Who wants to work with Gen Y?
The 2013 Salary Survey ventured into some uncharted waters in a quest to shine a light on some more obscure, but no less relevant, components of the travel industry. Consequently Gen Y, working mothers, staffing preferences and working with colleagues of different ages all came under the microscope this year.
The survey group was asked firstly about working with Gen Y employees – roughly those aged between 18 and 30 – and often perceived to lack the work ethic of their elders or to have unrealistic workplace expectations.
Results were split, with 11% saying the experience was excellent and the highest proportion, 34%, saying it was enjoyable to be employed with the youngest working generation. The more ambivalent, some 32%, said it was no different to working with older colleagues. However, not all travel agents are enamoured with their youthful colleagues. Roughly a quarter of people surveyed, 23% in fact, described working with Gen Y staff as a challenge.
On a similar note, agents were also asked whether they had a problem with working for a manager younger than they were. Pleasingly for youthful bosses, it appears that ability rather than age counts most. In total 53% agreed and a further 27% strongly agreed that a younger manager wasn’t an issue, meaning four in five agents were not age averse when it came to being told what to do. Of the remaining 20% who weren’t thrilled to be managed by a younger person, only 3% were strongly against the idea.
Agents were also quizzed on staffing preferences, specifically whether one full timer was better than two part timers. In a roughly three to one split, 73% of agents decided that one full time staff member beats having two people working part time, the preference of the remaining 27% of surveyed agents.
Lastly, agents were asked what an appropriate workload was for mothers with children. The largest portion of surveyed agents, some 39%, felt that roughly two and a half days, or 20 hours per week, represented an ideal balance. A further 27% were in favour of a 25 hour week, while 11% suggested 30 hours and 9% liked the sound of 15 hours a week.
Those perhaps seeking utopian conditions of between zero and 10 working hours a week for mums numbered only 2%, while a slave driving 6% of respondents thought the full 40 hour work week was appropriate for those with kids. There’s no rest for the weary in some quarters evidently.
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