Overly sensitive employees/apprentices

[OhGoodnessItsSoExhausting]

Ok, so I pride myself on being a strengths focussed supervisor. I always want to mentor and help my employees and apprentices as much as possible. But the last two apprentices (all apprentices in this role are graduates if that's relevant) have been soooooo sensitive and just plain.annoying!

I can't give any feedback because they 'know it already.' I can't say anything right because apparently I know nothing about transgender issues or decolonisation of the workplace and I need to hear them 'educate' me on it all and lend me books because they (20 years younger with zero experience in this role) know how to resolve ingrained, inherent systemic racism and prejudice and clearly if they were in my role they'd have solved all the problems in society which impact the role, already.

They are always 'curious about X...' and 'wondering about y...' instead of just speaking in normal language

They are driving me insane!!!

They can't manage their workload (even though I'm so worried about upsetting them I give them half what I've given to previous apprentices). Apparently it's important to be 'boundaried' and assertive with your needs. (Yes,.I know that, but I'm just asking you to do your job - you are paid more for these apprenticeships than many of the more senior staff in the organisation).

They are so bloody self absorbed and self riteous. I find them so patronising.

Is this entitlement, condescending attitude and use of fluffy language a generation thing? Or (please tell me), I've just had a bad run of two extremely annoying apprentices!!? (who I found out today are friends! So I guess they feed off each other discussing how amazing and riteous they are and how everyone else in the organisation is incompetent.)

Grrr..

That should have been 'thanks' or 'thank you'. Before someone picks me up on my SPAG. (This heat has really gone for me ...)

Double S is also acceptable though not as widely used.

This point was relevant how to the OP?

I used to work for a RG University 20 years ago and the students back then were lazy, privileged and entitled. I suspect not much has changed in 20 years!

Good for them for not putting up with some of the practices where employers just ‘ employ’ students over summer under the pretence of offering them experiences but end up being just a ‘pair of extra hands’ and be in thrown in the deep end with non-existent supervisors.

Also these days casual bullying, homophobia, racism, misogyny, ableism etc will not be tolerated in work places .

I’m older but admire the younger ( usually under 35) generation for not putting up with it.

It was, it was most excellent. That's what my smiley faces were for, I just forgot to quote BitOutOfPractice's post.

There can't be enough pulling up on the SPaG posters, they're pathetic.

I actually used to talk to colleagues when I was much younger when they were working (and am sure I irritated them!) - some wanted to talk but I'm sure some didn't know how to tell me nicely to go away! In recent years, of course I've learned to give people space and to talk when it's appropriate but if no one says anything to you at the time then of course you think this is acceptable and can carry it over into other jobs!

I've also worked with people who try to bring up certain issues (vegan, trans etc) in the workplace (government organisations) and I generally try to ignore in-depth discussions on that and I do think it's inappropriate.

One of my friends is a manager for a charity and had to manage 2 people of your generation approx 5 years ago. They had lax work patterns/behaviour and she really had to work with them to get them to improve their work but also small things like limited use of personal mobile phone during work time. Because she's a good manager they listened to her and changed tack to be better but it does take infinite patience. Both had health issues too so that was accommodated but going forward in the workplace they had to know the correct way to behave and to work efficiently (both first/second jobs for them).

You clearly think you’re quite witty.

You were told to walk around faster to look busier, but I’d still assume you were still doing your job and working?

The person I’ve mentioned walks around slowly while actively avoiding doing any jobs during the working day. They start a job and then wander off not even half way through to go for a little walk about, hide in the toilet, and then wander back to find someone to talk to. Rinse and repeat.

I couldn’t care less about the speed in which someone moves as long as they’re still doing their job.

I would have pulled them on it last shift but there was a staffing issue in the morning shift which meant a lot of the morning workload rolled over onto my shift, which I had to work through, as well as my own workload for the evening (this particular day is quite paperwork heavy in the evening as it is).

It isn’t about performative working, it’s about simply just working. I may be paid to manage a shift and ensure every task gets done, but I don’t think any managers on this thread have enough free time to essentially stalk an employee for the whole shift and act as their babysitter.

Well...I suppose it depends on your life experience. I've slogged through nursery fees being a second mortgage...just to survive. For a very young, single employee to say that this is her reason and to then bleat about not having enough money...what can I say? Life is tough. I come from a family who have "sucked it up". Life is tough. It would be lovely to have a work/life balance but I personally don't think that being a 20 something with no ties who tries to do the bare minimum when at work and then harps on about not having enough money as someone who cuts it with me.

I do wonder if one thing that doesn’t help is the fact it is (round here at least) getting harder and harder for young people to find work or volunteering before leaving school. More and more “pocket money” type jobs like sweeping in a hairdressers, collecting plates etc have higher minimum ages now - even volunteering in a lot of charity shops is now 18+ only (again that’s where I live, can’t speak for everywhere)! And of course the ever popular paper round is even less needed now as more people read online instead. Obviously due to valid concerns about exploitation and H&S etc but I do think it makes it harder for teens to start earning their own money and, perhaps more importantly, get experience in the real world and not the (relative) bubble of school.

The local integrated SEN weekend /holiday scheme take on volunteers from age of 12. My DD volunteered there and was eventually employed by them and also got some respite care work through the scheme. It was invaluable experience for her degree and career.

So you think it's appropriate to put on a stupid fake American accent for no reason when talking to your boss in a professional environment then @BeardyButton

How very odd.

Forgot to say, both my dc also qualified as lifeguards when they were 16 and ds worked through uni and at home at a local sport centre. DD worked in USA as a lifeguard and counsellor for Camp America

yes but surely by the time you are in Uni real life should have hit to an extent?

It did happen. Why would I make that banal shit up?

Very weird that you think it's wrong for someone boss to point out that it's not really professional behaviour in the workplace to put on a fake American accent

Then let's assume I know more about my workplace than you, and it's perfectly possible. The rest of us manage anyway...

I'm totally missing the point, and late to the party, but BOTH focused and focussed are acceptable. Check if you don't believe me.

Given the crazy aspiration to get 50% of youngsters into Unis ... Inevitably, a lot of "unsuitable" students are going to Unis and getting degrees. Especially given that a few decades ago, students really needed to strive and work hard just to get a Uni place and then work even harder to get a degree, so the process would have weeded out the wastrels along the way

Important points all, and worse still many are saddling themselves with huge debt to gain degrees that aren't always necessary and which their personal skills aren't really suited to

There's also the issue that some don't stop to think they're paying for the tuition rather than the actual degree, which can lead to further entitlement, as in "I paid, so what do you mean I won't pass??"

And all to suit a manic political project, largely concerned with massaging unemployment figures

We have great university placements. But unlike you we can interview and our placements are highly sought after. Only had one dud, a young man who the senior staff thought were great but who patronised and talked down to the office staff and people he obviously thought were beneath him. This was fed back to the university.

I do know though that there are fewer placements about generally. Maybe OP's experience is why?
Students do need to understand that employers do not have to offer these and will not if it becomes too much like hard work.

Many have zero experience of working in the real world they have partied their way through Uni and achieved a 2.2 in bugger all, thankfully I don’t have to deal with them, all the recruits are carefully selected and if they don’t measure up in the probationary period they are out. Management are good, regulations are strictly enforced, it’s nice to work where everyone pulls their weight.

After a year those that want to go for promotion can apply, if you are good enough there is no limit, graduates start at the bottom.

It's a shame really because phrases like 'I'm curious about' are commonly used but everyone knows it usually by dicks trying to be dickish.

We shouldn't really be surprised when young people try to join in with the company culture but we should be mentoring them.

That's why I told my grad to stop speaking in an American accent at random times; I'd be doing her a massive disservice if I didn't teach her what's acceptable and professional in the workplace.

The comment about maybe the students can teach OP made me eye roll.
Some students can teach some useful points. But issues such as systematically decolonising a workplace are massive complex issues that need a thorough understanding of how the workplace operates and its culture. It is extremely unlikely a student would even begin to grasp these complexities. Organisational culture change is bloody hard.

I think it's these two encouraging each other. Where I work we deal with graduates of around 22-23 upwards and they all seem to work really hard. Please tell us you're going to tell these two to shut the fuck up and get on with the work they're paid to do?

Presumably for the same reasons as the many other people on here who tell lies about banal putdowns they’ve made to people they consider beneath them. Also, it was actually your own rather hypocritical use of 11-year-old-esque language I was mocking.