This troubled me. A lot of them slay
on social media but still get to beg their parents for subscription fee. A lot
of them can’t even secure a job after going to higher institutions and the few
who manage to get casual jobs like cleaner, receptionist, casual worker and
others still get fired from their jobs. Why were they firing them?
As a curious observer, I learnt that
a lot of millennials are working just to survive. Lots of them don’t have
passion for their present jobs and they are barely doing the jobs to make ends
meet. So, as the Yorubas will say, Oga ta
Oga O ta, Owo alaaru ape!
This simply means that lots of
millennials don’t have the visions of the companies they work for at heart.
They are simply “there”. And this annoys their employers. So, I strictly
observed the following as the reasons why millennials often lose it at work!
1.
Lack of vision
Lack of vision is the biggest reason why
millennial employees sometimes flare out. "A lack of empathy is hurting
many millennials in the workplace, because they're not understanding the
circumstances of their employment from the employer's point of view,"
Millennials sometimes struggle to
appreciate the bigger picture and their role in it. This can hurt their
workplace performance.
Being able to think like your boss
-- to see the big picture -- is vital in the workplace. If you think of
yourself as nothing more than a cog in a machine, you won't exactly be
irreplaceable when it comes time for layoffs.
2.
Miscommunication
One common complaint about
millennials is that phones and computers preempted their need to learn face-to-face communication skills. They're great at Snapchat, Facebook, twitter and
the likes, but they struggle to get their point across any other way. While I
don't necessarily buy into this theory, it did come up as an observation. Lots
of young people can’t hold simple, reasonable conversation especially
interpersonal conversations
Communication is vital in any
relationship, even in sophisticated workplace; the most important communication
is still done face-to-face.
Meetings, calls, interviews and
sales pitches all require sharp communication and interpersonal skills. If
young employees consistently look helpless in these settings, a millennial is
likely to be seen as bringing less value to the company.
3.
Anxiety or depression
Let's get real for a minute.
Depression and anxiety are serious issues that affect millennials more than any set of
generation. This is evident in the way young
people commit suicide. Although there isn’t proper statistics in Nigeria but as
many as 50 percent of young people have experienced symptoms of depression, and
it's not like those symptoms go away once they hit the labour market.
These imbalances can make it
difficult just to get out of bed in the morning -- let alone flourish in a
stressful or competitive work environment. A boss who is quick to jump to
conclusions could easily assume an employee with depression was lazy or disinterested.
Unfortunately, many employers in
Nigeria don’t offer support to workers with depression or anxiety. As workplaces adapt, hopefully this will become less of an issue, but for now
it's safe to say that suffering from mental health disorders makes it difficult
to hold down a job.
4.
Lack of confidence
Most employers are basically looking for four things in every
job applicant. These things are "Confidence, drive, selflessness and
character." Without confidence, the other three characteristics are
difficult to develop.
Self-esteem is vital in the
workplace. You need to feel comfortable speaking up in meetings, presenting
ideas to your boss, addressing unfamiliar people and working under stressful conditions.
Young people, particularly those who had
parents who provided everything for them, may be unused to accomplishing things on their own, and
therefore suffer from poor self-esteem. Unfortunately, if you don't stand up
for yourself in the workplace, nobody else will.
5.
The need for independence
Millennials don't like to be
shortlisted. We want our bosses to trust our judgment and get out of our nose.
Sometimes this even extends to working with a team. Some young people simply
prefer to work independently.
For employers, of course,
unwillingness to accept a hands-on management style or work well with a team
can be a deal-breaker.
I have found that forcing a
millennial to do something my way, on my schedule, is often a losing
proposition
But, if you give millennials both
freedom and ultimate responsibility, you can find a sweet spot that works. It's
a lot better than having to constantly hire and fire unhappy employees.
