Working for the Weekend
Just as Gen Y is determined to enjoy the work experience, we also see the importance of a satisfying home and social life.
Bailey has a simple technique for dealing with "the old work/life balance", as he calls it. "I guess for me I do try to make a definite line that I'm not going to take work home or bring anything from work outside to my social life," he says. Mailguard's John has the same attitude. "Leave everything at work come five o'clock," he says. "Don't take anything home with you."
Many of us have had the importance of keeping a work/life balance stressed to us since the beginning of our adult lives. I remember the orientation ceremony of my very first day of university. We were addressed by a surprisingly relaxed looking vice-chancellor, who made it clear that while study was important, it should not take absolute precedence over a social life. It was just as important to unwind now and again.
Some employers stress the same thing, including Carmichael's employer, although perhaps being a university environment, that's not too surprising. "At school it was always, 'Don't get over-involved in study, make sure you think about a social life'," he says. "And it was the same when I started working here. The attitude was: Work/life balance is very important. Make sure you take regular leave. And, if you need to access services like counselling, then they're available. I think that approach is being promoted very heavily."
Because Gen Y knows the importance of maintaining a work/life balance, we value flexible work hours very highly. Just giving us the ability to work an eight-hour day some time between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm goes a long way towards promoting job satisfaction.
QUT's Cooper is grateful his job offers flexible work times. "My work hours are very flexible, and that's important to me," he says. "So within reason I can start when I get into the office." He says he has worked previously in a position that had rostered work hours and break times, "and it wasn't too much fun".
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.