By Yoon Ja-young
Staff Reporter
Young workers born since the 1980s and equipped with basic foreign language skills, dubbed as the "Y-Generation," have started advancing into the job market. Their bosses, however, don't seem to be quite satisfied with these Y-Generation, short for Young Generation, employees as they are skillful but lacking in loyalty to the company.
According to a survey of 622 people by Job Korea, a job market information provider, they, as bosses of Y-Generation workers, gave them 59 out of 100 points on average.
The Y-Generation enjoy affluence as they were born when the country was completing industrialization and many of them got most of what they wanted as many are the only child of their parents. They have been familiar with the Internet from an early age, and many of them often traveled overseas for trips, language training or other studies.
The bosses hence assume that these young people have a more global perspective.
However, they pointed out that the young generation lacks in perseverance. The survey indicated that companies regard Y-Generation workers as employees not very loyal to their workplace. The young workers think they can quit the company anytime, while their bosses consider them lifetime workers.
Seven out of ten bosses said they felt a generation gap between this young generation and themselves. When asked what seems to be the biggest difference, some gave positive comments such as "they are versatile in many aspects," or "they are accustomed to the latest devices or cultural trends," but there were also negative evaluations such as "they aren't careful about words, even in front of managers," or "I see too much individualism in them."
When asked what seems to have caused the gap, they pointed out that young people enjoyed economic prosperity, development of the Internet and cell phones, and experiences overseas. Some employers thought the Y-Generation were different as they were raised as an only child, or one of few children.
When asked to list Y-Generation's strengths, 36.7 percent chose foreign language skills and a good global perspective, followed by creativity.
Sincerity, perseverance, and loyalty, meanwhile, were picked as lacking.