They lack work ethics and know nothing about sacrifice or struggle

None of the descriptions about Generation Y make them desirable employees. If all these statements are true, then any organisation that employs this group will be in a lot of trouble. So, are companies in Hong Kong really in chaos as a result of young overconfident employees who want more pay for less work, constant praise and to be CEO tomorrow? I have yet to see that in the market. So let's step back from the hype and explore what really are truths and myths about Generation Y. I will define these people as those who are in their 20s.

I recently had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion featuring this generation at the AmCham HR conference. I used this opportunity to ask panel members if they expected constant feedback, especially positive affirmation?

The answer was a resounding 'no'. The logic behind the need for continuous praise is that many in this generation grew up with parents who constantly praised them for everything. However, the difference between Hong Kong and the United States, where much of the Generation Y research is from, is that parents in Hong Kong did not use the same positive reinforcement tactics in raising their children as many parents did in the US.

In my previous company, I worked with several Generation Y consultants. When recruiting for fresh graduates, we always looked for people who had presence and showed confidence. More often, candidates lacked confidence. Invariably, in every generation, there is a distribution of hard workers and those who are lazy. When compared with previous generations, it is true, that the Generation Y people have experienced little struggle or sacrifice. Many in Hong Kong have roots in China or other parts of Asia, where their parents lived through war, the Cultural Revolution and poverty. I have met many in this generation who worked hard. However, many are short distance sprinters and few are marathon runners. The ones I've worked with worked all hours of the night to meet deadlines and deliver client work. This sort of environment was not that different from the competitive education system they had to endure. However, many would only last a year or two at most in these long-hour jobs. If they had endured just a little longer they would have really reaped the benefits of their labour. I hope I have been able to get you thinking about the observations in the media and conference circuit, and whether or not they match up to what we see and experience among our younger friends and colleagues in Hong Kong.

Ji-Ye Hwang is a former HR consultant and now a director of HR for the Asia regional office of a global financial services company.