Leroy wrote:
There are a couple good eggs but they end up burning out trying to carry the load all the other slackers leave behind.

Amen. I see it constantly. Supervisors/managers are happy to see a body in a slot, and they always go to thier 'go to guy/gal' to get a job done and never bother straightening out the 'slacker' who sneaks off to talk on the cell phone every chance they get. In the end alot of good employee's are lost because of mediocore managers. (They often end up burning out the good/hardworking employee, and are left with the POS)

On managing and relations I would recommend reading Dave Thomas's book, 'Dave's way'. (The creator of Wendy's)

He wrote about a conversation he had with a friend of his that came to one of his restaurants and asked him to sit down and eat....

Dave: I really don't have time Bob. Can we talk later?
Bob: Come on just sit down for a few minutes..
Dave: I have orders to fill, and the back room needs..
Bob: Just sit down with me for a few minites.
Dave: Fine... I guess I can take a fiver.
Bob: Dave, when are you going to start managing your company?
Dave: WTH do you mean, I am helping run the grill, clean up, doing prep, I am working my @#%$ off..
Bob: Exactly! You need to understand you are the owner/manager, and manage. right now you are running around doing everyone else's job instead of doing yours.. Which is to manage.

Now Dave Thomas was worth a negative amount about that time. A few years after he was a millionaire.

He learned to manage, to share what he expected of his employee's and made sure that were 100% clear on thier duties.

Now I agree with alot of what has been said about gen Y. (Gen X is actually my generation which is now the 30 somethings) Gen y was coined because it came after X, and because it's the 'Why do I have to do that?'

The simple answer is.. Is becuase that is you job. Kid's (KIDS) Question. That is life. I think it always a failure of the MANAGER, that hires a person if they have to hear 'why'.

Here is how 'we' do things at my company. They come in, and I let them job shadow for 2 hours, on THIER dime. They get to see EXACTLY what is expected of them, or at least a close idea, and we also explain to them, 'This is your main responsibility, however you may have to do, this, that, the other thing, and maybe even this.' We make them sign it. AND WE STICK BY IT.

Straight up, by golly this is your job, you want to get promoted, or have a job, this is what you will do every day, your productivy WILL be this, and you will do this extra stuff IF needed too. Period. Sign here or get the heck out of my office. (We phrase it a little nicer but it is that clear.)

They see what they will be doing, plus extra stuff, they are 'informed'.

If you have problem's in the work place, you need to voice it to your manger's and tell them 'Hey, I am tired of doing this person's job, and I am over it.'.

There is a reason my company does our part of our initial employment through temp agencie's. We have policies about how 'employee's' are treated and what it takes to basically fire thier @#%$. So we do use temp agenices, and again we tell them, 'Hey this is what you have to produce, this is what you gotta do.' IF they meet up to our expectations, THEN we will hire them. It saves the company money on paying them for a day of 'indoctronation', giving them unifroms, forms, etc.'

Now after hiring these people on the above priciples, we have a less than 10% retention rate. This is a job, that requires labor in a relatively relaxed (They are allowed to listen to headphone(They provide), or rack/rap music on raidioes we provide.) Get a 15 minute break every 2 hours, and a 30 minute lunch. (WE DO NOT REALLY GAURD THAT TO CLOSELY, if we are on time.)

The introductury positions are paid 12.00 and up (IF they do not make 12.00 they are not meating thier quota and are gone.)

But to get back to the point, I think the most important thing is to be 100% clear, about what thier job is, make sure they take it and go on.

Now I can say as a manager, I do look at age, and how much in debt they are. If it's a 18 year old kid living at home at a 20, 30 something with a family, guess who I hire?

If they are ex (honorably discharged) vet, they are pretty much hired.

Gen Y? Eh. Probably you will feel about them the same way gen E, felt about gen D.

I will say, I have seen a downgrade imho.. But all old people do.