Part 2: Gen Y, we want to decide the color of the walls

As I mentioned in my last Gen Y post earlier this week many organizations have certain structures, policies and processes that make us want to pack our bags. One such policy has to do with our ability to offer ideas.

As much as corporations say they want and creativity and innovation the fact is it is mostly lip service. Some of the most closed organizations drone on for paragraphs on their website about how innovation is key to their survival. In truth, many of these organizations insist on a bottom up approach for offering ideas. Meaning a Gen Y in marketing can't go to the head of marketing to discuss their idea without first approaching three other bosses with the idea. Further, many traditional organizations don't see a value in asking front line employees or those lower on the decision making level for advice, ideas and opinions.

Organizations that operate this way are alienating their Gen Y employees. As a Gen Y, since I could talk, I've been asked where I'd like to go on vacation, what kind of car the family should and what house I like the best. Our opinions were asked on issues that impacted the entire family ever since we were on the playground and now we enter an organization, which were supposed to care about; and they have the nerve to not bring us in on the decision making process?

It seems to me that organizations could go along way with not only creating buy-in by all employees by allowing them to be a part of the decision making process, or at least allowing them to share their opinion. How do companies expect to retain and engage Gen Y if they don't allow us to be a part of an organization in the same way were accustomed to?