This post isn’t about audio, it’s about you.

The millennial generation is not only fully embedded into our social framework, but also the workforce.  Even if you’re not a millennial, you have to deal with us in one way or another.  And if you happen to be an employer or trustee of millennial well-being: based on observing my friends’ circumstances, I’m going to say that p often – you suck.

Hold the phone! There are a lot of awesome employers and educators and master craftspeople out there doing right by their constituents. If the bottom line structure of your employment consciously places “subordinates” on the top line, I’m not talking about you.  But if you neglect to honor that every part of your workforce is integral to your success, you miiiiight be a total dickhead.

We all know that millennials were spoiled with participation trophies and therefore developed absolutely no grit – that’s definitely a problem.  But what’s worse is that they often don’t have the perspective on how they fit into the world to know when they’re being screwed over.  At least that’s what I’ve been seeing with my peers.

It sucks when an employer thinks you’re a tool for their wealth, and that they deserve extreme profits from your hourly work.  It sucks even more when you believe it!  Many employers pay not for the value of what their employees are providing, but for what they can get away with.  And unfortunately for us, there are an abundance of millennials who need income, stat.

Sadly, I find university education to be even more sinister than these employers.  Many students believe that they’re not worth much without a 4-year degree.  Granted that my limited insights into higher education only revolve around the arts, I still think that there is an abundance of misinterpretation about what most university educations will deliver.

It’s not [entirely] my intent to demonize the university – certainly there are numerous examples of individuals learning how to think and operate in ways that they wouldn’t have accomplished otherwise.  I myself wouldn’t take back my university experience.  My problem is when professors don’t understand the uselessness of their content outside the classroom, while their students believe that the content will relate to their ability to perform in “the real world”.  Academics’ well-being, after all, is dependent upon their performance in academia, not in “the real world”; they aren’t affected by the job market like the majority of their students will be.  Said another way: what universities teach does not need to be informed by the professional world their students are about to enter.

The actual reason I’m writing this

is because I have a friend who does great work for a professional services company, and they don’t meet her halfway, they don’t believe in her as an individual, they don’t empower her, and they don’t pay her much compared to others in her field.  She accepts this because it’s a temporary position that won’t be her life’s pursuit, it’s better money than other feasible jobs pay, and she doesn’t necessarily believe that they should pay her more.  The imbalance is this: she’s intrinsically motivated to do the best job possible, skillfully represents the company to every client with her personal charm and experience, and takes a personal hit to deliver better service to her own satisfaction: an incredible asset to the company! – but they don’t care one bit, just as long as her extra-pep doesn’t get in the way of their rules.

There’s a book called Leaders Eat Last  with a lot of ideas that any employer, but especially this one, could benefit from.

Those who possess a massive creative energy and the desire to serve others first are of the finest assets to society.  I want to work with individuals like her – to fulfill my goals, hers, and the people we serve, simultaneously.  And to save us all from “the real world” of subordination.

I do want to say that I know there are millions of counterexamples to my points herein.  Rather than to bemoan how unfair and difficult the world is, I am simply musing on frustrating circumstances in which my peers have been unnecessarily treated in a way that can only serve to break down one’s spirit over time.  Therefore, though there are a great many employers out there who don’t care about their people, there are many great employers out there that do.