What are your thoughts on why the millennials won’t work on weekends? Why they resist so hard to do it? We will be delivering soon an app stack & to be sure that we will be delivering on time. I told to my DEV team ( All millennials ) that we have to work the upcoming weekends. Their reaction was unbelievable. They fought me more of this than any other issue we’d faced before.

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Director Certifications in Education4 years ago
A new culture and generation gap.
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Senior Enterprise Architect, Application Consulting in Healthcare and Biotech4 years ago
It could depend on the expectations that were set when the team members were hired.  Most shops I've worked at set the expectation that night and weekend work could be expected during a release push, or to fix urgent customer issues.   Also the issue may be generational, but not because of a new sense of entitlement.   Younger employees could be just as willing to push back on longer hours as their more senior counterparts when family responsibilities or health issues arise.
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VP of Product Management in Software4 years ago

Thanks Arthur, great point and communicating effectively is important here. Beyond specific projects, what's your opinion on the overall cultural difference and approach to work? It can be hard if folks who work harder and sacrifice family/other priorities are rewarded over those who don't on a regular basis.

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Senior Enterprise Architect, Application Consulting in Healthcare and Biotech4 years ago

Mayank, assuming we're talking about an ethical, "at-will" salaried employment relationship, we cannot expect that the number of hours worked is a direct measure of how loyal or appreciative one's employer will be.   

On a given team, the capacity to address a business need is going to be about individuals, skills, and results, and less about cultural or generational factors.  There are multiple dimensions of individuals' capabilities and needs at play in this situation.  We're all making choices based on many factors.

There's also the question of how a given job or work challenge maps to each individual's (Maslow's) hierarchy of needs and what he/she might be doing instead, if not being asked to work late.  If an employee loves the work, the choice might be easy.   If there are competing family or life objectives, the choice may be different.   Not surprisingly, the shift to work-at-home has also shifted the choices we're making about putting in extra hours.  

And how secure does that employee feel about  their job or compensation - this could also be a factor.   Again I'm assuming an ethical employer who does not encourage or exploit employees' insecurity about their jobs. 

Look at the situation from the employer's perspective.  Ultimately employees and contractors will be retained and rewarded based on their perceived value, and the difficulty of replacing them.   

Often this doesn't look "fair", but I would posit that many employees' contributions are not seen by their peers or, or their peers are focusing on the wrong metrics.

A manager/employer is going to assemble the best team possible given the situation.  Depending on the outcome, the employer might be motivated to consider other options like hiring/training additional personnel including outsourced assistance.  The employer doesn't have a choice.  Deliver what the customer expects, or a competitor will.

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Principal Information Security Officer in Education4 years ago
Just my personal opinion (and $0.02) and this should not be a general stereotype of all millenials (as they are a diverse and non-monolithic demographic) but for many in the current younger generation (those in their 20's or early 30's) it appears to be all about experiences and quality of life (including friends) versus money or even other traditional life goals (marriage, family, etc).  Now this may have been before the pandemic and accompanying resulting economic collapse but many appeared more concerning with living various life experiences to the max (taking vacations, flying to Thailand and other exotic locations) than working and saving money, buying house (or even a car).  Therefore working on weekends or long hours after work might be an anathema to someone whose highest priorities are oriented much more towards friends and life outside of work.
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VP of Product Management in Software4 years ago

Agreed. Thanks for the thoughtful response Harry. This creates an interesting conflict in the workplace though as people collaborate on projects and have different expectations.

How do you balance this at work?

Principal Information Security Officer in Education4 years ago

Expectations should almost certainly be set by employer (and employee) at the beginning of their employment at an organization -- during the interview as well as when an offer is proffered.

 Interview: "You are aware that this position can involve the periodic need for after hours and/or weekend work to meet dates for deliverables, etc.  Is this ok with you?"  

When the offer is being made:  "We want to be fully transparent and up front, this is a salary position and will require additional work after hours or on weekends from time to time.  Our offer is contingent upon your acceptance of that condition'.  

Then after the employee accepts the offer and before they begin work you may wish to reinforce that condition of the position  (you may even wish to have them sign an agreement in writing).

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Director, Information Security Engineering and Operations in Manufacturing4 years ago
Can I ask why you think they should work on the weekends?
I mean, without proper compensation of course, and assuming it wasn't something that was agreed upon previously, during hiring.

I'm not a millennial, but dealt with managers that thought that my employment at the company means that the company owns me.

I have a talent. I provide my talent in exchange for payment. In a sense, I'm just contracting for you, and do I this M-F, 8:00-5:00. That's it. You want more of my time, pay me. I may or may not choose to accept your offer.
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VP of Product Management in Software4 years ago

Interesting point Ronny. Per 's point above, do you think it unfair if someone does go beyond the 9-5pm and is consistently rewarded for doing so?

Director, Information Security Engineering and Operations in Manufacturing4 years ago

Well... to be honest, the initial question annoyed me. It's stating that a whole class of people behaves in a certain way, and is very arrogant. I've worked with millennials and older people. Some were great, some were not. 
I agree with Arthur's comment completely.
I also think that you should not expect people to be your slaves at work.

5
Director in Manufacturing4 years ago
When I consider my own experiences (30+ years) and also discuss it with millennial relatives that can be brutally honest.... they have seen as have I, many loyal employees work those weekends and get laid off along with everyone else.  I think they have watched the 2008/10 down turn and now COVID, and dedication and extra work doesn't mean much.  Don't tell us there will be compensation and benefits in the future for hard work.  It's a pay it now, play it now. live it now generation.  I know all older and wiser employees know employment can end at any time, for many reasons.   It's always been this way.   The new generation just learned the lesson before joining the workforce.   I gladly worked weekends and late for the promotions I received in the future, but it was a gamble.  Now, I think this generation isn't willing to gamble, and I don't know if I were 25 years old again if I would gamble either.
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