Gen Y: Beliefs vs. Realities

Federal managers have long expressed concern over how the Generation Y workforce would shake up the federal government with their short attention spans, high expectations and tech-savvy ways of communicating. Dice.com highlights some of the commonly held assumptions about Generation Y's expectations in the workplace, as well as how IT leaders have responded to those expectations.

For example, Gen Y workers often hold the belief that frequent job changes are OK, Dice reports. While IT leaders acknowledge that there's little loyalty in today's workplace, they stress the need for younger IT workers to stay in a job for at least three years. Generation Y workers also should not assume that prospective employers will find them, IT leaders note, adding that younger workers should not abandon traditional job hunting techniques or sending thank you notes or e-mails after interviews.

The younger workers also must realize that phone and e-mail are still the standard ways of communicating in many offices, and that older programming techniques are still a necessary part of an organization's infrastructure, IT leaders say. They also shouldn't feel entitled to cherry-pick their assignments, or expect frequent promotions.

I've been covering generational issues in the workforce for a few years now, and it seems these same assumptions about Generation Y continue to creep up. But are younger workers still perceived to hold these expectations in the workplace, especially given the down economy that has left many of them desperate for a job? I'm sure a digital divide still exists and will continue to exist among generations in the workplace, especially as new technological advances create mini gaps within the generations. Are younger workers still perceived to have high expectations of work at your federal agency? What issues continue to divide the generations?