Millennials and Perennials

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If I had known when I decided to go to school for this profession that I would be stuck working night shift until I was fifty years-old to have a shot at a low seniority day position, I would have gone into a different career.

This is why we see so many from the younger generations come and go from our departments.  The come in and work, get experience and realize what I just said above and high tail it out before they get stuck in a rut.  

Cant say that I blame them and wish I would have done the same.

That's it!... That's the key word "seniority". At least somebody sagacious here to mention that. Managers and the would be's should respect that- seniority. Everybody new in a workplace should start working the night shift and up rather than accomodating them because they are from these generations whatsoever. And yes, I'm very aware before entering this profession that it's stressful and I'll be working hours against the so-called normal circadian rythm- but I have no problem with that. My concern is that when a generation will say, oh I don't work night shifts and I don't do phlebotomy too, and then we give in to their demands without considering the request of some others. Oh well....

What the younger employees are realizing is that it is going to take them an eternity to make it to a shift or position that will allow them to have normal hours, weekends and time off to allow for what they want to do when they want to do it.  

I know it didn't take me long to realize that many of my friends that weren't involved with healthcare and shift work were able to do things spontaneously in the evenings or take off on a whim on Friday evenings for weekend getaways.  Whereas I had to put in for time off (and begged borrowed and stole to get it) months in advance in hopes that it would be approved.   Usually we were so short staffed, someonelse that had been there longer had asked for it off or it was my forbidden weekend to work - so it was denied.  

Many are also realizing that opportunities for our profession outside of the bench lab are few and far between - unless if you have additional schooling ($$$) or have been there twenty years to be high enough in seniority to bid on something better.  With many cutbacks and fear of cutbacks, middle management fluff jobs arent around anymore or are being cut as we speak.  

I can vouch for the ones that use the Med Tech degree as a springboard to something better.  Supplement it with some additional computer/marketing/technical/engineering school and you have a fighting chance to get out of the bench cage.

While Gen Y may be tech savvy, confident, and assertive, it isn't all good.  They grew up in families divided and conjoined, witnessed enormous change, and find themselves facing future uncertainty.  It's no wonder they don't believe in segregating their lives.

I grew up in an America great despite her flaws, which taught that self-reliance is a good thing.  Remarkable, considering the turmoil of the times.  I wonder, if technology makes Gen Y feel more "connected," it surely makes them more isolated as well.

All that aside, good points are being made.  Working in the laboratory means all hours, weekends, holidays, dangerous specimens, unpleasant tasks, and difficult people under stressful conditions.  Gen Y is going to need more than pop psychology and an iPhone to succeed -- they will need passion for the work and compassion for the patients.

But if they don't recognize seniority as consensus, feel like burning themselves out on graveyard shifts, or respect elders for age alone, do those things really represent core values that we "perennials" should cherish?  The glass may be half-full, after all.

I'd like to remind you all of something - regardless of whether us laboratory professionals work day, evening, or night shifts, some holiday and weekend work is ALWAYS involved in our occupation (in the hospital setting, that is).  

If a Monday-Friday work schedule is vitally important to you, go work in a physician's office lab (usually for less pay than hospital labs) or in another health care field associated with the lab (i.e. LIS) or outside of it (the business/office side).

I'm definitely glad at least a few of us choose to emphasize the positive aspects of our chosen career field, and wish to share our enthusiasm for the important contribution we make toward patient care every day (or night) that we work, with those who are considering clinical laboratory science as "what they want to do when they grow up."  

A positive attitude from more of us will go a LONG way toward helping alleviate our nationwide laboratory staffing shortage.  Constant complaining certainly will not accomplish any kind of solution or promote clinical laboratory science as an attractive career field to enter!

There you go graveyard shift technologists! You can now start blending your life and forever work on night shifts and, please don't forget to be passionate about it and do all the due diligence to show-up for work, oh and the weekends and holidays too! Why making it a big deal this time, you've been doing this since 1970? You have to give way to the "new kids on the block", they are the future of the world, they are the hope of our nation, they are tomorrows people, they are our new inspiration. Hooray!

the new kids on the block blend their work life, family life and personal life.  they don't believe in segregation of their lives.  They can sure teach us old lab people something.  How to enjoy it all.  It is not work,  it is a place to do work that I have a passion for and to live life with that same passion.  It takes us all to make "the game of life" good for all in all our pursuits.  these new guys don't come with baggage and they don't want ours.  We can teach each other applicable skills and quit lamenting about the past we learned them from.

Everybody should take turns working the night shift- spread that burden- with no exception...  

Good people can leave because they don't like working nights, but they can also leave because of an old-fashioned "blame and train" culture, or because of an overseer supervisor intent on ticking off errors in a personnel file.  The culture described -- teamwork, positive, constructive -- is not only the best for producing real, lasting, and meaningful change, it also attracts and keeps the best people.  I suspect we'll see applicants looking for the tangible (flex schedules, et al) but also the intangible, cultural benefits.  And why not?

Managers who don't change to a more open, positive culture should be held accountable, but they won't be if the organization culture stays the same.  (Like hires like.)  If, on the other hand, Gen Y not only seeks but demands a certain kind of work environment, change may happen from the ground up.

I graduated from high school in 1996, which must have definitely been before self-esteem was emphasized in schools.  I know my classmates in the four Advanced Placement courses I took my senior year and I were NOT graded solely on effort or intent.  Either you did the work and knew the material or you didn't make good grades on tests or assignments - just like in college.  

I would greatly appreciate more emphasis being placed on teamwork, positivity, and constructive criticism in clinical laboratory workplaces than I have experienced so far in four years of working in this field.  More flexible scheduling would be awesome as well.  For example, the hospital in Texas to which I recently traveled provides "7 on/7 off scheduling" to day, evening, and night-shift technologists.  In NC and VA, the only shift you'll see that type of schedule on is third shift.  

However, an important part of this job is having the scientific knowledge to understand why certain test results are abnormal and suggest a particular disease.  Also, statistical knowledge becomes involved when analyzing quality control data, assuring accuracy and precision of patient test results (which any of us would want if we or our family members were hospital patients, I'm sure).  

I'm a little nervous about working with younger prospective colleagues who may have been given passing grades in science and math courses for "self-esteem" purposes, in spite of not understanding the material or its relevance to our work.

You're right, I think, that a positive, engaging environment attracts good people.  While I think that's always been true, it'll be good all around if Gen Y forces this issue.

Some Gen Y expectations arise from an upbringing overly focused on building self-esteem.  According to a recent article in USA Today, Gen Y believes they are destined for greatness because they may have been praised too much by Baby Boomer parents.  One psychologist thinks they are in for a fall.  Our education system, too, promotes self-esteem building regardless of performance.  I've been surprised by the excessive navel-gazing at our local schools -- self-assessments of strengths (never weakenesses!), reports of feelings, and reactions to how others in the school make the student feel.  Grades are based on effort and intent, not real performance, so we have high honors students who can't read, etc.

My world has always been simpler:  I fail, I fail.  With any luck I can try again.  When I keep my mouth shut I often learn something new.  A job is a good thing, if the alternative is going broke.  And my navel stays out of it.

Yep, this will be interesting.

These times, they are a changin' ....

Employers are going to have to adjust and break out of the box when it comes to hiring millenials in a career field that has shown little growth in flexibilty over the past many years.  

Just as you said above, many would prefer a workplace that offers a progressive philosophy (GASP! c-h-a-n-g-e!) as well as a schedule that suits their needs.  That means they are more adept to newer technology being introduced, streamlining procedures and possible efficiency improvements. (As many of us well know, there are many things that we do daily that easily could have ten steps removed and be done much quicker; BUT that is the way that we have been doing it for twenty years and that is the way that we are going to do it for the next twenty....)  The upcoming generations don't fear change, they embrace it - whatever they can do to make it easier for themselves. ( It shouldn't be construed as laziness, rather it should be looked at as a means of improvement from a fresh set of eyes.)

One big factor that more than likely keeps or drives many of the younger prospectives away from the profession is the fact that many are looked down upon and not included in the process of departmental improvement.  They are often not looked to for suggestions or if they are, theirs often take a back seat.  

Another big factor why many would skip over certain job postings are the hours.  At many places, it is no big secret that once you take a position on night shift, you grow grey on night shift; plus you work every weekend and holiday - short staffed ...  They will go elsewhere and make half as much to have a schedule that doesn't make them walking zombies...

I can say, personally, that I would prefer a better schedule for the hours given over a menial raise anyday.