Cheap labor in the workplace can seem like a great thing when your budget is on the line. Hiring a younger worker with less experience can be a solid way to keep costs down, while passing up more seasoned employees. What many managers and company owners don’t see, however, is what you may get in exchange for that lower price tag – or more importantly, what you’re probably NOT getting, could be the very thing that makes hiring younger and lower-cost employees not worth the investment at all. Are you wasting your time and money hiring the entitled generation?
Research suggests that this most recent group to enter the workforce comes with issues that allow them to show up to the table with expectations that may or may not gel with your company philosophy, or work for your long term goals. For example, they are more likely to expect higher pay, to break the rules, to act selfishly and justify themselves for doing so, and to want special privileges because they see themselves as deserving and superior. While some may argue that these qualities can be drivers for success for the individual, they certainly don’t always act as positive influences in the work environment. In fact, sometimes their overinflated ego can cause you to trust their opinions over long-time industry experts, thereby paving the way for ineffective or bad decisions for your company’s future.
When other workers see there’s a distinct lack of loyalty, accountability and solid work ethic, it brings down morale. The more seasoned workers you passed up for open positions, who may cost more initially, but deliver more in the long run where it counts, may just turn out to be the best investment you can make.
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