Millennials—Are They Lazy Or—Maybe Smarter?

The standard belief for those of us outside this age bracket is that if you work hard, it will pay off. Hard is define as long hours, multiple assignments, off-the-charts demonstration of productivity and profit. And with the push to return to the office, “hard” is also defined as allegiance to what senior managers want.

However, in a recent Australian 60 Minutes segment, many millennials are having none of this. For good reason. It seems that the standard 40-hour week has gone to 60 hours and more. The promise of a “payoff” is mirrored by the cost to one’s family, health, AND happiness.

Millennials Want Well-rounded Life

In this segment, it’s clear that millennials want a life that is well-rounded (I refuse to use the word “balance” as I believe that’s a misnomer). I think they are on to something.

Rather than face time, I’ve always thought that results mattered. Giving employees clearly defined outcomes and reasonable goals makes more sense than a place or a space. Micro-management is out and autonomy, appreciation, and achievement are in.

Millennials' Work is Vocation-based

While there are those management gurus who disagree (watch the segment highlighted above), I was fascinated by the sentiment expressed by Scott Farquhar, CEO of the software firm Atlassian. He shows up at the office about once every three months. “Their work is a vocation but not a location.”

As we come off a Labor Day holiday here in the United States, it seems like a good thought to ponder.

Your thoughts?