We currently have a 24 year old employee who is constantly calling in sick or that she will be late. Her life is nothing but drama. She “must” watch her nieces because her sister is having a crisis with her husband. Her mom might have cancer, so she has to take her to the doctor (she doesn’t). Her father was fired and needs the car to look for a new job...he needs her car because her mom needs their car to run errands. While she is “working”, if she finishes a task she will plop down with her phone and wait for someone to notice that she isn’t doing anything.
We recently hired a 62 year old woman who happens to be a retired police sergeant. She is a ball of energy who is always looking for something to keep herself busy. She doesn’t have the computer skills of the younger girl, but she is willing and interested in learning them. She never hesitates to take on any task asked of her and has yet to even show up late.
The generational difference...
I think it used to be more common (not universal) for workers to see work as ‘showtime’ a place and time where a man showed who he was, home was where you kicked off your shoes and took off your tie or work shirt, but the factory or the office or construction site was where you were competing in the world, where you thrived and let yourself be known and earned your reputation among your group.