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Define: Flexibility
Written by Buddy Hobart on March 24th, 2010
Dr. Joseph Rudmon, professor at CMU is constantly reminding his students that English is a living language. Over the years, words change in meaning. Sometimes the changes are subtle; sometimes the changes are dramatic. One word we hear over and over in the workplace that has taken on a new meaning to Gen Y is the term “flexibility.” Many business leaders that we talk to define this word completely differently than Generation Y does. To most business leaders, the term flexibility (as it relates to the workplace) means less than a 40-hour work week and a loss of productivity.
Generation Y has a different take on “flexibility.” In fact, in speaking with many Gen Yers, having a certain amount of flexibility at work equates to being trusted. It certainly doesn’t mean less than a 40 hour work week or diminished productivity. Gen Y simply does not take a 9-5 attitude in the professional work place. It is true that Generation Y does seek a certain work/life balance, it is just not the same work life balance as Gen X and Baby Boomers sought. Prior generations wished to compartmentalize work more, and separate their home and work life almost completely. Gen Y sees no real need for this separation if it is managed effectively. To Gen Y, flexibility means the ability to work when they are most effective and productive. This is not always necessarily between the hours of 9-5.
During a recent interview with a Gen Y employee, she pointed out how sometimes she is at work by 7AM and has also scheduled a business meeting at 7PM. She was not complaining about the long work hours, but was questioning the need to be sitting at her desk from 4pm to 5pm with no real productive task at hand in order to appear to be “working”.
When I questioned her further, her response was very telling. “If I leave the office before 5:00, then it appears as if I am slacking. I find that lack of trust to be insulting. I have never slacked off anything in my life and would appreciate the recognition of that hard work by being trusted in the way I think I deserve.”
It is certainly true that not all jobs can have flexible hours. In fact, many jobs by their nature require the individual to be present during certain hours. However, that is not true for all jobs. I truly believe that the communication gap is widened by using words that are defined differently between generations.
How do you define flexibility? Which other terms have varying definitions from one generation to another?
Tweets that mention Gen Y Now | Consultant's and Coach's Corner » Define: Flexibility -- Topsy.com on March 24, 2010 at 9:13 pm
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TDF88 on March 25, 2010 at 10:41 am
Interesting blog, Buddy & Herb, but it’s missing an important part of the equation: Generation Jones (between the Boomers and Generation X). Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten lots of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, etc.) now specifically use this term. In fact, the Associated Press’ annual Trend Report chose the Rise of Generation Jones as the #1 trend of 2009.
It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. And most analysts now see generations as getting shorter (usually 10-15 years now), partly because of the acceleration of culture. Many experts now believe it breaks down more or less this way:
DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964
Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953
Generation Jones: 1954-1965
Generation X: 1966-1978
Generation Y/Millennials: 1979-1993
Here are some good links about GenJones I found:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ta_Du5K0jk
http://generationjones.com/2009latest.html
TDF88 on March 25, 2010 at 10:45 am
Also, understanding Generation Jones is especially important for those trying to really grasp GenY, given that most GenYers are the offspring of GenJones parents (GenXers are mostly the offspring of Boomers). Parental influences are hugely important in understanding the formation and nature of collective generational personalities.
Buddy Hobart on April 9, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Thanks for sharing – great information. We did conduct research into Generation Jones as we were writing the book. Within the context of the book, as well as this particular topic of defining certain words, such as flexibility, we found that the general approach was the same.
I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the nuances in how these sorts of things are defined by boomers/gen jones.