So lately I have been doing some research into the so called 'truth' about Gen Y's and the incredible way they (I guess i should say 'we') are impacting so many facets of the world today. In some respects i was overwhelmed with just how much discussion was out there, more often than not, complaining about the challenges faced with this so called lazy, self-concerned generation. Numerous times the words, challenge, deal, brats, lazy, demanding, restless (just to name a few) were evident. So what is framing these ideas of Gen Y's, and why we seen by so many as difficult to embrace?

There is much consensus that Gen Y have a very different expectation of work than their baby boomer friends. If you consider this list  of 'how to keep Gen Y happy' i guess i can understand why Baby Boomers find us so difficult to adapt to...(or could it be they are just jealous of the flexibility that Gen Y's now demand :) )

• Flexible work schedules
• Work/life balance
• Fun team culture
• Inspiring leadership and mentoring
• Regular, constructive leadership
• Cutting edge technology
• State of the art training
• Info about the big picture

For me, i think that is a great list and represents a good step forward in organisational structure. However I do think it is very important not to pigeon hole Gen Y's into certain Gen Y characteristics. When i look at myself and my friends, whilst ambitious and energetic to achieve, we don't expect to get to the top overnight - we are willing to put in the hard yards to get there, nor do we completely remove ourselves from traditional methods of communication. We just choose to embrace wider range of mediums and keep ourselves up to date with the latest and greatest of information. We get ahead by making the right informed decisions and staying well connected.

I found this to be a really interesting post on ReadWriteWeb 'Why Gen Y is going to change the web', focusing on Gen Y characteristics, without a negative approach. It drills down into the main things Gen Y's value, and how this will affect the way companies market to and attract this younger generation who have grown up in a life of technological innovation. No longer are Gen Y spending hours in front of the TV watching the latest episodes of their favourite soap - they now download and watch online, play video games, surf the new, or update their profiles on facebook and myspace.

Gen Y's challenge the traditional structure of work and have varying expectations and attitudes towards work. It seems to me that the very things that many baby boomers today complain about, could be the very things that make Gen Y's successful today. I found this article 'Gen Y. The Innovative Generation' which states that Gen Y are the most entrepreneurial in history.  Gen Y's are starting successful businesses earlier than ever, and have a distinct appetite for risk. Given the ever changing technological world of work that is upon us, Gen Y's ability to take risks and embrace change may be just the ticket for organisations to meet the demands of becoming and remaining successful companies in the future.

This is why it is so important for organisations today to be pro-active in their approach to attracting and cultivating talented young people and then take advantage of being able to mould them into the company culture very quickly. Gen Y's represent the next main consumers and will be the future leaders of tomorrow. Its a war of talent out there, and being at the forefront of attracting talented Gen Y's will be the differentiater between organisational longevity and being left behind.