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There’s been a lot in the news recently about UK’s PM, Gordon Brown, being accused of bullying his staff at No. 10 Downing Street. Not only this, but a number of my Generation X and Y friends are also having difficulties with their managers, suffering under the pressure to create more value in less time, with less money and less support.

A Gen Y friend encapsulated the feeling by quoting Mother Theresa: ‘we the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful’.

The recession is causing a lot of highly stressed leaders to take out the strain on their employees. A recent report suggests that, more than the other generations, a greater proportion of employed Generation Y is thinking of leaving its current employment. Being at the bottom of the corporate pile, many young workers are suffering. Desperate to create value (the willing), they are starting not to trust their superiors (led by the unknowing), and are feeling overworked (doing the impossible) and undervalued or even bullied (for the ungrateful). This kind of environment damages morale, which inevitably impacts productivity, innovation and loyalty.

In order to combat the predicted mass exodus of the young, which is almost guaranteed if their poor treatment continues, leaders need to do a few things. First, become ‘knowing’, to demonstrate to the ‘willing’ (Gen Y) that they can be trusted, by being open and admitting mistakes, as well as celebrating achievements. Second, help their young employees structure and prioritise their work so that they feel that ‘doing the impossible’ can be achieved. And finally, show gratitude. A simple ‘thank you’ can make all the difference between a hard-working loyal employee and a disgruntled worker walking out the door.

So, as a leader, the next time you engage with your employees, consider these questions: are they willing? Are you knowing? Are they doing the impossible? And, most importantly, are you grateful?

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