Ploymint

Let’s be honest, Generation Y has taken a ton of hate over the years. Social Media and Reality TV has demonstrated the majority of us to be pretty hedonistic, self-absorbed, narcissistic sociopaths who have a penchant for indoor tanning and posting selfies. In fact, major media has also adopted this pretty facile interpretation on an entire generation of people. In 2013, Time magazine’s Joel Stein wrote the pretty tedious article The Me Me Me Generation which donned a fully grown woman laying on the floor and taking a selfie as the magazine’s cover.

Yes, the message at the end is somewhat hopeful. That Generation Y will “save us all” but honestly, prefacing that with that we’re all narcissistic, lazy, entitled, and living with our parents isn’t the best or brightest way to highlight our positives.

So let’s stop the hate for once. Here are the top 10 good things about Generation Y in the workplace.

10. We Understand Technology

That Baby Boomer who still doesn’t know how to use an Excel spreadsheet? Yeah, that’s not likely to happen with Generation Y. According to a 2012 Cisco Connected World Technology Report 90% of people in Generation Y check their smartphones before even getting out of bed.

The ability to use new technology and the accessibility to new platforms and apps allow us to understand new software and adapt more quickly and without training.

9. We Question, We Innovate

While many think Generation Y is lazy, they are actually misinterpreting our desire to innovate and make processes easier. Instead of doing grunt work, Generation Y innovates and questions old processes and improves upon them. According to a study done by Barklay, Millennials are 2.5 times more likely to be early adopters of technology.

The idea is not to get out of work, but to free up time so we can allocate it to things that cannot be automated.

8. We Understand Buying Habits

No generation has been more self-aware than the millennial generation. All the data and info that would regularly be on paper stored in some warehouse for Gallup or the Census can now be accessed at our fingertips. With $200 billion in purchasing power, we are the consumer, and for that reason can track and understand shifts in the market before they happen.

7. We Already Have a Social Network

Because Social Media has become such a crucial tool in developing products and their marketing and advertising plans, it’s pretty important for any business to have good visibility online. Millennials are 3 times as likely to have over 500 friends on Facebook.

According to the Pew Research Center, 75% of Generation Y have a profile on social media. The fact we have established networks allows a bigger digital fingerprint and added visibility to a company.

6. We are Educated

We are the most educated generation in history, with 34% of us having a Bachelor’s degree. The number of us with our advanced degree in specific subjects make us better candidates for positions that require a higher degree. We are also more likely to have acquired the teamwork skills required to work effectively with others, as well as participate in civic engagement.

5. We are Diverse

Generation Y is the most culturally diverse generation with 41% of us being non-white in the workforce. With this diversity we are able to understand a greater range of consumers and can help adjust business strategy in order to better relate to a new and more diverse customer.

4. We are Excited to Start a Career

When we look at the tendency for those in Generation Y to job-hop, it’s important to look at the sources of why that might be. Does their current position give them a level of autonomy to create and implement their own plans? Is there a level of upward mobility or is stagnation a problem? According to Forbes, Generation Y is excited to start their careers but also want professional development tools to come with the position they are currently in.

3. We are Willing to Work For Free if the Work Means Something

Internship during the recession took on all new meaning, with unpaid internships becoming a norm for many industries. 13% of Generation Y work an unpaid internship, showing that career development actually matters more than money. If employers are looking for a dedicated talent pool, look no further to the Generation Y interns that are willing to work for free.

2. We are Accessible

On-call is about to become a term of the past because the vast majority of those in Generation Y are always accessible through some form of communication. Whether it be e-mail or cell-phone Generation Y is the most likely to be responsive in a fairly timely manner.

1. We are More Agile

No, I don’t mean we parkour better. Generation Y has had to adapt to one of the largest market crises in history, the 2008 global recession, and so picking up a variety of different occupations was needed for survival. For that reason, there’s a greater chance that someone in Generation Y has had to wear a variety of hats and work in different industries. Because so many organizations are now omni-channel focused, this makes being a part of Generation Y a huge advantage.

Generation Y is not the lazy and self-centered generation that popular media often depicts. As future leaders of our industry and world, it’s important that the positives be highlighted for those in this new generation. Innovation is a key concept and value that many in our generation appreciate, and will help industries and the economy flourish.