Generational labelling is widespread, and in some instances it serves a purpose in understanding broad career motivations and attitudes for particular groups. However Penna's most recent research, which focuses on the career aspirations of Gen Y employees and how well these were understood by managers, identifies a clear mismatch between what employers think this generation want from their careers in the long-term, and what is actually most important to them.

Key headlines include:

  • 30% of managers expect Gen Y employees to take on leadership/management roles, however less than one fifth of employees currently see this as a long-term goal
  • Only 3% of managers see loyalty as a key quality that Gen Y bring to the workplace, compared to 65% of Gen Y employees
  • 40% of Gen Y employees see it as their responsibility to manage their careers yet only 15% of managers credit them with being equipped to do so.

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The research also highlights the dangers of stereotyping and the need to make sure that managers invest time in regular career conversations with their teams to really understand what drives them (supported by earlier Penna research which focused on the need for multi-generational leadership). Organisations that fail to do so could see a decline in engagement levels, productivity and increased attrition rates, not to mention a serious shortfall of managers and leaders in ten years' time.

Commenting on the research, Dr Carole Pemberton says, "Do the career needs of different generations really differ that much? Reports on Generation Y often suggest they do. However, dig beneath the surface and the needs they are expressing are ones identified in studies on motivation across the years: the desire to do something that has meaning, the desire to become proficient, the desire for recognition, and the desire to become an independent operator as a mark of adulthood. More revealing are the perceptions of those who manage them, which often highlight how quickly we forget what those early career years are like. "

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