By: Vicki

Vicki — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 19:15:42 +0000

It’s not a generational thing. I’m technically a “Boomer” and I prefer an office that doesn’t have cake, potluck lunches and gift exchanges during the holidays; I have preferred that kind of environment since I was in my 20s.

By: Miss Sharen

Miss Sharen — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 16:48:58 +0000

I feel for this employee; just like I do for most new hires these days. In today’s workplace there is so much back- story that’s unknown to a new employee; it’s like walking in to a mine field. Unless the hiring manager (or HR) was up front in describing the office culture, a new hire has no way to know if the anti-social treatment is truly personal, or if the rest of the employees are just shell-shocked, over-worked and suffering from burn out. When you add that to an increasing lack of basic manners and face-to-face communication skills, it makes for a truly depressing on-boarding for the new hire. It has been my experience that Baby Boomers have the hardest time adapting to the lack of “warm & fuzzy” in today’s workplace – they came from the work environments where there was always cake, potlock lunches and gift exchanges during the holidays; and those types of things are just not relevant for GenX and the generations who will follow. They are more about the Employer providing them a lunch; not having to participate in a pot luck with their coworkers. Most employees do not want to be “colleagues” anymore – hell, they don’t even want to come in to the office to work if they can snag a work-from- home gig! Depending on how important it is to your manager to foster a true team-think environment, you may just need to bring a good book with you and read during your lunch hour. Who was it that said “work would be great if it wasn’t for people” ?

Comments on: My coworkers act like junior high students

By: Vicki

By: Miss Sharen