Interns fired en masse for protesting dress code — Page 2

Yes, questioning things. Sounds entitled to me.

Its cool when we did it years ago, but not now. I find our generations' need to insult millennials more annoying than millenials themselves.

Again, maybe I'm missing something, but I don't think they would have argued that the veteran *shouldn't* have had the right to wear comfortable shoes.

"Seriously? They should expect that? Wow. You sound very millenial/entitled to me."

Well, feel free to think that, I guess. I just think that part of treating your employees like people includes paying them. If that makes me entitled, well, there are worse things to be.

If you're trying to defend your fellow millennials, you might want to try a different tack than bragging about how successful you are. Just a thought.

hork said: "If you're trying to defend your fellow millennials, you might want to try a different tack than bragging about how successful you are. Just a thought.



"

Obviously I realise that it is not a method to facilitate positive relationships, and I love the irony of my typo. But I don't care to build positive relationships with people that express such ridiculous attitudes.

As I've gotten older I've begun to realise that most of the population is not well educated and not successful. They are the last people I think should be complaining that younger people are lazy or entitled. It is annoying to read people generalising about a whole generation when I have worked extremely hard my whole life.

I'm not convinced that there is any real evidence these stereotypes exist. In fact, as someone who works in an industry where 'thought leaders' try to profess that there are stark generational differences and the incoming generation of our workforce are motivated by different factors, some studies with actual data suggests that at a group level no such differences exist. People are people, they want the same things.

Updated On: 7/2/16 at 09:06 PM

The stereotype of millennials is not that they're lazy. It's that they have an unwarranted sense of entitlement. "This is what I want and I deserve to have it."

This group of people fit that stereotype. The article begins by saying the group wanted to "enact change". That sounds very noble until you look at the kind of change they wanted to enact. Their goal was very immature and self-serving.

The change they wanted to enact was not an idea to make the company more productive, or profitable. It was not a plan that would benefit their education, or help them become a better employee. Neither was this a matter of "questioning things". If they had asked a few questions before acting, they might have known why the employee was allowed an exemption from the dress code.

Their self-centeredness is mind boggling. The reasoning behind their petition is basically that of a six-year-old. "If she gets to wear flats, then I deserve to wear flats, too!" "It's not fair!"

The response when told why the veteran was allowed to wear flats is a slappable offense. "You can’t even tell," (What??? Do you feel you were tricked in some way?!?) "and if we had known about this we would have factored it into our argument." (What does that even mean?) How might you have twisted a veteran's disability into making an argument that you are selfishly entitled to what you want. I shudder to think...

Kudos to the one person who chose not to sign that petition. I bet he/she took some undeserved flack from the rest of that millennial bunch.

Updated On: 7/2/16 at 09:33 PM

In any enterprise or government agency or NGO there exists an organizational culture. If an intern or employee's values don't align with the organizational culture, then the obvious choices are either: (1) adapt, or (2) work to enact changes to the extent practical, or (3) move the hell on by choice or force.

Well, feel free to think that, I guess. I just think that part of treating your employees like people includes paying them. If that makes me entitled, well, there are worse things to be.

But that wasn't my point. The part of your post that I Quoted was my point. You think the employers should expect what they got which was all the interns complaining. In my advanced age and "successful" experience that sort of behavior is not and should not be what's expected.

"

Updated On: 7/2/16 at 10:58 PM

wonderfulwizard11 said: "I just think that part of treating your employees like people includes paying them. If that makes me entitled, well, there are worse things to be."

But these interns are NOT employees. They are interns. As dramamama pointed out, they are on par with student teachers. They are there to learn from, and get 'hands-on', practical experience with the people who actually ARE employees. If anything, they should be paying to be there.

Interns that receive pay for being a student (even if their classroom is a work practicum classroom) should consider themselves lucky.

If the very best these interns could contribute to the company that was educating them was a self-serving petition regarding the dress code, then they absolutely did not prove their worth and deserved to be expelled from the program.

As a newspaper editor, I am fortunate to get a number of high school/college students as interns over the course of a year. In addition to journalism, I always hope my interns learn life lessons as well working with me.

In the case at hand, these interns got some very valuable life lessons. They learned to do their research on an issue, and to make sure they are right, before opening their mouths about it. They learned to ask questions, to look at all sides of an issue before drawing conclusions. They learned to show respect for their co-workers, and to communicate with them before complaining about them to the boss. And most importantly, they learned there are consequences to their actions.

While their "firing" may seem harsh, they are young, they will rebound, they will move on. This internship has taught them a lot, and if they take these things to heart, what they have learned will serve them well.

"But these interns are NOT employees. They are interns. As dramamama pointed out, they are on par with student teachers. They are there to learn from, and get 'hands-on', practical experience with the people who actually ARE employees. If anything, they should be paying to be there.

Interns that receive pay for being a student (even if their classroom is a work practicum classroom) should consider themselves lucky."

I don't mean to be rude, but am genuinely curious- have you ever actually been an intern? This varies from profession to profession, of course, but there are many internships that essentially function as entry-level jobs- that was the case with the one I just concluded. I was paid for that work (though certainly far below anything resembling a living wage, and as such I still worked two other jobs just to make ends meet), and while I certainly did learn new skills, my being there was essential to the function of the company. So yes, there are things to learn (as I think there are in any new workplace), but at the end of the day interns are still working and providing a service. I can understand not paying interns a lot of ,money, to be sure, but I just don't buy the argument that someone who is providing labor for a company does not deserve any compensation in return. And while I can understand how the interns in this situation were out of line, I ultimately don't think any of their actions (as described in the article, of course) were worthy of the reaction they've received, nor do I think it means that all younger people deserve to be painted with a broad brush of laziness or entitlement.

and don't even get me started on Archie Bunker of All in the Family fame


You mean the character from a TV show that was a caricature of the hardline conservative that was to be laughed at, not with, played by a bigger Liberal than Rob Reiner?

Come on HorseTears, now you're just perpetuating stereotypes. All millenials can do is post memes and tweet and complain. Duh.

wonderfulwizard11 said: "I don't mean to be rude, but am genuinely curious- have you ever actually been an intern?

Yes, and I also did a semester of student teaching my senior year of college. My internship came much later in life during summer break from teaching.

This varies from profession to profession, of course, but there are many internships that essentially function as entry-level jobs- that was the case with the one I just concluded.

Well, YES. That's the whole point of an internship - to function like an entry level position so the intern can get their feet wet, learn how the business/company functions, and get a 'real-world' learning experience. Internships are not meant to be simulations.

But you also listed an essential characteristic that differentiates an internship from a real, entry level position when you wrote, "...I just concluded". Your experience was not an entry level position. Entry level positions have no pre-defined end date.

I was paid for that work (though certainly far below anything resembling a living wage, and as such I still worked two other jobs just to make ends meet), and while I certainly did learn new skills, my being there was essential to the function of the company.

Maybe we have a disconnect regarding the meaning of the word, "essential" and its use in regards to "my being there". If your presence was "essential to the function of the company", they certainly must have shuttered their doors by now (because you are no longer there). Is that the case?

So yes, there are things to learn (as I think there are in any new workplace), but at the end of the day interns are still working and providing a service.

Yes, interns are working and providing a service, but the primary reason the company is providing and allowing them that opportunity, and even providing the intern a small stipend in return is for the betterment of the intern. Of course, the company benefits, too. Basically, they get a temp that they can abuse during the length of their internship, and it costs them less money than hiring a "real" temp. (I'm aware that companies can be abusive of the system.) The fact is though, that the purpose of an internship is to benefit the intern by a) providing a 'real-world' learning experience, and b) providing the intern with work experience they can put on their resume, so that they can then apply for an actual entry level job and not be turned away for lack of experience.

I can understand not paying interns a lot of ,money, to be sure, but I just don't buy the argument that someone who is providing labor for a company does not deserve any compensation in return.

The compensation interns receive in return is not monetary. Internships were not designed to be entry level jobs. If an intern expects to be monetarily compensated, why not just apply for a job instead of participating in an internship?

Could it be because without having practical experience on a resume, it's so incredibly difficult to get an interview? Maybe... just maybe, an internship provides professional references that are essential to the interview process, and may tip the scales in their favor of landing a job?

And while I can understand how the interns in this situation were out of line, I ultimately don't think any of their actions (as described in the article, of course) were worthy of the reaction they've received, nor do I think it means that all younger people deserve to be painted with a broad brush of laziness or entitlement."

I completely agree with you regarding the need for not "painting with a broad brush". As is the case with all stereotypes, they do not define an entire group. But again, this particular set of individuals exemplified the stereotype.

Updated On: 7/3/16 at 09:12 AM