Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr
Generation gap hampers corporate productivity
By Lee Kyung-min
Young talent demoralized due to unfair compensation scheme
By Lee Kyung-min
“Young people don't have the commitment to the firm my generation had,” said a 40-something man surnamed Kim who works at a large conglomerate.
“I mean, the younger they are, the worse their attitude is when it comes to working overtime. How can they say they are leaving work at 6 p.m. when they clearly see the rest of their coworkers are still at their desks busy doing work that was assigned to their team? I don't understand them.”
Kim, who holds a mid-level managerial position and is on track for a promotion, thinks young people need to be reminded that it is all about teamwork at the end of the day.
The ability to accomplish assigned work in a thorough, timely manner is of course a desired quality in an employee.
Yet, not caring about how others are doing simply because their “work is done” sometimes looks selfish and lacking empathy, he claimed.
From a team leader's point of view, those volunteering to help would mean so much, especially when there is a deadline and the amount of work is overwhelming.
But he said that kind of team spirit is getting hard to find in young people whose focus on a work-life balance comes first.
“I heard millennials are different, but it's just hard to understand them. Maybe I'm getting old.”
However, an office worker surnamed Lee, in his second year at another large conglomerate, argues there is nothing that needs to be understood.
“Workers that are many years my senior say they did it because that was how things had been, not because it was needed. I don't see why I can't leave after finishing my work just because some others aren't finished. Having me around doesn't get the work done any faster, and everyone knows it. They are there because they don't want their boss looking over their shoulder at other times.”
By the same logic, he sees no reason to try to stand out by asking for more work than was previously assigned.
“My pay doesn't get any higher and if I do more work, it only increases my workload. Earning a good reputation and getting recognition can only motivate you so much if you are overworked and underpaid, especially when there is no monetary reward of any kind,” he added.
This generational culture clash is now a common theme in companies.
A survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) of 12,920 workers at 11 conglomerates and 19 mid-sized firms between March and October 2019, showed that of those aged 50 and older, 42.8 percent said overtime is needed while only 26.9 percent of respondents in their 20s agreed.
When the older workers were asked if they would sacrifice their personal life for their firm, two-thirds (66.7 percent) said they would.
In comparison, only 35.2 percent of 20-somethings and 33.5 percent of 30-somethings agreed.
Cynicism was highest among respondents in their 30s because this age group works the most for a comparatively meagre salary, according to the focus group interview part of the survey.
“Those in their 20s are the most passionate, but as they enter their 30s, many of them become less passionate due to dissatisfaction over rewards,” one interviewee whose identity was withheld said.
“The 30-somethings are the most efficient from the perspective of cost and effect. They work the most, but don't get proper compensation,” another interviewee said.
The generation gap is expected to widen as younger people continue to enter the workforce.
The survey found that the lack of a clear set of rules to define work processes including assignments results in conflict between seniors and juniors, which in turn escalates the generational discord leading to an overall loss of corporate competitiveness.
“There are no clear roles and responsibilities outlined, increasing complaints about workload not being equally shouldered by all team members. Innovative ideas are hard to come by due to a lack of institutional, firm-wide support to nurture such thought process,” the report said.
KCCI corporate culture team head Park Joon said young workers find it hard to accept the longstanding top-down chain of command model, and the “unresolved” frustration ends up hurting corporate productivity.
“Old workers are used to what they are used to and they prefer it that way, an unsaid rule that young workers don't want to follow. This often leads to reduced corporate productivity,” he said.
Communication is the best way to address the problem and find a common ground, but more important is having the right kind of conversation equally participated in by all parties involved in a conflict, according to Yonsei University psychology professor Lee Dong-gwi.
Having a conversation can make or break relationships. If it goes well, the two (or more) people talking come out stronger, more caring and with a deeper understanding of one another. But if it goes wrong, they end up hating each other even more, which is why one needs to try to understand where the other is coming from.
“People feel resentment when they feel ignored, misunderstood or treated unfairly. If those in a senior position pull rank or age on younger workers instead of listening to what they are upset about, young people lose respect for them. Demanding silent obedience may seem the easiest way to command, but it is the weakest and most ineffective way to earn respect,” Lee said.
“At the same time, young people need to listen to what old people have to say instead of being dismissive or discourteous,” he added.