Current Events > Feel like I need a pysch degree to deal with these Zoomers at work.

(+) Yeah! (+)

You'd think growing up exposed to toxic social media everyday it'd thicken your skin up a bit but apparently not

I've had two employees, in as many days, break down in panic attacks while having pretty casual meetings with them. These aren't even hard conversations, this isn't the "We need to see improvement right now or you're gone" talk, it is "Here is where you are, here is where I expect you to be, this is how I think we can get you there." Genuine constructive criticism and they can't fucking handle it.

This last one was the worst yet, while chatting with her she started sweating and gasping so I get up, leave her alone for a few minutes, come back with some water bottles and towelettes and she has broken down in tears face timing her mom telling her she is about to be fired.

Wtf is this....

If this is going to continue I need to change up how I do these meetings. I prefer 1 on 1 so they don't feel like they are being ganged up on and it really isn't anybody else's business but I feel like I need a witness for this shit.

It's a defense mechanism, because today's laws are so punitive to any form of retaliation, some insults can get you like fines, and jail time.

Back in the day -- when I worked on building sites, and the site supervisor critiqued my brickwork -- I'd have punched them square in the face, but that's heavily frowned upon in today's "Nanny state", it's now "Assault" and "Battery".
So, I too have evolved, and now I work in an office, and just burst into tears when the boss says anything mean.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Because today's laws are so punitive to any form of relation, some insults can get you like fines, and jail time.

Young people suck with criticism. When I was an older millenial in charge of other young millenials some would react the same way. I've had wayyyy more issues with zoomers, but it's not completely new, just the things that set them off.

Usually start with, "You're not in trouble, just want you to do X instead of Y."

coolguyjimmy posted...

It's a defense mechanism, because today's laws are so punitive to any form of retaliation, some insults can get you like fines, and jail time.

Back in the day -- when I worked on building sites, and the site supervisor critiqued my brickwork -- I'd have punched them square in the face, but that's heavily frowned upon in today's "Nanny state", it's now "Assault" and "Battery".
So, I too have evolved, and now I work in an office, and just burst into tears when the boss says anything mean.

Feel like I need a pysch degree just to browse CE...

Yeah it's really bad. Idk if they'll grow out of it or what. Any attempt to explain it to these office douchebags who've never worked with someone under 23 in their lives just gets waved off.

coolguyjimmy posted...

Back in the day -- when I worked on building sites, and the site supervisor critiqued my brickwork -- I'd have punched them square in the face

Lol, is that a passive aggressive swing at OP?

Nowadays, its not easy to tell.

I can relate. I've had lots of 20-year-old's cry in my office for a write up.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/6/5/AAcZIZAAD4mZ.jpg

You might unconsciously be making it worse?

I'm not trying to blame you. Just thinking about the management leadership class I'm in. The fact is if two people were crying after performance reviews, I'm not jumping to blaming my generation. I'm guessing either they got a really scathing review, or they felt like they did.

For example

Crimson_Corsair posted...

this isn't the "We need to see improvement right now or you're gone" talk, it is "Here is where you are, here is where I expect you to be, this is how I think we can get you there."

What is the difference in these two IYO? Either way it sounds like these meetings were about underperformance. If not-- if they're simply about helping them grow, your framing might be skewing how you discuss it with them.

Do you include their perspective, ask how they feel about their progress? What work or projects they're proud of or if they feel they've had opportunity to act on their own initiative? Is it a conversation or a sentencing? Is it normal to call people to your office if they aren't 'in trouble?' Do you work to make your 1on1s potentially positive, and that your employees can trust you?

How approachable are you day to day?

Crimson_Corsair posted...

while chatting with her she started sweating and gasping

If she got through interviews just fine, then you can't just dismiss this as "damned kids these days." Your approach was part of what led to this, one way or another.

I try to teach these kids how to do something and later in the week I hear from the manager that an employee didn't like how I was talking to them in a condescending way. I just want you to do your job right, if I didn't like you I'd just let you fuck up and get fired.