We want it all and we want it now but we're also good for business, writes Amanda Cox.

As a member of the Generation Y workforce, I tend to be on the receiving end of what's known as "Gen Y bashing". Common phrases my friends and I hear include: "Oh, you wouldn't know what that is" and "You weren't born when that was around." And my personal favourite: "You Gen Y kids are just a bunch of freeloaders."

It's understandable why some of the older generations may not appreciate Generation Y. We love our mobile phones, a lot. Sometimes we think there's a quicker, better way to do things. And yes, many of us still live with our parents. However, despite some of the characteristics that shape Generation Y, there are several qualities that can benefit our older, more experienced work colleagues.

Technology is our friend. We love producing PowerPoint presentations, we grew up using spreadsheets and we would die without the internet. If you're having trouble putting together that presentation for next week's boardroom meeting, come and ask us for help.

PowerPoints are a form of entertainment for us. We think it's fun inventing new ways to zoom words on to the screen and find clever graphics to accompany our dot points. Impressing you with our technologically advanced skills helps us validate our existence in a workplace full of more experienced colleagues. If that means ensuring your presentation is gold standard, we're up for the challenge.

Climbing the corporate ladder is a journey many Generation Y workers are keen on taking. Promotions, training opportunities and updating qualifications are part of what Gen Y classifies as a successful career. Don't feel threatened by us if we apply for the same promotion as you. We don't want to take your job, we just don't want to lose ours.

Generation Y know our heads are most likely to be first on the chopping block when the word "retrenchment" is thrown around by management. So, use our energy and enthusiasm for the benefit of your company. Fresh ideas and determination from us, combined with the skills and knowledge of experienced workers, can be a recipe for success.

There is a perception that Generation Y workers think their needs are more important than everyone else's. The attitudes of our baby boomer parents, who lived through the Vietnam War, Woodstock and the hippie freedoms of the '60s and '70s, have encouraged this behaviour.

Our parents raised us with the hope of a better world to grow up in with high standards instilled in us. With high standards come determination, ambition and the attitude of never giving up. We apply these standards to our careers as well as our lifestyles.

Generation Y workers will not be defeated by missing out on a promotion or not getting a pay rise.

With an ageing workforce and many baby boomers close to retirement, Generation Y realise they play an important role in the future of society. A minority of Generation Y workers give the rest of us a bad name. But if you give us a chance, we'll show you our whizz-bang PowerPoint presentation detailing every reason why we've got what it takes.

Is there an aspect of office life that makes you laugh, cry or simply drives you crazy? Readers are invited to submit 550-word articles for publication in The Office to theoffice@fairfax.com.au.