technological savvy.

I am perplexed- when does adulthood start now, anyway?

posted June 12, 2007 07:36 AM         

Thinking for one's self IS highly discouraged in many places. I know I sure got into enough trouble for it. Thinking for myself had a lot to do with why I was put into an "adaptive behavior class." And from there it only got worse until I ranaway for the 2nd and final time (not contacting my family again until I was nearly 22).

And btw, "red pencil" thing notwithstanding, schools do a lot to destroy self-esteem.

Most of my childhood ended at 13, though I was still dependent on others at that point. Then I ran away from home at 15 and stayed on the streets for 6 months, and I learned to care for myself. Heck, I even helped to take care of an 18-year-old boy that I felt sorry for, too. Though when stalked by a really dangerous person I went home (where I found out Mom hadn't reported me missing for fear of losing her child support--and Dad never found out, despite that my 16th b-day had come and gone while I was on the streets).

A few months later, I ranaway again. I feel that at that point, I became an adult, as I had no other choice. By the time I was 17, I was stable, continuing my education, had living arrangements worked out, and worked as a private contractor. I even volunteered at the library and helped with the summer reading program.

To this day I've worked for myself in a variety of ways. I seriously doubt you'd have any problem with me doing my job, and then some. 'Course, it's unlikely I'd be doing that job anyway in the first place.

Btw, don't your employees pee in a cup on demand, fill out applications demanding information that is no one's biz, sign waivers that are NOT in their best interest, and the like? Well who else is more likely to go along with all that but drones that can't think for themselves?

posted June 12, 2007 08:38 AM         

I totally get what you are saying. It seems that we as a human race has to go through these cycles in response to environmental changes.

These are my personal observations:

Baby Boomers: This is the generation of war, poverty and famine. The result is a generation of people where they save, and scrounge for every bit of money and food; where individuals work very hard to earn and provide for their family. This is a generation of "Workers".

Gen-X: This is the start of the "Me-first" attitude. Mostly from parents who want to give them everything that they themselves did not get to enjoy as children. But at least they can see how hard their parents work to provide for their family. They are more appreciative of the work that is required to maintain their way of life. They are also more apt to study hard and are generally more educated than the previous generation. This is the generation of "Thinkers".

Gen-Y: Gen-X being more educated also means that they now have better jobs, more money to spend. Therefore, they give to their young, the Gen-Ys, even more than their parents could afford to give them. And if Gen-Y's parents do not give them what they want, they just run to the grandparents! In essense, they do not seem to have to do anything to get what they want. They come to "expect" things to be provided to them rather than "work" for them. This is fast becoming the generation of "I want and therefore I must be provided", with a Me first attitude.

And I totally share your concern for the future...

posted June 12, 2007 01:36 PM         

that's all i can say.

posted June 12, 2007 08:15 PM         

I disagree about your generation labels

Here’s a short description of the Baby Boomers. We were given much more than any children before us, by our parents, the Greatest Generation – the ones who lived thru the Great Depression, WWII, and the Korean War. But we protested our affluence and some of us joined the Peace Corps. Long hair on men became accepted, as did pants on women. Gender stereotypes and roles were assaulted and changed forever, and no one aspired to be Ward and June Cleaver (except Phyllis Schlafly and her friends )

If you lived as a child in the 50's , 60s or the 70s……

Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we
have.................

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding
in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had
no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we
rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention hitchhiking to town as
a young kid!)

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode
down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into
the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were
back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable.

We played dodgeball and sometimes the ball would really hurt.

We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth and there were no lawsuits from
these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember
accidents?

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to
get over it.

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda but we were never
overweight........we were always outside playing.

We shared one grape soda with four friends, from one bottle and no one
died from this?

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X Boxes, video games at all, 99
channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cellular
phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms...............we had
friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a
friend's home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell or just walked in
and talked to them. Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By
ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian. How did
we do it?

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although
we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did
the worms live inside us forever.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't
had to learn to deal with disappointment.....

Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were
held back to repeat the same grade.....Horrors! Tests were not adjusted
for any reason.

Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide
behind.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They
actually sided with the law, imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem
solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of
innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and
responsibility.

And you're one of them.

Congratulations!

MK ~

I’ve had the misfortune to run across the twins of your crew – mostly in the service sector (sales clerks, etc). They don’t KNOW anything, they can’t DO anything, and they DON’T CARE. I believe it’s partly the fault of misguided practices at school….. my son once came home with a blue ribbon for the school track meet. I got excited and praised him for doing so well, and he looked at me funny and said, “Mom, everybody got a blue ribbon.” I was aghast. I didn’t know what to say….. How is this preparing them for Real Life, where everyone does NOT get the blue ribbon?? Wouldn’t it be better to learn NOW, while they are small and protected from life’s vicissitudes, rather than when they are trying to apply for a job along with 500 other people who are just as qualified as they??

posted June 13, 2007 12:36 AM         

I LOVED it- maybe its the stellium in my 11th house, but put history and sociology together and I am enthralled.

We broke down "Elders" "Baby Boomers" "Gen X" and "Millennials" based on categories like historical context, attitude towards authority, relationship style, and motivation.

It is all too easy to stereotype, but there are distinct factors that hold true- as a generalization.

I walked out saying "So, we have to kiss the Millennials a$$es to get them to work."

That has held true.

These kids are the result of Gen X parents who were the latch key children of the Baby Boomers- the BBs defined themselves thru work. It was hot to be successful, and success was working 90 hours a week (remember, this is when women entered the work force bigtime) this was the capitalistic 80s under the Reagan Admin.

Gen X kids felt ignored by their ubercompetitive parents, and swore not to raise their kids the same way.

Hence, "helicopter parents" the parents that hover, constantly pulling their child's hand's from the stove, so they don't get hurt.

Its a cycle, we all know that.
I wonder- when these kids start families- who is going to be the parent?

posted June 13, 2007 08:18 AM         

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It sounds like either it wasn't so great, or the boomers hated their kids.

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ROFL!!! Completely agree!
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MK,

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I wonder- when these kids start families- who is going to be the parent?

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Probably their own kids.
Hopefully, the cycle would have come to a full circle.
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But seriously, you guys may disagree but I think the Gen-X have the greatest advantage of all. Could be just where I grew up but...

I still remember climbing trees, chasing butterflies, swimming in the ocean, and playing with spiders as a child. Everything was just a few minutes walk from our house. During summer, I would leave the house at dawn (yes at dawn) and have an early swim in the ocean, and run around with other kids from the neighborhood all day, and come home at dusk.

No TV, no games, no computers. All the electronic stuff didn't really spread to where I came from until I was in my early teens. These are the things that sadly enough, our children will not enjoy freely. We are always worried that some psycho is going to grab our kids from the streets, never mind letting them run loose in the neighborhood.

And then, we were also young enough when computers came about to actually learn to use it... Sorry to say, but most boomers are too set in their ways to even want to learn how to use a computer. Those who do, only uses it for emails. I am sure there are exceptions to this... but I am talking generally.

All in all, I am happy and proud to be a Gen-Xer.

MM

posted June 13, 2007 08:24 AM         

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Mars, that's so spot on!

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I agree with MCM.

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...please tell me, what did you to develop those abs?

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MCM, you are a good guy...

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HEHE Marsconjunctmercury is soo right about virgo moons

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I only read your posts. Everyone else is boring

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posted June 13, 2007 03:28 PM         

I am writing this even though I sound like an old mother hen.

A lot of people start out the same way. Menial jobs. I actually started out with a hammer on one hand, and a nail on the other. I was a constructor's assistant. Now that was a job I hated!

The main idea is to aim and work hard to get to where you want to go. In my case, I am now a computer programmer, and I love it. I certainly did not start out that way. Had a few bad years. The shortest job I had was 1 month. Then it just goes up from there. When I was doing that construction job, I would have given anything to just make coffee and wait on tables. LOL.

Boredom can be your greatest ally. You just have to find ways to keep busy. If you can't do that at your present job, then go back to school. Learn something. Then aim for another better job. Don't forget that doing your job well now means you have a great reference for your next job interview.

posted June 13, 2007 04:56 PM         

HOwever, what can you expect from these poor people who've been institutionalized and indulged from the time they were unable to speak? Raised on TV. Given dead chemical laden processed food to eat...should I keep going?

I feel for you, I really do.

Huxley was quite prophetic wasn't he?

posted June 14, 2007 09:20 AM         

I think for that, they can show a little interest, and get their sh!t together.

posted June 14, 2007 10:57 AM         

Geez do I sound like a geezer or what? consarnit.

posted June 14, 2007 02:42 PM         

Which National Park if I may so inquire? I worked at Custer State Park in SD one summer, and it was so much fun. Really one of the best summers I had in my early adulthood.