dcblogs writes:
A survey of IT professionals that has been conducted in each of the last four years is showing an increase in IT work stress levels. It's a small survey, just over 200 IT workers, and it doesn't account for the age of the respondents. But some are asking whether Millennials, those ages 18 to 34, are pushing up stress levels either as IT workers or end users. The reason Millennials may be less able to handle stress is that they interact with others in person far less than other generations do, since most of their social interactions have been through Internet-based, arms-length contact, said Billie Blair, who holds a doctorate in organizational psychology. This generation has also been protected from many real-life situations by their parents, "so the workplace tends to be more stressful for them than for others," she said. Others are wondering if Millennials are more demanding of IT workers. Millennials are also expert users, and "are no longer in awe of technology specialists and therefore demand higher service levels," said Mitch Ellis, managing director of executive search firm Sanford Rose Associates in St. Louis.
Millennials will have a very rough landing
By Opportunist
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2015-May-8 18:47
• Score: 3
• Thread
I've seen it time and again, with the people around me who insisted to spawn child processes. The mix of helicopter parents who would not only ensure no "bad" experience would ever happen to their little precious but also made certain that anyone not seeing their brat as the special snowflake they are will get their banshee like fury, coupled with a school system that promoted feeling good and "everyone's a winner", where you would already get rewarded for showing up, whether you can actually accomplish anything or are essentially a useless waste of oxygen, that can only lead to a VERY hard fall when they come into contact with reality.
These people are by definition not going to be able to handle stress, or even any kind of frustrating experience, well. They are by no means prepared to it. And no, that's not true for everyone born in this age of overprotectionism, but it's never been as bad as it is today.
Oh, wait. You mean "Digital Natives", right?
By mmell
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2015-May-8 18:52
• Score: 4, Informative
• Thread
You know - those kids who currently have over eight years experience with RHEL 7, nearly a decade with Windows Server 2012 - those kids who grew up with FaceSpace, WhoTube and YouTome? Oh, yeah . . . I remember them.
And for the record, we who have been in the industry long enough to remember a time without all these resources - we who are decidedly not "Digital Natives" - we're the ones who created FaceBox, YouScreen and WhoBook et. al. And we still have a much older word for "Digital Natives" - we still call 'em "n00bz".
This goes back to why one should hire an old fart
By Ronin Developer
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2015-May-8 18:59
• Score: 4, Interesting
• Thread
Stress in the workplace has always existed. Granted, this generation tends to communicate more but using tools such as Instagram and Twitter where the communications are short, don't convey much information and are non-personal. Granted, the older generation used email (after the memo went the way of the dinosaur)- primarily to put the discussion into a more formal written form. The phone or in-person conversation allows one to hear the emotion and concerns of the other party. It's easier to resolve issues when speaking with the other parties than to try to hash it out over email or some chat technology for all but the simplest of issues.
The other night, there was the discussion on why hiring an older person wasn't such a good idea with one person insinuated they (older workers) wouldn't work late nights on a regular basis to get the project done. Someone with experience knows that proper planning and design can alleviate most of those late night coding cycles. As such, they are inclined to find a better balance between home and work and still get their work done without burning the candle at both ends. They also know when late night exercises ARE useful or necessary.
What we old fogies have a hard time dealing with is being treated (along with our coworkers) like a disposable napkin. Workplaces that foster that attitude coupled with limited human interactivity breeds stress. And, that stress doesn't know generational boundaries.
Re:yeah..
By BarbaraHudson
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2015-May-8 19:45
• Score: 4, Insightful
• Thread
Considering the extent of ageism in IT (why keep an old-timer who will only work their 40 hours per week and won't put up with sh*t when we can hire 2 kids at half the price and burn them out) it's more likely that the pile of defective garbage is designed and implemented by the young'uns.
25 years ago software wasn't shipped with continuous patching over the Internet in mind. It had to mostly work as promised because the cost of sending out patch disks was a lot higher. Today, the attitude is "ship it, we'll patch it later." That attitude doesn't come from old coders and product managers who took pride in their work and were in it for the long haul, rather than the quick cash-out.
Re:sampling bias
By cayenne8
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2015-May-8 20:13
• Score: 4, Insightful
• Thread
Old people are different than young people. Naturally, each group believes that the differences in question make them superior to the other group.
True in many ways....HOWEVER, this latest generation has been more coddled and has more of an entitlement attitude than previous generations. They seem to feel "owed" by society a job, and to be treated nicely and fairly. They are the generation of everyone getting a trophy just for showing up.
This was not something as prevalent in pevious generations, where when growing up, people DID keep score, there were winners and loser, parent spanked kids when they fucked up, neighbors had just as much a hand in disciplining kids in the neighborhoods as the parents....and kids grew up more independently than they do now.
Hell, my parents in today's society likely would have hand child services called on them...they spanked my ass when I was bad. They both worked and I entertained myself much more...I played with the other kids in the neighborhood. I often left the house (unescorted) during the summer in the morning and showed back up at home in time for dinner. I rode my bike and skateboard for miles away from home.
I didn't even have a cell phone, but was under orders to call in (when very young) every hour or so from wherever I was at a neighbor friends' home.
I played and LOST football games, I didn't always get congratulated JUST for trying. I got praise for winning. I had fun, I interacted with numerous friends in the neighborhood I grew up with and got praise for success and well, it sucked when I lost but I learned how to deal with it and deal with all types of people. I got my first job washing dishes at a restaurant when I was 16+ or so, and worked all during high school on weekends and some week nights, but had to keep my grades up to keep the job and enjoy that extra $$$.
Yes....every generation gets to a point where it doesn't understand the next one that well, but I think we have a bona fide GAP in how folks in the US have been raised in a very sharp and distinct manner with the mils.
Let's face it...the term "helicopter parent" is a very new term. And it is sadly accurate, and I think has had a very detrimental effect on this new generation of folks just growing up enough to set foot in the real world that doesn't really give a shit about your showing up. That is expected....
It is what you do after you show up that earns the dollars and you ARE in competition for real with everyone you are in the workforce with.