Nicholas Giordano is a professor of Political Science, the host of The P.A.S. Report Podcast, and a fellow at Campus Reform’s Higher Education Fellowship.
For over a week, the New York Times Tech Guild – 600 members strong – went on strike, and the unions’ demands were more befitting of a university campus than a premier American newsroom. These demands include mandatory trigger warnings in company meetings, unlimited sick time, nonperformance based annual bonuses, and perhaps the kicker, a contract clause that would prioritize non-citizen employees on visas over American employees in the case of layoffs. The Gray Lady, once the gold standard in journalism, used to embody a certain level of grit and professionalism. Now, even the tech arm reflects a generation that has grown soft.
Thankfully, the Times did not cater to these ridiculous demands. However, the sense of entitlement is a growing trend that has led to billions of dollars in economic losses as the college mindset continues to infiltrate the workplace.
[RELATED: ‘ALL THESE IDIOTS GET ADMITTED’: Alan Dershowitz on student protesters: WATCH]
Our colleges and universities, once bastions of critical thinking, have become factories of fragility. Many of today’s graduates emerge from college unprepared for the demands of the real world. They prioritize feelings over facts, and self-indulgence over personal responsibility. Emotions have replaced objective analysis, competency, and professional standards. Worst of all, this campus-bred behavior has infected workplaces across the country, where entitlement takes precedence over the demands of any job. The result? A workforce that stifles economic growth and an America losing its competitive edge in the 21st century.
According to one survey, recent college graduates watch nearly an hour of TV during the workday, costing employers $8,241 per employee per year. When asked about hiring recent college graduates, 64% of business leaders surveyed have major concerns and stated this cohort has a poor work ethic with few practical skills. According to the Department of Labor, bad hiring decisions can cost employers as much as 30% of an individual’s first-year potential earnings.
These less capable employees have cost businesses $3.1 billion annually as companies are forced to provide remedial writing training due to poor writing skills – skills that should have been refined throughout their college education.
Lowered standards have led college graduates to struggle with the demands of the job. They have difficulty with the required work and do not adjust well to the average workday hours. According to 68% of small business owners, they are the least “reliable employees” and “create division and toxicity in the workplace.” The fact that 26% of Gen Zers bring a parent to a job interview perfectly illustrates how this group has been so coddled and sheltered that they are unable to handle the pressures of adulthood.
It’s easy to see why so many young adults struggle with maturity. Just look at how college campuses responded to Donald Trump’ election. In order to cope with the results of the election, George Washington University offered students milk and cookies. At Virginia Tech and the University of Oregon students are being offered therapy dogs to “lessen the anxiety,” and professors at colleges throughout the country have canceled classes. These are not five-year-olds so why are they being treated as such.
New York University professor Jonathan Haidt sees this trend of fragility as a national crisis due to the chronic victimhood culture – a culture that is not only tolerated on college campuses, but actively encouraged. From safe spaces and equitable grading systems to lower academic standards and trigger warnings, our college campuses have done a disservice to the student body, parents, faculty, employers, and our society as a whole.
We must end the culture of fragility. This will require a commitment from all stakeholders, especially our higher education institutions. It’s time for a “tough love” approach that moves beyond the self-esteem craze that has led to mediocrity and has cost our economy billions of dollars. First, colleges should enforce rigorous academic standards. Just like the workplace, students should be held accountable for missed deadlines, lack of effort, and poor performance. Second, our higher education institutions should abolish safe spaces and encourage open debate, so they are exposed to a variety of perspectives. Finally, we must ensure that college degrees are awarded based on competence and a strong work ethic, not for simply showing up.
To build a workforce capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century, we need to raise standards, instill resiliency, and demand accountability in our education system. It is time to prioritize discipline and a strong work ethic over feelings and emotions, so that our country can remain competitive on the global landscape.
Editorials and op-eds reflect the opinion of the authors and not necessarily that of Campus Reform or the Leadership Institute.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
