Justice is a fundamental social expectation that motivates behavior
Aloto H Aye
Asuto Village
People from all generations and ages have made up our culture today. Over the past 20 years, there has been an increased recognition of the evolving nature, the changing work environment, and the multigenerational workforce. Work and organisations are being significantly shaped by shifting demographics. Every generation has been greatly influenced by many social, political, economic, and cultural elements, which have resulted in the development of distinct variances in their values and attitudes, as well as in their lifestyle choices and ideals. In recent years, the following generations have been observed to share the platform: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Y and Z.
People born between 1946 and 1964 are referred to as baby boomers because of the significant rise in births that occurred during World War II. A conservative, technologically illiterate, and “slow” changing generation
Generation X; These individuals were born in the period spanning from 1961 to 1979 known as “latchkey kids” since their parents would frequently be gone for extended periods of time at work, leaving the kids unattended and unparented (Erickson, 2009). They witnessed the emergence of the Internet and other technical advancements.
Millennials, often known as Generation Y, were born between 1980 and 1995. With the introduction and increased usage of mobile phones and the Internet, they have witnessed the fantastic technological transformation (Gaidhani, 2019); they have also witnessed economic phenomena such as the privatisation and liberalisation of public sector organisations.
Centennials, often known as Gen-Z, were born between 1995 and 2010. These are individuals whose internet-marked DNA infiltrates their homes, their schooling, and their social interactions. Although they can multitask, yet attention span is very limited.
Today, with technological advancement, Marshall McLuhan’s (1964) concept of “Global Village” is no more just a theory as popular culture and generational changes are more related than ever. Learning methods have altered as a result of technological devices and mobile apps. Nowadays, the vast majority of us are dependent on online learning; cloud kitchens are becoming more and more popular and have spawned a new kind of society. Life is getting increasingly complicated, even though we have become highly qualified as a result of declining beliefs and principles. Our avarice and greed have led to low ethics and moral values, thus increasing crimes resulting in fear and threat among innocent masses. The low moral values have created unrest and turmoil in society. We see honest people struggling and facing hardships. Illiteracy and population explosion have added to their woes.
Ethics is concerned with what society considers being right or wrong. It therefore relates to standards of behavior. Ethical behavior may also be defined in terms of consequences. This is sometimes referred to as the teleological approach (from the Greek word ‘telos’, meaning ‘the end’). Here, the right course of action is that which will result in the most acceptable outcome, most acceptable to whom? This is dependent on the ethical stance of those who determine what an acceptable outcome is.
We are crippling our society by giving in and desensitizing our youth to the real world. Behavior in society is now based on negativity, denial of the values of other people and ignoring universal values. Due to the lack of value-based criteria, it has become difficult to make individual decisions regarding your actions, because there is no clear distinction between what is acceptable and not acceptable. In a mass-consumptive modern world, blurring standards and duality is the outcome of a lack of ethical instinct. Unresolved ethical conflicts give rise to various forms of social criticism and rejection of viewpoints that conflict with one's own paradigm of thinking, including the rejection of immigrants, gender issues, Western culture, and Oriental philosophy. Aggression also appears in society as a result of these conflicts. The media and popular culture promote offensive, violent, harsh, and violent behaviour. New standards are imposed in our society, and these serve as the foundation for the development of moral principles, particularly in the case of youth.
Ethics is becoming a more important topic in both academics and professional settings due to the ethical failings and commercial scandals of the past several decades as well as the new problems that appear to crop up every day. Academic research makes significant contributions to our understanding of people's moral behaviour and decision-making processes in organisational settings; however, immorality is a problem that requires ongoing attention to keep under control, and research on the subject still has room to offer options and solutions. When employees perceive fairness or unfairness, they experience certain positive or negative sentiment that likely influences their consequent behavioral pattern. According to equity theory (Adams, 1965), employees who feel that there is general injustice and unfairness in the organisation have a tendency to change how they behave in order to address this perceived injustice and to improve their status or welfare, usually at the expense of the organization.
Today’s environment is not only fast-paced, but also highly competitive. In order to keep pace and stay ahead, possession of several key work ethics is a requisite for achieving a successful career. Possessing important attributes like integrity, teamwork, attendance, appearance, and attitude benefits our work culture and us personally. While there are many different types of successful jobs, most successful career recipes include work ethics as a key component.
A work ethic is a set of values founded on devotion and hard labour. It is essentially the conviction that labour is morally righteous and that it can improve character. It also refers to the moral benefits of employment. It also describes systems of values that are characterised by diligence and laborious effort. Any type of work ethic encompasses both how you carry out the responsibilities of your job and how you feel about your position or place of employment. In order to succeed in one's personal life, one must be committed, whether one is a student or an employee. It takes diligence to acquire new abilities and methods.
For those who are interested in careers, knowing this information opens doors and presents options. It is necessary to meet the timely obligations of this fast-paced environment. Character is how others perceive someone. Much like an actor who plays a role, the character traits that one possesses portray an image in others’ minds. Thus, it is up to each of us, to reflect on whether or not we possess such qualities.
At present, with urbanization and stiff competition, there is a rising problem of loneliness, anxiety, fear, peer-pressure among today’s youth and are addicted to unwanted substances and is also forcing youngsters to commit suicide which is disrupting our society and reflects our weak support system.
What could be the reason or why there is a burnout of skilled-qualified youths today?
Today's youngsters are bright, tech-savvy able to delay their gratification, and cooperative and caring. Nevertheless, despite their best efforts, they are unable to live up to the rising standards of success set by our culture, leaving them worn out, angry at the doors closing in their faces, and undervaluing their achievements because they don't seem to be paying off.
Low self-efficacy or low achievement, lack of appreciation and recognition, economic inequality is the symptoms. It is a forced stop to the rat race, which is a reasonable response to an unsustainable scenario. There are too many demands and expectations combined with insufficient resources and assistance leading to burnout youths. Both internal such as perfectionism and unrealistic educational objectives and external such as the rising expense and competition in academic marks and stagnating salaries demands have increased throughout time. These increased demands push young people toward an extrinsic, economic payoff mindset that leads them to spend more time working and monetizing their behaviors. It’s a feeling of always being “on” and never being able to fully relax.
What are the potential solutions to increasing burnout?
Young people who are experiencing burnout are less likely to rebel against the system because burnout is a demoralizing force. We must reverse the burnout equation by giving young people more resources and assistance while simultaneously lowering expectations and demands. This must originate from a variety of locations, including government regulations, businesses, and educational institutions. A well-known statement by Audre Lorde, “young people need to reclaim rest, rejuvenation, and revitalization as acts of political warfare,” and older generations need to give hands on support.
Through time, the educational system has shaped itself into a system that is a byproduct of evocation, memory, and mark retrieval. We are tutored to munch figures and hark back for a lifetime. Does it, however, help? Are we taught how to make an informed decision in the contemporary workplace or how to apply one's intellect to a particular situation? We don't show that we use our own minds and interests in place of making time for memorization. Undoubtedly, technology and multiculturalism are the driving forces of the 21stcentury, as mundane employment are automated. Instead of being replaced by algorithms, we need people who can “think” critically, creatively, and analytically to solve “real-life” problems. As Tony Robbins, an American Author, and philanthropist aptly noted, “Knowledge is not power, knowing a concept is only potential value. The execution of knowledge is where the power lies.” However, we are yet to witness the implementation as the pursuit of government jobs is still a hot spot in our Society.
Gone are the days when government jobs kept looking for the literate people ever since Western Education penetrated into our Kitchen. Today, majority of qualified youths are setting their sights on securing a position within the government sector. We all have heard and are hearing our parents wishing for us to secure a government job as a priority. For majority of our parents, working for the government is a need. Government employment is often acknowledged to be the safest and most comfortable career choices. Furthermore, in the extremely competitive job market of today, their appeal has grown even more.
But what exactly is driving this growing trend?
Family expectations play a significant role in shaping career choices among our society. Seeking a steady government job is seen as an honour among our homes. Our Parents often encourage us to opt for government employment due to the perceived job security, financial stability, and social status associated with such positions. Alongside, societal expectations play a role in the propensity for government employment. The general perception is that individuals working in the public sector serve the nation and make a valuable contribution to society. This societal validation further reinforces the desirability and the respect accorded to individuals holding positions in administrative services, defence forces, judiciary, or other esteemed sectors and adds to their social standing within communities. This trend affects not just personal preferences but also the state of the labour market as a whole. As more young individuals opt for government positions, there could be a potential shortage of skilled professionals in other sectors.
It is a fact that the majority of our young people—though not all—squander a great deal of time, resources, and effort trying to obtain government positions. This enthralls them into coaching institutes, the blooming trend today, producing positive results as per the advertisement displayed. Some join because they are determined to follow their goal, while others do so out of fear or because they are under pressure and unsure of what to do.
The idea of the trickledown effect can sound enticing, but unless the great majority of our young people are driven to alter their perspectives, unemployment will continue to grip us, poor performance from unsatisfied job will also continue to persist impeding the development of the public sector. Also, the qualified and qualifying students need to understand that graduation certificate is not enough rather require skilled graduates and should understand typically securing a government job requires more than just ambition. Due to the fierce rivalry in this profession, candidates must be prepared to the hilt and possess perseverance as they will be tested to their limits. Nevertheless, our youth's suffering will not be alleviated until we free ourselves from the bonds of fear, and change our attitudes towards making a living. It’s time to introspect and to get to know who you are, what your potentials are, and where you can use your greatest expertise to germinate our soil.
“Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.”– Lao Tzu
