Every Chinese New Year, Petronas (Petroliam Nasional Berhad), the Malaysian state owned petroleum and gas company, puts out an advertisement (TVC) for the celebration of Chinese New Year given the diversity found inside the nation. It is always a touching message about culture and family that is sure to provoke self-reflection of what one really values in life.
I was most moved, however, by the 2011 Petronas Chinese New Year ad as it struck me as not only a message about the importance of culture and family in Asia, but also shed light on how the prosperity of the Asian nations has led to a noticeable gap in the way the younger generations rank their priorities in life.
In the advertisement, all of the young adults are so busy working that to take time out of their day to spend more time with a loved one seems like a burden. While the same Generational labels (Generation X and Generation Y) have been shown to be pan-global, the corresponding characteristics are slightly different in Asia as compared to the United States. It is noticeable through the advertisement how the younger generations in Asia value modern comforts and money more than their elders, who value a slower lifestyle and quality face to face time with their children. In the United States we are witnessing the younger generations, particularly Gen Y, moving away from monetary compensation as their first priority in favor of a healthier work-life balance.
As the year of the dragon is ushered in promising to bring an entire year of good luck and fortune, these ads remind us that all of this would mean nothing with family.
Happy Chinese New Year, 恭喜發財!
If you are interested, here is a link to the 2012 videos, which are part of a 6 video series on Petronas’ Official YouTube account.
By Melanie Shreffler
www.Business2Community.com
January 10, 2012
Gen X workers introduced the mantra of work-life balance. They wanted their employers to give them flexibility in their job so they could still devote time to their families and personal wellbeing. Millennials have morphed that idea into work-life blending. Instead of switching between professional mode to personal mode like Gen Xers, Millennials are always in both.
At work, Millennials want to have the freedom to access social networks, take personal calls, chat with friends via IM, use their own tech devices, etc. Outside the office, they’ll take work calls at home, check their work email as often as their personal email (even during off hours), and view coworkers as friends.
This new view of the workplace is reflected in the findings of a new study from Millennial Branding and Identified.com. The survey, which examined the profiles of 4 million (90% American) Millennials’ Facebook pages, found that, on average, Millennials are connected to 16 coworkers on Facebook. “The day is over and they’re still connected to work,” says Dan Schawbel, Founder of Millennial Branding. “They’re negotiating a new employee contract” to incorporate work-life blending.
It could be this demanding attitude that has other generations labeling Millennials as entitled, but they have some leverage to get what they want. They’ll represent three-quarters of the workforce by 2025.
To read more of this article click HERE
Jan
In his article, Five Keys to Managing Generation Y, Mike Knapp outlines five helpful reference points to managing Generation Y:
1. Set clear expectations – For many, the line between work and social environments blurs easily so it is important to set expectations from everything from basics like dress code and communications styles, to professional items like timing and follow-ups.
2. Show the big picture, but make tasks bite size – Gen Y wants to feel like they are contributing to something bigger and by introducing them to big concepts, they will be able to think beyond their next task. In order to keep Gen Y focused, break down tasks into small pieces.
3. Celebrate accomplishments – By recognizing Gen Yers’ success (no matter how small) will increase their engagement. Reinsure your support by frequently checking in with them.
4. Understand their values - Gen Y values flexibility; engaging them in cool projects and understanding what is important to them will help you retain and engage them.
5. Keep Gen Y connected and communicating – Gen Y has grown up with constantly evolving technology and in a way depends on it. Forward-thinking companies will allow them to engage with communication tools like facebook and twitter to connect with their businesses.
Check out the whole article here: http://www.growthpointgroup.com/articles/five-keys-to-managing-generation-y/#more-219
Jan
Over the last few years, the influx of new workers from Generation Y has caused the topic of “managing Gen Y” to become a growing concern for managers and employers all over the world. If you have struggled to see eye to eye with someone from this generation (approximately born between 1977-2000) in the work place, then you know what we are talking about when we say that Gen Y is pushing the envelope in so many ways when entering the workforce that many employers are scrambling to keep up.
Differences in work styles between Gen Y and other generations result from many factors. One of these factors is the comfort that Gen Y has with technological advances. In general, Gen Y has embraced such changes that allow them to do more in less time and giving them a leg up on older generations. In order to make the transition into the workplace more successful for Gen Y, companies need to understand their drive for success and their ability to multitask, which can be a difficult process for managers from different generations. The key is to develop specific strategies to manage Gen Y within the workforce and transform them into valuable assets for your company.
Dec
Great website:
Great article
http://under30ceo.com/10-things-gen-y-wont-pay-for/
Great article about how to market to Gen Y:
http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2009-11-16/Downturn/index.html
Midway College has produced and made available a survey they conducted on how different generations work. The research was done in Kentucky and involved all generations. From the report:
“While the research findings found some significant differences in generational work attitudes between the generations, it also found some in common. All three generations considered loyalty from their employer and maintenance of good working relationships as important. Specifically the survey found that all generations take their performance appraisals seriously; they are all comfortable working with members of the opposite sex and people with different backgrounds, and comprehensive healthcare was important.”
To download the report please visit: http://www.midway.edu/sites/default/files/GenerationalStudyofWorkplaceAttitudes10-09.pdf
The first ever survey of Gen Y or Millennial employees in the Ireland has been published by the OMT group. The website provides a presentation as well as a full report for review.
http://www.omtorgdev.com/our-insights/articles/the-cutting-edge/
Louisa Peacock in the UK magazine of Personnel Today reports on a conference where experts spoke about the impact of the recession in the UK up Gen Y employees.
Sep
In a recent blog post, Lindsey Pollack of Fast Company explains why she loves her Gen Y assistant. In short, smart, energized, tech savvy, and filled with new ideas. Read her post at: