I've decided that what they want is not different than what any other generation wants, so it's time to stop treating them differently. In fact, a core principal of leadership is: you manage individuals, not generation. More on the topic on my latest blog.
So it's great that the world is focusing on taking more days off, and more free time. I've been assiduously trying to do so, only to find things to work on instead of clearing my head. There's that saying: Work expands to the time allotted. So maybe it's time to plan free time - here's what I'm going to do with my day off - instead of taking a day without having a plan. Sometimes it's hard to know what a free day actually is.
Be honest: How often do you check your e-mail when you're on vacation? The notion of work-life "balance" is long gone; while at one time a vacation or some time off was often the key to avoiding long-term burnout, the pressure of today’s connected workplace has made “de-stressing” nearly impossible. Now besides e-mail, there's even more connectivity tools. In this survey from Neuvana, results show exactly how many employees are expected to connect - even when they're not working.
