Gen Z in the workforce - 3 things..

[Vle045]

you are also free to be fired without cause

Which is why it's stupid to be "loyal" these days. If a company thinks they can hire someone else for cheaper and let you go, they will do that. Maybe the other person isn't as productive as you, but all they see is that they're paying that person $0.50 less per hour.

For sure….  But don’t announce to everyone that you are open to leaving at any point.  That’s just dumb.  Be loyal on the job.  Search for new opportunities on your own time.

[CatsDomino]

I used to believe in longterm loyalty to employers until, throughout that time, I saw how it really played out among colleagues. I can't speak for all industries and organizations but in my particular realm of healthcare, there's this facade of caring for the employees. Frequent reminders of "look at all we do for you." There are statements from leaders and policies about your rights as an employee and what you can do when you need help.

In reality, it's all B.S. I saw a longtime leader, a true leader that I trusted, suddenly get replaced with an outside hire. This former leader held a stable department for 18 years and helped employees grow. Turns out, the replacement was friends with the manager that hired him. There wasn't even a job posting, public or internal. He just immediately started. Chaos ensued. I learned that the department from the other hospital he came from did so terribly that it shut down. I started to see why. He began dismantling all the progress and fine-tuning we made over the years. Right away he was rude to colleagues and unprofessional. He would even interrupt patient appointments in exam rooms. Oh, he also can't read or write very well and is generally stupid.

Another one of my longterm, loyal colleagues that I think highly of had some bad experiences with him. I was the only other male in the office and he treated me differently than her. When we would do the same things, he would praise me but talk down to her. The irony is that she has such a wealth of experience and skills, and I learned so much from her. She was wonderful and so valuable to have on the team. She complained, and this company that supposedly supports and cares about its employees, well, they terminated her. Clear, blatant retaliation.

The department continued to fall apart. Increasing amounts of chaos everyday. The medical director doesn't want this guy and refuses to work with him. He is a respected a honored doctor and raised hell about it. Apparently, even he had no power over the situation, so he quit. Our friggin doctor quit. Then shortly after, the manager that hired this guy quit. Then, my former leader, the good one that was replaced, she quit. Every time we lost someone, it left more mounds of chaos. It's been so stressful and everyone I trusted is gone. I can't even reach out to anyone with concerns because it would be used against me.

That's what motivated me to go back to college. I could have crumbled but I responded in a positive way to grow and overcome the situation. Do I believe in company loyalty? Hell no. I need evidence that my employer cares before its reciprocal.

I've worked in healthcare my entire career, and that sounds like my old workplace.  They promoted the idea that everyone was just so valuable, but it wasn't true at all.  Unless you were part of the "in" group with your department head, you were expendable.  That's why I left for a better job when I was just a RN.  My current employer is a huge regional healthcare system, and they're great!  I have been here for almost 15 years.  My job paid for my BSN, promoted me to DON, reimbursed me for nearly all of my MHA, and promoted me again last year when I completed my masters.  I did learn what not to do at my other employer, however, and I protect my people, especially my most hard-working employees, from the shenanigans of leadership.  I wish you luck getting your education completed so you can move on to a better job - they really do exist!

[studyingfortests]

you are also free to be fired without cause

Which is why it's stupid to be "loyal" these days. If a company thinks they can hire someone else for cheaper and let you go, they will do that. Maybe the other person isn't as productive as you, but all they see is that they're paying that person $0.50 less per hour.

It depends on whether the company is hiring replaceable people for jobs that require minimal training or skill... or positions where knowledge, skill, judgment and competence are important.  Companies that hire posotions in the latter, in this economy, do seem to do a lot better at recognizing the value of retaining good employees, and work to listen to them and keep them happy.

Coincidentally, GenZs with the "meeeeeeeeee" mindset, or the ones who, as Vie045 put it, are the "newbies who think they are in charge" don't last at the better companies.  So in a way, while it would be nice if all employers valued employees, what we are left with is... the employers who want good employees don't have to put up wth the crap some of these GenZs think they are entitled to, and the GenZs who actually "get it" and are willing to work hard and act with reciprocity find good jobs with good employers, who, for the most part, will want to keep them and ensure they are happy, within reason. And the GenZs who maintain their entitlement, and whine about how they've lost the last 10 jobs they've held, for 3 months apiece, will end up relegated to the employers of last resort. Which... seems like fitting poetic justice.

[Vle045]

My son is Gen Z but hasn't entered the workforce yet. He feels like he is not ready. (He is 16). But through conversations with him, I don't think he will be anything like the author of that article. While he does act "entitled" with us at home, he is very different out in the world. He recognizes when his peers are being rude, entitled, and selfish. He goes to a Catholic school, and while he isn't sure he wants to be Catholic, he says while in "their" environment, he respects their beliefs and ways of doing things. I hope that will transfer over to a workplace. Hopefully, he would respect whatever the work culture is, and if it doesn't fit him, he will look for something else while still respecting his current employer. That's the best way to be sure they will be a positive reference in the future.

[dfrecore]

I think company loyalty went the way of the dodo bird a long time ago. My parents both worked for a big phone company for 30 years, and they NEVER talked about loyalty - because that's crazy. Sure, they were good employees and did their part. But loyalty is not something I've ever really thought about when working. It's just not a thing.

I have a feeling someone in my office is about to get fired (she comes in late, leaves early, and doesn't do much while she's there). But the other admin and I have discussed this, and agree that there is NO WAY we will be taking on her job duties without extra pay. Yeah, we're willing to help out. But we agreed - "tell us what you want us to STOP working on while we're doing this other stuff, because we're not working more than 40 hours a week." We will then let the higher-ups figure things out from there. But we are in lock-step on this - no extra work without more money. We are not willing to be exploited. There must be a financial upside for us to take on additional responsibilities, that's only fair.

[Pats20]

I think company loyalty went the way of the dodo bird a long time ago.  My parents both worked for a big phone company for 30 years, and they NEVER talked about loyalty - because that's crazy.  Sure, they were good employees and did their part.  But loyalty is not something I've ever really thought about when working. It's just not a thing.

I have a feeling someone in my office is about to get fired (she comes in late, leaves early, and doesn't do much while she's there).  But the other admin and I have discussed this, and agree that there is NO WAY we will be taking on her job duties without extra pay.  Yeah, we're willing to help out.  But we agreed - "tell us what you want us to STOP working on while we're doing this other stuff, because we're not working more than 40 hours a week."  We will then let the higher-ups figure things out from there.  But we are in lock-step on this - no extra work without more money.  We are not willing to be exploited.  There must be a financial upside for us to take on additional responsibilities, that's only fair.

 Let us know how that works out. If it ends well let me know where you work cause I want to apply. 

[dfrecore]

I think company loyalty went the way of the dodo bird a long time ago.  My parents both worked for a big phone company for 30 years, and they NEVER talked about loyalty - because that's crazy.  Sure, they were good employees and did their part.  But loyalty is not something I've ever really thought about when working. It's just not a thing.

I have a feeling someone in my office is about to get fired (she comes in late, leaves early, and doesn't do much while she's there).  But the other admin and I have discussed this, and agree that there is NO WAY we will be taking on her job duties without extra pay.  Yeah, we're willing to help out.  But we agreed - "tell us what you want us to STOP working on while we're doing this other stuff, because we're not working more than 40 hours a week."  We will then let the higher-ups figure things out from there.  But we are in lock-step on this - no extra work without more money.  We are not willing to be exploited.  There must be a financial upside for us to take on additional responsibilities, that's only fair.

 Let us know how that works out. If it ends well let me know where you work cause I want to apply. 

They can't force us to work more than 40 hours, without compensating us for it - with OT at a minimum.  We clock in and out every day.  So really, it WILL work out.  It's just a matter of how they want to handle it so that it's a win-win.  The two of us are good hardworking employees that are liked by our team (we are both admins that each work for a separate group of guys).  Those teams aren't going to want us to work for ANOTHER team at all, as it's to their detriment.  We aren't allowed to work OT now unless it's approved.  So, I guarantee you, someone is going to have to make a deal with someone else to get them to agree to pay us more, out of a different budget, in order to make it work. We will let them figure it out.

[Kire]

People with an hourly employee mentality have gotten me to where I am today. I started off in healthcare nine years ago as a security guard. Today I am Director of Facilities and have tripled my annual pay. The secret for me is to stay productive, become knowledgeable and have a good work ethic. People with an 8 and the gate (do as little as I can for 8 hours) mentality make it easy for others to shine. It might appear like wasted effort to go above and beyond but someone is watching and looking for people to promote. Someone is always looking for talented people. Alas, there are few who want to put the effort into moving up.

[rachel83az]

People with an hourly employee mentality have gotten me to where I am today. I started off in healthcare nine years ago as a security guard. Today I am Director of Facilities and have tripled my annual pay. The secret for me is to stay productive, become knowledgeable and have a good work ethic. People with an 8 and the gate (do as little as I can for 8 hours) mentality make it easy for others to shine. It might appear like wasted effort to go above and beyond but someone is watching and looking for people to promote. Someone is always looking for talented people. Alas, there are few who want to put the effort into moving up.

That's kind of rare these days. There are a lot of companies now that will not do internal promotions beyond a certain point (despite sometimes saying they do). You might be able to go up a few rungs on the ladder, but more than that is unlikely unless you get hired for a better position at a different company.

[Pats20]

What I see a lot is if you’re ‘exempt’ and take a promotion it is 10 more hours on the week for a $5000 raise. Of course they don’t tell you about the 10 more hours. It just works out that way. 

My advice. If you’re happy stay happy. Don’t chase the dollar. If you’re not happy. That’s a another story. A lot of the higher ups miss when they were lower down. Thing is there’s no going back for them most of the time.