The "Millennials" Are Coming

Morley Safer On The New Generation Of American Workers

(CBS)  This story was originally broadcast on Nov. 11, 2007. It was updated on May 23, 2008.

It's graduation time and once again we say "Stand back all bosses!" A new breed of American worker is about to attack everything you hold sacred: from giving orders, to your starched white shirt and tie. They are called, among other things, "millennials." There are about 80 million of them, born between 1980 and 1995, and they're rapidly taking over from the baby boomers who are now pushing 60.

They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. And if you persist in the belief you can, take your job and shove it.

As correspondent Morley Safer first reported last November, corporate America is so unnerved by all this that companies like Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young, and scores of others are hiring consultants to teach them how to deal with this generation that only takes "yes" for an answer.

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The workplace has become a psychological battlefield and the millennials have the upper hand, because they are tech savvy, with every gadget imaginable almost becoming an extension of their bodies. They multitask, talk, walk, listen and type, and text. And their priorities are simple: they come first.

Just ask Marian Salzman, an ad agency executive who has been managing and tracking millennials since they entered the workforce.

"Some of them are the greatest generation. They're more hardworking. They have these tools to get things done," she explains. "They are enormously clever and resourceful. Some of the others are absolutely incorrigible. It's their way or the highway. The rest of us are old, redundant, should be retired. How dare we come in, anyone over 30. Not only can't be trusted, can't be counted upon to be, sort of, coherent."

Salzman says today's manager must be half shrink and half diplomat.

What are some of the do's and don'ts in speaking to the generation of young workers?

"You do have to speak to them a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient," Salzman says, laughing. "You can't be harsh. You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."

Faced with new employees who want to roll into work with their iPods and flip flops around noon, but still be CEO by Friday, companies are realizing that the era of the buttoned down exec happy to have a job is as dead as the three-Martini lunch.

"These young people will tell you what time their yoga class is and the day's work will be organized around the fact that they have this commitment. So you actually envy them. How wonderful it is to be young and have your priorities so clear. Flipside of it is how awful it is to be managing the extension, sort of, of the teenage babysitting pool," Salzman tells Safer.

All of which has led, as you'd expect, to a whole new industry -- or epidemic -- of consultants, experts they allege, in how to motivate, train and, yes, sometimes nanny the extraterrestrials who've taken over the workplace.

Mary Crane, who once whipped up soufflés for the White House, now offers crash courses for millennials in, well, the obvious. "As to the tattoos just make sure they stay covered up within the office, especially if you are going to be meeting clients," she advises her clients.

"It's a perfect storm we have created to put these people in a position where they suddenly have to perform as professionals and haven’t been trained," Crane says.

Basic training, like how to eat with a knife and fork, or indeed how to work. Today, fewer and fewer middle class kids hold summer jobs because mowing lawns does not get you into Harvard.

"They have climbed Mount Everest. They've been down to Machu Picchu to help excavate it. But they've never punched a time clock. They have no idea what it's like to actually be in an office at nine o'clock, with people handing them work," Crane says.

She maintains that while this generation has extraordinary technical skills, childhoods filled with trophies and adulation didn't prepare them for the cold realities of work.

"You now have a generation coming into the workplace that has grown up with the expectation that they will automatically win, and they'll always be rewarded, even for just showing up," Crane says.

"To what extent are you having to tell the boomers, the bosses, the 50 to 60 year olds, 'The people who got to change are you guys, not them?'" Safer asks.

"The boomers do need to hear the message, that they're gonna have to start focusing more on coaching rather than bossing. If this generation in particular, you just tell them, 'You got to do this. You got to do this. You got to do this.' They truly will walk. And every major law firm, every major company knows, this is the future," Crane explains.

[definingmanhood]

I resent some of the characterizations of my generation in this article. They are right about one thing though, I'm out for #1. In order to be a company man I'd have to incorporate myself. Luckily for my employer I also realize that whats good for the company is good for me. What past employers have had a problem with is my poor response to ********. I don't tolerate exploitation, manipulation or intimidation from my employers. I punch in on time, I work my shift, doing whats in the job description, and maybe a little extra, and then I punch out, when my required work is finished and I'm ready to leave. if you want me to do 30 minutes of paper work at the end of my shift, you're paying for it. It's not coming out of my personal time thats for sure.

I don't do yoga, and I don't expect something for nothing, but i do expect my contributions to be acknowledged, and when i go above and beyond I expect to be rewarded, at the very least with a little respect. Also I know for some managers and old timers its tough to imagine, especially the overeducated suits, but if I spend all day in the trenches, and you spend all day in the ivory tower counting money, you might wanna at least pretend to listen to my ideas and suggestions. Some employers are of the habit of treating entry level employees as disposable, and I won't tolerate that treatment from anyone under any circumstances.

I've been required to learn more in my first 20 years of life than you were required to learn in the first 40 years of your life, don't you dare look down your nose at me. I respect the fact that you have decades of hands on experience on your side, and I know I can learn a lot just by observing you, but you have to understand that this is a bold new world we're living in, and the dynamics that I bring to the table, as a product of this new age is valuable in and of itself. Where you might hire a consultant, I might just run a few internet searches and see what data, and info and recommendations are available for free. You spent 4 years and tens of thousands of dollars going to college, I spend 4 months and maybe $300 on books from Amazon.com and I become equally adept. Experience is the only thing that makes you my superior, and even that can become a liability as your experiences in 1978 have little bearing on the reality of 2009.

[huntr44]

Yes, yes, yes! I am so glad I was not the only person of education, ambition and a strong work ethic that was utterly appalled at this idiotic representation of my generation. We may not have a stuttering Roger Daltrey to represent us, but we have more than enough reason to be angry. We are the most world-wise and adaptable people on the planet so far and we lived our lives being talked down to this way by the the GenX Eeyores and their stoned Boomer parents and we have really had enough.

[huntr44]

I don't know who you think you're talking about, Ms. Textor, but you're about ten years off the mark. The F**k it attitude you attribute to people born in about 1980 is, in reality, a GenX cancer that people of our generation are desperately seeking to combat. Education, the sciences, and cleaning up the mess made by the boomers and their kids(GenX are our rallying cries. Doubt me? take the explosion in popularity of current-event based comedy such as the Daily Show and the Colbert Report par example. Maybe you're too old to tell the difference between a 38 year old and a 28 year old, or too scared of the big bad internets to have done any research. One way or another, turn off O'Reilley and get with the times (possibly try opening a book). My generation is poised to be the best since WWII, so mind your p's and q's or we'll take away your social security.

[Morbidax]

May I point out to the author of this ridiculous article, and all the old loons who agree with it, that it's the Millennials who are currently fighting in the Iraq war (voluntarily, at that... gosh, we're so selfish!)? And it's the Millennials who are currently having to clean up after their parents (the Baby Boomers) mistakes? If this generation is as coddled and screwed up as this article makes them out to be, it's their parent's fault. But then again, most of those crazy Baby Boomers were stoned throughout the majority of their young life, so that's not surprising.

[acaiberryfacts1]

As an employer of several 18-25 year olds over the past five years, I can say you''ve got it dead wrong. Employers do not and should not have to pander to "extended adolescence", but should praise hard work, commitment and dedication to a job. It is an employer''s responsibility to promote those values.

http://www.resveratrolsources.net
http://www.acaiberrystudy.net

[innovenials]

why should i live and breathe the company, stay late without overtime, and sacrifice my weekends? what loyalty do i owe, or receive in return? on the contrary, all my jobs till now have used me, with broken promises. and do i want a coronary by age 35? when school and government programs stress and build you up towards a healthy, balanced lifestyle, is it not natural to have a shock when suddenly some business entity seems to want to own you, and for their profit, not yours? i thought the baby boomers were supposed to change things, but it turned out the 60s were just a phase and by the 70s and 80s they?d suited up.

i?m not devaluing hard work, but i believe in work hard, play hard, and i just think it?s so important to refocus on what?s important in life, and especially after what?s happened in the states and world economy recently, due to greed and inflated egos, a more sane and balanced approach to ?corporate america? or how we approach work in general (we live to work instead of work to live - which is the right way to do it) should definitely and vitally be a priority. absentee parents, school shootings due to social alienation due to loneliness due to breakdown of communities and family units - surely these are not all rash and selfish things to be concerned about and want to change.

look at sweden and most of europe - sweden?s philosophy is ?just enough?, for everyone, and most in europe have managed to balance work and life and family effectively (they may not be world leaders in business, finance, economics, blah, blah - but does it matter? they?re happy! and look whose economy?s in the pitts now) - whereas in north america we seem to be born with ?workhorse? or ?corporate slave? stamped on our foreheads. and it makes me so mad the comments these ignorant ?older, wiser? people are making in this clip, as they?re just reinforcing the status quo. (and who can afford to live on their own in the city these days?? most entry level jobs pay squat, nevermind unpaid internships often being a pre-requisite + massive student loans.) zappo's and google are still the exception, not the rule.

i do know that many millenials truly are spoiled and selfish, but they seem to be making us out to be the bliss generation, where no hardship has ever touched us, and that is just not feasibly possible - me being an example of someone who?s been through the ringer. anyhow, i hope the snotty ones only make things better for intelligent creatives like me. :) what with the state of things now, who knows if anyone?s got a choice in things really, and i project it?s the britney spearses that will have to change their acts, unless the world goes completely mad and the lowest common denominator becomes ?it?, even moreso than it has already.

i don?t want to be talked down to and patronized, and i do crave challenge and development, but i definitely, definitely do not want to have to cope with the archaic, stressful system of days of old, that are still in place in most offices today. 'the wonder years' dad will not be me, nor will i further line AIG?s coffers, and i resent being sought for my skills and then hired for a job a monkey can do.

and yet sadly, some of us still have to be garbage collectors and work in sewage plants - that?s where the ?dream job? philosophy?s failed us. but all in all, i think after all these botch ups by our elders, a healthy cynicism and a ?what?s in it for me? are only smart, especially when another trend now is to ignore what the equality movements fought for in the 60s, and be un-PC, the other side of the storm is ugly.

(oh, and engteacher12 - i hope you're not presenting your students with the positive and encouraging attitude you've shown here.)

anyway, that?s my rant, sorry. :/ godspeed. :)

p.s. cbs, stop airing stories with pre-conceived agendas, and let the real people speak - as they have on this board. thanks.

[trmoore8989]

Hopefully this one works better...

While listening and watching this short segment it struck me that the ?millennials? new role in the work place is great. I think that our generation is extremely spoiled, the idea of giving a losing team the same trophies as the winning team is ridiculous. In fact it?s a wonderful way to destroy competition, an aspect of our society that truly sets us apart from many others. We get everything we want, its true, but that?s a good thing? we live in an era of astounding economic wealth, people live longer and have the highest standard of living in history. The idea that we crave positive reinforcement more than other generations could be true, but there?s no one who doesn?t like a compliment. Because of the way society functions now our generation has grown accustomed to having a good time and receiving frequent compliments.
However, despite all the talk about us being spoiled and needy, this will only make our lives better. In the video, each interviewee claims that it is the other generations that must alter themselves to meet our needs. Isn?t that awesome? We will continue to be spoiled in the workplace as well as everywhere else, everyone who claims that its offensive can just turn to all of these people who are ?insulting? us and just say that they?re the weak ones for having to conform to our, the younger, generation. It seems as though work places around the country will now be altering there daily schedules to fit our needs. I think that?s awesome, who doesn?t want to have a job where they are ?playing computer games at work?. As long as people continue to make our lives easier, why change? It will only make us happier. :-p
T {}/\/\ /\/\ Y /\/\ ()() R3
HHS

[trmoore8989]

I dont know why but like all of my punction got replaced with question marks... have fun reading
T {}/\/\ /\/\ Y /\/\ ()() R3

[trmoore8989]

While listening and watching this short segment it struck me that the ?millennials? new role in the work place is great. I think that our generation is extremely spoiled, the idea of giving a losing team the same trophies as the winning team is ridiculous. In fact it?s a wonderful way to destroy competition, an aspect of our society that truly sets us apart from many others. We get everything we want, its true, but that?s a good thing? we live in an era of astounding economic wealth, people live longer and have the highest standard of living in history. The idea that we crave positive reinforcement more than other generations could be true, but there?s no one who doesn?t like a compliment. Because of the way society functions now our generation has grown accustomed to having a good time and receiving frequent compliments.
However, despite all the talk about us being spoiled and needy, this will only make our lives better. In the video, each interviewee claims that it is the other generations that must alter themselves to meet our needs. Isn?t that awesome? We will continue to be spoiled in the workplace as well as everywhere else, everyone who claims that its offensive can just turn to all of these people who are ?insulting? us and just say that they?re the weak ones for having to conform to our, the younger, generation. It seems as though work places around the country will now be altering there daily schedules to fit our needs. I think that?s awesome, who doesn?t want to have a job where they are ?playing computer games at work?. As long as people continue to make our lives easier, why change? It will only make us happier. :-p
T {}/\/\ /\/\ Y /\/\ ()() R3
HHS

[drcatrock3]

The welfare for the future of our country you should fear for. And we do reap what we have sown. As parents we are the first teachers our children will meet. It is our responsibilty to teach them integrity, honor, loyalty and how to be decent. Ignoring them, taking work assignments to be away from them, spending hours in front of the tv set drinking doesn't really teach them anything except "what's in it for me"- because it becomes quite obvious to them very soon, that they are not important to the people that are supposed to love them the most. As parents, when we bring human beings into the world we must make it our #1 priority to raise healthy,independent, functioning people that can go out into the world and contribute to our global society. And we do reap what we sow. When you are a selfish, dictator of a parent you do reap what you sow- selfish children.

[eng12teacher]

I am guessing with the more people than jobs scenario that is occuring now, the Millenials will have to change their work ethic.