I’m about to give a big piece of ammo to the people who believe Gen Y (individuals aged 18-29) have an entitlement complex. According to a new survey from Workplace Options, 92% of these young workers — yes, the same ones who are having trouble finding jobs http://ebn.benefitnews.com/blog/ebviews/gen-y-unemployment-employer-solutions-2717280-1.html in the first place — say that offering access to the latest technology makes employers more attractive than their competition, and 16% indicated that, regardless of compensation, they would quit their job if they did not have access to the latest tech gear.
Seriously?! I love my iPhone and iPad — God knows I do — but my company didn’t buy them for me, and even if my boss never offers me either one (he hasn’t, by the way) there’s no way I’d quit my job over it.
However, “young employees in the workforce now approach employment decisions differently than generations before them," says Dean Debnam, Workplace Options CEO. "There has been a great shift and growing interest in greater flexibility and work-life balance, and access to the technology that allows a workforce to be mobile, learn new skills and be more efficient in the office is a huge draw."
Mmmkay. Interest in work-life balance, I understand completely. But here’s the thing, kids: You can always buy the latest technology yourselves with this really cool thing they call a paycheck.
The survey also shows that overall, 53% of respondents (across multiple age groups) say the latest technology is absolutely necessary to do their jobs properly, and 72% report that their reliance on technology in the workplace has increased in the last five years.
I agree with this to an extent; very recently, EBN production was delayed for several nail-biting days while I dealt with a technology failure. So, I definitely rely heavily on technology to get my job done. But is it the latest and greatest? I’d have to say no. Would I loooove to have a new laptop that doesn’t weigh me down by an extra five to seven pounds when I carry it around? Oh, most certainly. But again, I’m not quitting over it. I’ll just marvel how much stronger my biceps are getting from hauling my less-than-featherweight laptop and keep it moving.
What do you think? Are Gen Yers being greedy or do you think employers have a responsibility to offer the latest technology to workers? Share your thoughts in the comments.
I’m about to give a big piece of ammo to the people who believe Gen Y (individuals aged 18-29) has an entitlement complex. According to a new survey from Workplace Options, 92% of these young workers — yes, the same ones who are having trouble finding jobs in the first place — say that offering access to the latest technology makes employers more attractive than their competition, and 16% indicated that, regardless of compensation, they would quit their job if they did not have access to the latest tech gear.
Seriously?! I love my iPhone and iPad — God knows I do — but my company didn’t buy them for me, and even if my boss never offers me either one (he hasn’t, by the way) there’s no way I’d quit my job over it.
However, “young employees in the workforce now approach employment decisions differently than generations before them," says Dean Debnam, Workplace Options CEO. "There has been a great shift and growing interest in greater flexibility and work-life balance, and access to the technology that allows a workforce to be mobile, learn new skills and be more efficient in the office is a huge draw."
Mmmkay. Interest in work-life balance, I understand completely. But here’s the thing, kids: You can always buy the latest technology yourselves with this really cool thing they call a paycheck.
The survey also shows that overall, 53% of respondents (across multiple age groups) say the latest technology is absolutely necessary to do their jobs properly, and 72% report that their reliance on technology in the workplace has increased in the last five years.
I agree with this to an extent; very recently, EBN production was delayed for several nail-biting days while I dealt with a technology failure. So, I definitely rely heavily on technology to get my job done. But do I have the latest and greatest? In a word: No. Would I loooove to have a new laptop that doesn’t weigh me down by an extra five to seven pounds when I carry it around? Oh, most certainly. But again, I’m not quitting over it. I’ll just marvel how much stronger my biceps are getting from hauling my less-than-featherweight laptop and keep it moving.
What do you think? Are Gen Yers being greedy or do you think employers have a responsibility to offer the latest technology to workers? Share your thoughts in the comments.
