Generations Blog

This morning, someone once again asked me about the issue of fairness that Millennial employees seem to have with the workplace. “Why,” this person asked, “do they think that everyone has to be treated exactly the same way? Any time I give someone a bonus, extra training or some other opportunity, I am told that I am being unfair to everyone else. What has happened to merit?”

A good deal of this has to do with a transformation of the word “fairness.” Where fairness in the work environment has been traditionally defined as being treated equally for equal effort or behavior, many now believe that it means everyone should have the same rights and opportunities regardless of effort and behavior. The emerging generation has come of age immersed in a society that appears to preach equality for all from every quarter. Special interest groups and causes seem to dominate the media. Governments pass legislation designed to protect every conceivable need, condition, or belief. Students come of age studying the social challenges of society.

But when it comes to compensation and working conditions, most managers are still in charge. There are environments where negotiated work rules play more of a role. But those aside, managers control wages, recognition, promotions, training opportunities and such. A large part of the challenge is a lack of information and understanding. Effective managers work to inform employees about expectations, rewards, and consequences from day one. If this stage has been set correctly, those who complain about a lack of fairness can simply be referred back to the expectations that were explained at the beginning of the person’s employment. It also helps if employees have a better understanding of the organization’s business model. If they understand more about the costs of doing business, the pressures on managers, and the environment in which the organization operates, they wil tend to have more empathy for those making decisions.