An article in today’s West Australian had Nick Marvin (Perth Wildcats CEO) getting stuck into Gen Ys for not having the same work ethic as previous generations.
He says pejoratively that they talk about having a work / life balance… as if its something to be shunned.
Marvin states, ‘the heavy focus which young employees placed on “work-life balance” was affecting the efficiency of businesses.’
Seriously?… As if the efficiency of business is the top priority…
He goes on to say: “I grew up with my parents working 12 to 13-hour days. I don’t know anyone in my organisation under the age of 24 who works longer than I do. They are obsessed about work-life balance.”
If that’s your idea of life then I’m right with the Gen Y’s. I reckon I have a damn good work ethic, but there’s no way I’m working 60-70 hours a week and claiming that as virtue. I’ll call it foolishness or ‘being trapped’, but let’s not keep the myth alive that spending your life at work is a good idea.
Maybe the Gen Y’s don’t have quite the same work ethic as previous gens (and plenty do) but maybe they can teach us how to actually enjoy life rather than work it away…
Or maybe I’m a Gen Y in disguise…
I agree Hamo. In our program we look at how people talk about being busy as a badge of honour. When asked, ‘ How have you been?’ people say ‘Yeah good, run of my feet, busy at work..but good.’ Wouldn’t it be great if people were able to stop majoring on the minor things and were able to respond, ‘ Well, I am not as busy as I used to be but I am really enjoying life, having an impact and making a bigger difference than ever before.’
Nothing wrong with working hard, but it is more important to work hard on the right things. Its not about a quantity of time it’s about quality time on the things that matter most.
Wise words; thanks. Different world- I am a Brit and a full time godbotherer, but amongst full time godbotherers there is often a subtle (and sometimes unsubtle) boasting about how hard we work, how few holidays or days off we take. I find that toxic- reading stuff that you write feels like a breath of fresh air.
“If I’m not busy, I don’t matter. If I don’t matter, you won’t love/need/appreciate me” appears to be the cry of insecure hearts.