No appreciation...

[Amanda]

I just have to get this off my chest. The team that I manage is mostly made up of young 20-somethings fresh out of college. I am so annoyed at their sense of entitlement and not only that, but lack of appreciation.

Last month I go special approval to get lunch catered-I think maybe 2 people thanked me. Then today I gave out their holiday cards and I paid for gift cards for everyone. Some teams didn't even get anything!
I received 3 thank-yous. I had to wait in a long line to get the gift cards and I used my own money (it didn't come from company budget).

Is this how kids are going up today? I guess many are living at home and they are used to being given everything. It just makes me mad and honestly, I don't think I'm going to be generous in the future with them.

When I have kids I hope they never act like that!

[flyershoe]

Originally Posted by Amanda

Is this how kids are going up today? I guess many are living at home and they are used to being given everything. It just makes me mad and honestly, I don't think I'm going to be generous in the future with them.

When I have kids I hope they never act like that!

YES! This is how this generation is, unfortunately. I guess that I'm a part of it, too... except that I'd like to think that I don't act the same way. I read an article about this same thing not too long ago.. I tried to find it, but couldn't.. I did find this link though - The scourge of the Entitlement Generation

If you google "entitlement generation" you'll find a wealth of information on it. I wish that I could give you some better insight on it, I can understand how frustrating it must be from a management perspective.

But I see it around me, too... everything from McDonald's workers to employees at my last job. Fortunately there don't seem to be any at my current place of employment, but we're doing a lot of hiring. :/

Good luck... maybe you should send Roz an email!!

ETA: Sorry about the horrible grammar, I'm really tired!!

[amelia]

I have seen news reports about what you are talking about and how its starting to become a problem in office.

Sorry you had to deal with that.

[Mistress Trista]

I'm sorry you had to deal with that too.

I always made sure my kids said thank you even if it was just me handing them a glass of milk. I noticed it paid off not long ago. My son helped a friend of his get his car started. Once done, the guy didn't say thank you, so my son nudged him and said, Thanks, Mike. The guy just grinned and repeated, thanks, Mike. My son nodded and said not a problem.

I thought it was kind of funny...

[BAC]

Originally Posted by flyershoe

YES! This is how this generation is, unfortunately. I guess that I'm a part of it, too... except that I'd like to think that I don't act the same way. I read an article about this same thing not too long ago.. I tried to find it, but couldn't.. I did find this link though - The scourge of the Entitlement Generation

I would be part of that Generation of Entitlement too. I am the only representative of my "generation" currently at my workplace. (The next oldest person in my office is older than me by 12 years, which would make that person Gen X I believe...) I don't see myself an unappreciative and I know I will have to "pay my dues" as a lowly clerk or what have you until I am ready to take on bigger tasks. Or maybe I am and just don't realize it .... but I do seem to know a lot more about comptuers than some of my co workers...

Maybe its because I was not raised the same way most of my 'peers' were raised. I was forced to grow up and face reality a lot sooner than I would have liked to have, but it has given me an appreciation and different outlook on life that I appreciate.

Back to the point...
Not as a rebuttal, but as an alternate viewpoint on the subject... here is another article I found while researching:
One of the "Entitlement Generation" Speaks Out

[Regina]

Amanda,
I think you are so right. I don't know if it is because they were given everthing (ipods, cell phones, cars, etc.) From a very young age or if it is because they have encountered so many nice people like you going above and beyond that they just expect that now. : )

It may take awhile, but since our generation sees this trend and we want to change it with our own kids, i hope our kids will all be a little more appreciative...?

Just like Trista said, "thanks" seems to go a long way.

My kids are taught from the time they can talk to say thank you or ask nicely. They have learned that if not, they certainly won't be getting it. We also try to model the behavior that we want to repeat. They have to ask to be excused from the table, and no matter where we eat or what we have, they are told to tell our hosts thank you for having us.

I am pretty bad about the whole thank you cards; i get so side tracked. But i make sure we call and say thank you and follow up in an e-mail. This is something i am trying to work on though; i really would like the kids now that a couple can write to have their own stationary set for their thank you's.

Keep doing what you are doing by going above and beyond...maybe you will actually be setting a good example to the entitlement kids? On the otherhand, i can understand the feeling of not being appreciated for your effort and could understand if you wouldn't want to do it again.

[ccbegay]

Exactly...I think I am too labeled as part of that generation, but I was raised to say "Thank You" no matter what...and I send out Thank You cards in SNAIL MAIL!

I do see that people my age lack in overall respect, and it really is disappointing...I do my best to show general compassion and gratitude for any person whether it is holding the door, giving smile, carrying a bag...but then again there are some people that don't even want kindness...there was a women in the grocery store yesterday with a small child, she dropped her sippy cup, I picked it up, and the women snatched it out of my hands, without a Thanks..

I think the best that you can do is be a good example and hope that it would rub off.....but it does suck that you put so much effort and get nothing in return...

[flyershoe]

Originally Posted by BAC

Back to the point...
Not as a rebuttal, but as an alternate viewpoint on the subject... here is another article I found while researching:
One of the "Entitlement Generation" Speaks Out

Unfortunately I think that the "alternate viewpoint" presented shows partially what's wrong. It's written with a rather snide and holier than thou tone. Maybe part of the problem is that we think that we're better than everyone else?

I think that Regina has a good point about being given everything... I think part of it stems from so many kids growing up in homes where both parents worked and never really did much parenting. Since the parents probably felt some guilt about not being there as much for their kids, they thought they could make it up to them by buying them stuff.

The only reason I feel that I'm different is because I wasn't given everything - I had to get a job at 14 if I wanted to buy things. I screwed up at my first attempt at college (pretty hard to do that at community college, but I managed), so I had to go out and get a real job.

I don't see the behavior so much out of my close friends that I went to school with, but I think that may be that we grew up in a small community where things were different... and maybe we were just at the beginning of the entitlement gen. Not so sure of the actual years, but what I read said people born 79-93.

The question is how do you solve the problem? It's almost like they see anyone in a superior role as a parent who is going to give them whatever they want. Do you stop giving them things and then have to deal with the whining and crying that goes along with it? Does some company start doing seminars to show the effect that this has in the workplace?

I just don't know what it will take to fix the problem. I think that you're certainly within your right to not be as generous with them in the future!

[BAC]

Originally Posted by flyershoe

Unfortunately I think that the "alternate viewpoint" presented shows partially what's wrong. It's written with a rather snide and holier than thou tone. Maybe part of the problem is that we think that we're better than everyone else?

I found it to be a tad bit snide too.

You have to admit it is a little contradictory that this generation was told to get an education at any costs, spend 4-6 years of thier early adulthood in college, go out to find a job and not get hired anywhere because of lack of experience...

[UKcats06]

I am part of this generation, also, but I worked hard for what I have and I am very appreciative of those who have helped me. I do forget snail mail thank you cards a lot, but I get an email or a call out asap! I have my student loans and I have been working since I was 15, I got a break for about 2 months when I first started college only because I couldn't find a job, but thats about it. I get so irritated at these people that are my age that haven't worked a day in their life until they graduate from college. My SIL's first job was residency after medical school. Luckily she is a very nice person, and you would never be able to tell by talking to her.

Its hard to deal with those type of people in an peer setting as well because they think they are better than everyone else.