Characteristics of Generation Y
Generation Y is thought to be more family-oriented and willing to sacrifice career advancement for a better work/life balance. However, this doesn't mean they aren't achievement-oriented. Generation Y can be confident and ambitious. They are not afraid to question authority, are constantly seeking out new challenges and want meaningful work.
Generation Y people typically want to be part of a team, but at the same time they desire to be in the spotlight. While they value teamwork and seek the input and affirmation of others, they also crave attention, feedback and guidance. Overall, they are loyally committed and want to be included and involved.
Several other characteristics have been found over the years. According to a 2013 poll in the United Kingdom, Generation Y was found to be more open-minded than their parents to controversial topics. It's also significantly more likely that Generation Y people don't practice any organized religion than older generations and tend to distrust religious institutions.
Personality of Generation Y
Because they grew up in an era of electronic technology, Generation Y people can be associated with some undesirable personality traits. They may require instant gratification and can exhibit very short attention spans. The need for attention can manifest as a constant fame-seeking quest. Such fame-seekers share a large amount of personal information and appear with bravado online. However, they may not be able to live up to the persona they've created in person. It would be disappointing to know that the celebrity lookalike you met online doesn't actually sing, act or have a car and, in real life, still lives with her parents. Many members of Generation Y still live with their parents or return to their parents after college. This return to the parents' home has ultimately led to Generation Y being labeled, in some circles, as the Boomerang Generation or the slightly more derisive Peter Pan Generation.
Lesson Summary
Generation Y are a group of people born during the '80s and the early '90s. The Generation Y cohort is also referred to as Millennials, the Internet generation, iGen and/or the Net generation. Generation Y is thought to be more family-oriented and willing to sacrifice career advancement for a better work/life balance. They typically want to be part of a team, but at the same time they desire to be in the spotlight. It's also significantly more likely that Generation Y people don't practice any organized religion than older generations and tend to distrust religious institutions. Because of their exposure to technology from a young age, they may require instant gratification and can exhibit very short attention spans. They also share a large amount of personal information and appear with bravado online.
Learning Outcomes
Watch each section of the video lesson on Generation Y, then make certain you can:
- Recall the years during which Generation Y was born
- List some of the characteristics of Generation Y
- Describe some of the personality traits associated with Generation Y
