My generation is often described as an in-between generation, and this shapes how I view work. I was influenced by my parents to take pride in hard work, but I have also seen how employees have been treated over the last 40 years. On average, we are being asked to give more through higher productivity, while our pay has not kept pace, and wages have remained stagnant.
I work with leaders from an older generation who sometimes comment that younger people simply do not want to work. I do not think that is quite right. It is more accurate to say they do not feel they are getting a fair deal. Many of them grew up in a world shaped by the Jack Welch approach to business, where shareholders were treated as the primary stakeholders.
We can complain about people not working hard enough, but that approach will not succeed. If we want to get things done, we need to learn how to work with younger generations in this changing environment.