Reasons For The Changes in The Workplace
Goodbye to The 9-5 Jobs
As every few decades pass and one generation retires and another enters the workforce, subtle changes are always expected but has anyone anticipated this radical change? Baby Boomers are beginning to retire as Millennials are hired to fill the gaps in many companies, but what wasn’t expected is the different expectations the Millennials have regarding the workplace. How have technology and startups changed the workplace, and what does it mean for the traditional 9-5 jobs?
WHO ARE MILLENNIALS?
Millennials, also known as Gen Y or the Net Gen, are the generation that directly follows the Gen X. The Center for Generational Kinetics states that Millennials began in 1977 and ended in 1995, those dates indicate that as of this year, 2017, the oldest Millennial is 40 and the youngest is 22. Millennials grew up with technology constantly surrounding them, such as computers, mobile phones, and the internet. They quickly became the leading generation for working with computers, operating systems, devices, and programs. Although they have always been more comfortable working with technology, they are highly dependent on the precedent generation X for more internal problems such as hardware and troubleshoot issues. Millennials are most comfortable with self-promoting photos on social media, they are generally more confident and excel in fields which require presentations or public relations. Unfortunately, their confidence is often teetering the edge of narcissism. Growing up, they were told time after time they were special and to follow their dreams which ultimately led them to unrealistic expectations regarding the workplace. Their narcissistic confidence, optimism, and unrealistic expectations have a great impact on the workplace that has and will continue to, change the traditional hours of the workplace.
CHANGING THE RULES
Within less than three years. Millennials tend to leave their jobs for one or more of these three reasons:
- The don’t feel economically stable
- They don’t consider their work purposeful
- They don’t have enough flexibility in their work schedule
These reasons are directly linked to their borderline narcissism and unrealistic expectations in the workplace, and it is one of the main reasons for the major changes in the workplace.
As Millennials quit their jobs to be self-employed or work for a company that offers the option to work from home, the companies who are not embracing this change are facing thousands of dollars to replace them.
INFLUENCES FOR THE CHANGE IN THE WORKPLACE
Mobile devices such as Smartphones and laptops have influenced the workplace, along with the increasing 1.2 million start-up businesses. With technology enhancing every day and the number of competitors in the industry increasing, many employers and employees are preferring to work from home in order to be successful, feel productive and believe they are controlling their work-personal life relationship. Mobile devices allow many people to work from home, but the most important issue is that they believe they have more control when in reality, that isn’t always the case. Working from home blurs the line between work time and personal time; people are more likely to work on their time off and perform personal tasks while working. As for many Millennials specifically, they prefer life experiences over monetary value; they are more willing to leave a typical 9-5 job for a self-employed career which allows them to fulfill their need for experience and adventure. These influences from the industry and Millennials are changing the workplace, what does that mean for the future?
MILLENNIALS AND INDUSTRY GROWTH CHANGING TRADITIONS
Now that we’ve discussed the factors that have led the workplace to this inevitable change, how will this change the traditional 9-5 positions? Although people may feel that they have more control over their personal-work relationship, they tend to overwork and try to juggle multiple positions at once. Joe King, an account executive at Worksighted Inc. stated: “The 9-5 never existed for people who wanted to be successful.” In 2016, 26% of Americans said they worked over 48 hours per week. Small business owners and those who are self-employed currently have larger markets to compete in due to the increase in start-ups. Their increased hours of work performed is driven by their desire to be successful in their industry. More and more people are being driven to work from home for many reasons, that is leading the once traditional 9-5 job to become obsolete.
The advances in technology, increase in competitors, and in the best interest of Millennials all lean toward this vast change in the workplace. In the end, it comes down to making sure your employees are satisfied with their position and feel productive. Once they feel productive, they can actually be productive. If changing the traditions to letting them work from home will be beneficial to your company, you’re better off embracing this change, or at least giving it a shot!