Millennials in the Workforce

Can a generational gap make a significant difference in a work environment?

The short answer is yes.

In a recent literature review, Myers and Sadaghiana suggest that successfully integrating millennial workers (people born after 1981) into a vocational setting depends to some extent on the varying attitudes expressed by people of older generations.    Specifically, how older workers view work-life balance, workplace confidence, and workplace communication can all impact levels of productivity and conflict between employees.

The reviewers identify the following attitudes:

·         Work-life balance – This term encompasses what an individual sees as an appropriate amount of time to be working and to be doing other activities.  Older generations may lose sight of finding a work-life balance, and tend to work more hours, striving to build a career based on their efforts.  In contrast, Millennials are often motivated toward having work-life balance, and being flexible with locating a career.  This difference in opinion may lead to varying negative attitudes toward each other.

·         Confidence Levels – It has been shown that many of those within the Millennial generation are highly confident.  However, the literature review details, “The idea of [Millennials] paying their dues by working hard to demonstrate their worth before they are given significant tasks is likely to be resisted” (Myers & Sadaghiana, 2010).  In other words, Millennials may not see the purpose of working on smaller, less meaningful tasks.  Instead, they may be more motivated to work with larger goals and projects. This resistance may lead to older generations of employees seeing the Millennial worker(s) as overly confident in their abilities as they have not been interested in working on less difficult tasks.

·         Communication Levels – Studies have provided evidence that Millennials prefer frequent feedback and communication about various relative subjects with supervisors.  Despite the desire to build a stronger line of communication, this may feel “burdensome to many senior and seasoned organizational members” for understandable reasons (Myers & Sadaghiana, 2010).

Despite the information provided here, it is important to note that this is not a hot to guide to bridging the generational differences within a workplace.  However, a fairly recently posted blog article about methods regarding the generational gap can be found here if you are interested in further reading. 

While other attitudinal differences exist between generations in a vocational setting, the most important piece of information is to be aware of these differences.  Awareness can lead to a better understanding, and potentially help to sidestep different forms of conflict which may arise.      

Myers, K. K., & Sadaghiani, K. (2010). Millennials in the workplace: A communication perspective on millennials’ organizational relationships and performance. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 225-238.

Unemployment and its Effects

How can being unemployed impact you and how can you combat the potential effects?

The loss of a job can cause significant distress within individuals.  A recent meta-analytic study* by Paul and Moser (2008) has indicated that the amount of distress one experiences in relation to unemployment can vary based on socioeconomic status, gender, and length of unemployment. 

The article details a variety of experiences one may face in the event of unemployment. These experiences can range from anxiety, lack of self-efficacy, depression, and even an impact on physical well-being.

Despite these potential outcomes, the University of California – Davis offers several methods to help overcome and cope with the loss of a job:

·         Stay in touch with those around you - Be open and honest with family and friends about the loss of the job and any feelings.  This will create supportive social networks, which can improve mental health and efficacy.  Additionally, others may offer advice or know about vocational opportunities.

·         Take this time as a positive opportunity -While searching for a job will require some effort, the amount of free time available will increase significantly.  Discover a new hobby, spend some time with family, and take care of yourself.  Remember that additional stress from sleep-deprivation or lack of a proper diet will have an impact on your physical well-being. 

·         Plan appropriately - Financial stress is one of the most common sources of distress in the loss of a job.  By planning accordingly, one can determine the essentials and alleviate some stress surrounding financial woes.

*Meta-analysis is a method of research that allows for synthesis of a large number of previously-existing studies.  Essentially, it is research about research!  Meta-analysis is regarded as one of the best methods of study, because it allows researchers to investigate large amounts of data and a large range of populations in one study.

Coping with the Stress of Layoff and Unemployment - ASAP - Human Resources. (n.d.). Welcome to UC Davis Health System . Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/hr/hrdepts/

Paul, K. I., & Moser, K. (2009). Unemployment impairs mental health: Meta-analyses. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(3), 264-282.

The Narrative Approach

How does the career counseling process use the past to look towards the future?

The use of the narrative approach within career counseling serves to investigate past events to create a plan to achieve desirable outcomes. 

The first step in the process of creating a career narrative begins with identifying a career problem or problems and setting vocationally-oriented goals.  These issues a client identifies can focus on variety of events including unsatisfactory work environment or salary.

Following the identification of problems and goals, the client is asked to give histories of the(se) issue(s) in order to allow the client and counselor to have a better understanding.  The histories of these career issues detail how the problem arose, what initiated this desire for change, and how the issue has looked over time.  As the client tells his/her story, the counselor and the client work as team to discuss the meanings of these histories to help the client determine how the problem has contributed to the big picture.  This is important in understanding the impact the issue has had.

Next, the counselor works with the client to revisit and explore certain events described within the story to identify a more ideal career situation.  The conversation focuses upon what pieces of the client would like to specifically change or see change to.  This step is crucial, because by revisiting the story, the client is more likely to evaluate the story, and see the story from a different perspective.  This could be as simple as finding a job that has a higher salary in order to alleviate stress surrounding financial issues. 

By creating a different perspective and a more solidified idea of an ideal career situation, the client and counselor can return to the initial problems and discuss how to go about solving them.  Within the narrative approach, the counselor and client work to create a detailed plan in working towards a career goal.  The plan is detailed in the sense that it includes what activities may lead the client towards their goals in addition to potential obstacles s/he will face along the way.  These goals could include returning to school or applying for jobs outside of the client’s current occupational field.  The obstacles a client may identify within this plan could potentially include monetary issues or a decline in level of motivation over time. 

The narrative approach to vocational counseling allows the client to take a step back, and look at their stories more closely. 

·         Investigation of past events can lead to the identification of what needs to change, and potential methods to change it.

Howard, Kelli. (2012, November). Postmodern therapies: solution focused & narrative. Counseling Psychology.  Lecture conducted from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
  
Savickas, M. L., Nota, L., Rossier, J., Dauwalder, J. P., Duarte, M. E., Guichard, J., Soresi, S.,     Esbroeck, R.V., & van Vianen, A. E. (2009). Life designing: A paradigm for career construction in the 21st century. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75(3), 239-250.

The Holland Occupational Themes

Are you drawn towards social environments, where you can influence and help others?  Or are you more at home working with things and data, in a solitary atmosphere?  Research shows that knowing your Holland Type, and the environments that fit it, can help predict satisfaction in the workplace.
 

One of the tests utilized at the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic is the Strong Interest Inventory.  The Strong Interest Inventory measures a person’s interests by presenting a series of activities that the test taker rates by interest.

Each activity listed within the inventory is relative to one of six occupational themes developed by John L. Holland.  The themes are often depicted on a hexagon as shown here:

These themes are often referred to as “The Six Interest Types,” or when shown on in a diagram, a “Holland Hexagon.”  The themes that are located closer to one another on the hexagon are theoretically more similar. 

Different combinations of scores on the Strong Interest Inventory will result in a different order of these themes.  For example, a person may score RIEASC.

The themes on the Holland Hexagon are associated with types of environments and vocational interests. Therefore, based on a person’s score, several interest areas are presented.  While these themes investigate interest, certain professions are also associated with each of the interest types.  For example, an occupation in the military or agriculture would fall into the realistic theme.  Similarly, a psychology-related occupation would fall into the investigative theme.  Some occupations can be defined within more than one theme.   

It is important to note that these themes should be looked at together, as we’re complex people and no one theme is able to capture all aspects of us entirely.  Furthermore, these themes are used as references and guiding points, not as definitive explanations.

A bit of knowledge about the inner-workings of an assessment can help a person have a better understanding about the scores and how they are relative.

Onetonline.org is an online database of different types of jobs.  This website can be used to locate careers that compliment a person’s Holland type. 

Self-Efficacy, It Matters

What traits do you think are most important for career success?

A widely investigated field of occupational research involves measures of potentially predictive traits for career success.  Within this realm, researchers have explored the concept of self-efficacy to determine how an individual’s beliefs impact their career outcomes.

Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in their capacity to succeed when faced with a task.  If that person believes in their ability to perform the task, s/he is said to have a high level of self-efficacy.  Persons with high levels of self-efficacy are often more persistent and put in more effort when working towards a goal.

Researchers have found a positive relationship between one’s level of occupational self-efficacy and their vocational success as measured by several factors including feelings, salary, and opportunity for advancement.  Abele and Spurk (2009), adapted and created several questionnaires to look specifically at these measures as well as one’s level of self-efficacy.

These questionnaires were distributed to recent graduates of college, and then repeatedly sent over a period of seven years in order to chart changes in measures among participants.

Based on the gathered data, the researchers found that those with higher levels of self-efficacy are more likely to set goals working toward higher vocational positions.  Furthermore, the data indicated that one’s self efficacy has a positive influence on salary, ability to advance job position, and overall career satisfaction when measured by one’s feelings. 

A higher level of self-efficacy can be remarkably beneficial in the workplace.  It can lead to better occupational outcomes, and more motivation. 

According to Bandura (1977), there are several categories of methods one can employ to increase their level of self-efficacy:

• ·         Simply put: do things.  Get out and try something using your own methods.  This will help you know yourself, as well as how to improve upon your current methods.

• ·         Learn from others who have self-efficacy.  What are they doing? By observing others, you can increase methods to utilize in situations more specific to yourself.

• ·         Take a breath.  Anxiety can be a source of decreased self-efficacy.  By reducing anxiety, you’ll be able to think more clearly about the tasks at hand.

Abele, A. E., & Spurk, D. (2009). The longitudinal impact of self-efficacy and career goals on      objective and subjective career success. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(1), 53-62.

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological   review, 84(2), 191.

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