ATD Blog
Tue Apr 05 2016
Entitlement is a common complaint these days from talent development and business leaders. It’s defined as expecting certain benefits and treatment beyond what is reasonable; people believe they deserve certain perks in the workplace and are not accountable for negative behaviors.
Some people argue that entitlement is a characteristic of Millennials, while others argue that entitlement is common across all generations and is thereby unique to the times. Other research by Paul Harvey has found that employees who have been with a company for a long time are actually more likely to feel entitled. Moreover, Harvey found that these entitled employees were more likely to be frustrated than those who do not feel a sense of entitlement.
Entitlement is a problem in the workplace because it can create a hostile work environment. For example, an entitled employee can disrupt a harmonious team environment. So how can you tell if an employee feels entitled? According to Erica Spelman of Zappos, some of the key characteristics include not taking responsibility, a negative attitude, conflict with others, being inflexible, and complaining without offering any viable solutions. The inability for entitled employees to perform can put an organization’s profits at risk, as well as a whole team’s productivity. Oone bad co-worker can negatively affect the entire team.
Although entitlement can wreak havoc on a workplace, there are ways for talent development to combat the problem.
Create programs that offset entitled behavior. For example, encourage employees to take accountability for their actions and support behaviors that foster a team environment. Additionally, managers and senior leaders should be careful not to model entitled behaviors.
Recruit individuals who do not display characteristics of entitlement in the interview process. Paul Harvey explains that while it may be more work up front, it will mean less destructive behavior down the line. Spelman suggests looking for those who are humble and embody a willingness to help a company grow. It may also be useful to look for candidates who took accountability for past mistakes and who collaborated effectively with co-workers on other projects in the past. Moreover, Spelman encourages talent development professionals to ask employees at the end of their onboarding whether the company is the right fit for them, and vice versa; if it’s not, they should leave.
Reward employees when they are truly worthy of it. Eric Chester suggests expressing appreciation for work that is well done or that exceeds expectations. However, make it clear to employees that just showing up and doing the job they’re paid to do will not be rewarded. As David French explains, “To be valued in the workplace, one must first demonstrate that they’re valuable.”
Want to participate in our short poll on entitlement in the workplace? Click here.
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