Experts in generational diversity in the workplace would say that unlike other generations Generation Y has a desperate need for a pat on the back and encouragement along the way in the workplace. How would these same experts explain a woman in her sixties to seventies, working as an administrative assistant, weeping because she feels that her work is unnoticed and unappreciated? What about the middle aged individual on a temp assignment who calls in on her first day on the job just to find out if her new supervisor has offered any feedback on her performance? Human nature begs for affirmation. I don’t believe that is simply generational. There are some people, regardless of their age, who don’t give a flip about what anyone thinks. And then there are the rest of us who beam with pride at the sound of encouraging words from anyone in the office who would swing in with a positive comment. I believe that in the heart of every individual, regardless of age, there is some form of hunger for affirmation. I’ve heard many ministers refer to that moment when Jesus came out of the water from baptism and the Father spoke through time and space and said those ultimately affirming words, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” He had a great task to accomplish and received affirmation to prepare him for the journey. This is not by any means to compare us to Jesus, but to bring attention to the fact that everyone needs a boost to keep going. Life would be incredibly dull and mundane without receiving some form of encouragement once in a while. What if we all went to work, sat at our desks and worked every day of the year with no recognition from anyone? That sounds torturous. No one wants a job like that. Do your part to encourage your co-workers and if you’re a manager, by all means give a pat on the back every once in a while. You’ll see your people sit up straight and get a renewed sense of purpose in their work, no matter what their age.
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