Boston Globe screams: Kids these days!

Oh, look another trend piece about how lazy the young people are nowadays...

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MIAMI -- It didn't take accounting firm owner Richard Berkowitz long to figure out he had a problem during tax season relating to his younger workers. ``When I told them it was mandatory they come in on the weekend, they looked at me like I was out of my mind."

Berkowitz has discovered what many boomers who lead their companies now face: For most workers in their 20s and 30s, time is currency. And, like most currency, few are willing to give it away.

It's a complex dynamic playing out in workplaces across the country: A significant number of boomers can't figure out why younger workers don't have the pay-your-dues attitude they do.

But fear not, managers, you can still wheedle extra work out of the young whelps if you can, like, rap with them:

Marston says older managers -- boomers ages 42 to 60 -- must use language with younger staffers that acknowledges the value of their time: ``I know work isn't your life but while you're here, let's agree on what you'll be accountable for."

To motivate Xers (ages 27 to 41), think short-term. Most are not interested in long-term solutions or putting in overtime and waiting for rewards later. Instead of giving them a bonus at the end of the year, Marston says an Xer would prefer this: ``You've really worked hard this past week. Why don't you take off half a day on Friday."

Kids are easily tricked. They value their time above all, but they'll give it away all week in exchange for a half-day on Friday.