Although there is no strong consensus on the exact birthdates that define Gen Y, also known by some as "echo boomers" or "millennials", the broadest definition includes over 70 million Americans born between 1977 and 2002. It is widely assumed that Generation X spans 1965-1976.

Gen Y'ers are the fastest-growing segment of the workforce, growing from 14% to 21% over the past four years to nearly 32 million.

They come with high expectations of self, aiming to work faster and better than their colleagues. They also have high expectations of their employers. They look for fair and straightforward managers who are highly engaged in their professional development.

Gen Y is also known to seek out creative challenges and view colleagues as vast resources for gaining knowledge. A major point of on-the-job friction often comes from their interest (demand?) in wanting immediate responsibility, expecting to make an impact on Day One. This also extends to their interest in small/incremental goals with tight deadlines so they can build up ownership of projects.