Generation Y Wants Multi-Tasking Freedom

Column Quick Summary:
Echo Boomers want work flexibility. Change your approach, correct your problem.

An article highlights that among Echo Boomers pay does always mean a better job. For instance:

more than two of five would accept a lower-paying job that had more flexibility with regard to device choice, social media access, and mobility than a higher-paying job with less flexibility

In other words, if you believe that focus is superior to multi-tasking, Generation Y will challenge your views: they enjoy multi-tasking.Pertinent Side Note:

The very nature of a cell phone and social media, like Facebook, allow for multi-tasking to occur. In fact, a study counting the number of hours that workers spend on their cell phone, social networks, or doing other non-work related things would be quite fascinating (one radio talking head mentioned that it was 60% of workers' time, but failed to mention the study).

The corporate world, in general, has failed in this area. They still operate on the fallacy of the 40-hour work week, instead of the getting things done efficiently and quickly assumption. A company could easily arrange a policy where once you're done with work, you're done. Not only would work be accomplished quicker, but employees wouldn't feel trapped in a certain time frame - why be productive if you're stuck at the office for a minimum of 8 hours anyway? On top of that, jobs which require creativity, need more time away from the office anyway. An employees' best ideas don't come when they're at work, but when they're away from work (ie: the shower, an afternoon walk, Archimedes' famous bath, et cetera).

In other words, set your goals, distribute the work, and when employees finish their job, let them go (even if that takes them 2 hours). Not only would employees save time and be motivated, companies could avoid the numerous costs that come when employees try to "fill their day" with something to do (all at company costs, of course).