I had an electronic post-it today. Remember the iconic breakup in “Sex and the City” where the guy Berger breaks up with Carrie on a post-it? Well, welcome to the new generation. Now these jewels come in the form of text messages.
You see, I’ve never been able to see my coworkers as just coworkers. They are my family. I invite you in to my “circle of trust,” and I am involved. These are, after all, the circle of people who protect me from bites and kicks, help me clean up my messes and with whom I spend the majority of my waking hours. We support each other through thick and thin. We laugh, make jokes and enjoy each other.
So I received a two-week notice the other day. Big, happy news requiring some big changes. Then, BAM!, a few days after, we got a text message saying that it was too hard to finish out two weeks and look for a new job. Yep, you read it right- via text!
What the heck?
First, as a friend all I can say is, wow? I can’t say I’m surprised at the rashness or even at the type of communication. But I would like to call you out on that. You. Know. Better. How did this situation differ from last time?
Second, as an employer, WOW. In one fateful day, you have wrecked my schedule, put more stress on your ex-coworkers and given yourself an outstanding asterisk in your recommendation, should you ever be brave enough to ask for one (and it wouldn’t surprise me). Where is the capable common sense that I hired?
I was discussing the post-it in a joking manner with another client and he burst out that this is the problem with that generation, no responsibility, no owning up to the fact that someone else’s life is majorly affected by what should be a relatively small inconvenience to you. I was taken aback by his passion that this Millennial generation is so screwy. I’d like to give them more hope than that. My optimism urges me to. Do we think that there is hope?
Should we text and ask them?