Think differently

You are the "Millennials," born approximately between 1980 and 1999, and are now starting to shake up the world of life and work. Multioptionality and the desire for a balance between work and private life characterize Generation Y, the "Digital Natives" (who grew up in the digital world). What else do they and the subsequent generations have in store? Questions to the human resources professor, Professor Jutta Rump.

Professor Rump, less focus on career, more emphasis on work-life balance and healthier working conditions - the employees of tomorrow have clear ideas about how they want their future workplace to look. How do the new generations differ from their parents and grandparents? Prof. Jutta Rump: They definitely think differently. And that is also good and right. The reason lies significantly in the various socialization patterns, especially in the first 20 years of life, which significantly shape our behavior and attitudes. The War, Post-war, and Baby Boomer generations grew up under different conditions than someone born after 1980. Millennials are growing up in a wealthy society in Germany, which has been doing well in a broad sense for a long time. And not least, we have been living in peace here for many years. In addition, young people have experienced that there is always an alternative for them. It starts with choosing sneakers and extends to leisure activities. Unlike in the past when there was only the shooting festival on weekends, now there are also amusement parks, cinemas, street festivals, or a party quickly organized on Facebook. For them, the multi-option society is a learned reality. For the young, this equates to great freedom, while the older generations may perceive it as a lack of drive, will to shape, and a sense of responsibility. This sounds like trouble. The older generations may think that the young cannot endure anything, are more fickle and unreliable. This quickly leads to thoughts like: What will become of the country with this attitude?! At the same time, the young think: Oh God, the old are so slow, they can't handle the internet and can't get anything done. Objectively, each pattern has its justification. However, the old patterns lead us into a hamster wheel in the face of the challenges of an increasingly fast-changing and interconnected working world, eventually leading to hopeless overwhelm. The behavior and attitudes of the younger ones are already anticipating many requirements of the future working world. They increasingly focus on the joy of doing, the balance between private life and work, and the prospects for a good future. Otherwise, they would not be able to cope well with the probably upcoming 50 years in the workforce. We need to bring both attitudes together. A synthesis can generate a lot of positive energy. How does the internet change the possibilities and attitudes of young generations? The internet and networking are indispensable in our lives. But in the end, the users are always people who need personal interaction and relationships. In this respect, the younger generations are no different from the ones before them. What does this mean for the Millennials' attitude towards the community? They show a great interest in civil society. Just in a slightly different way than their parents and grandparents. They associate their engagement, such as in political parties, with the option of different choices. Lifelong loyalty to an employer is not as obligatory for them as it is towards a political party. We increasingly see them as nomads within the civil society system. Many older people find this almost shocking. For political parties, this means understanding the motivations and making offers to continuously inspire and engage the "young nomads" and those who want to visit temporarily. This requires good information policies and communication focused on participation. In the past, there has been a lot of talk about political disillusionment among young people. What is your impression? I do believe that Millennials are interested in politics. Just maybe not in the structures and processes in which politics often still takes place within parties. For them, it is already a given to engage in a discourse with real-time reactions and structured feedback. When they are told, "we will discuss the current hot topic in two weeks at the next meeting," it is no longer up-to-date for them. That's when they disengage. What does this mean for the interaction between generations? It is always about enjoying what you do. This is not a matter of age. The younger generation unequivocally demands this today for themselves. I find that right and good. For more information on Dr. Jutta Rump, visit her profile here. You may also be interested in: https://www.speakers-excellence.de/se/blog/ihk/