There may be an ocean of young workers out there, but catching the best is particularly challenging for smaller employers. Here's how to get the trophies — hook, line and sinker.
The 80 million members of Generation Y are hitting the workforce in droves, wearing flip flops all year 'round, gaming on their iPhones and bringing an intense desire to leave their mark on the workplace.
If you saw the recent "60 Minutes" story on Millenials or have read about "Surviving Generation Y" , you may be tempted to put their resumes at the bottom of the pile. But you'd be missing a great opportunity.
"Businesses that crack Gen Y are really going to have an advantage," says Anna Ivey, consultant and author of The Ivey Files, a blog about how to deal with 20-somethings in the workforce.
You've heard the stereotypes: They think they know everything, but can't manage to write a professional e-mail without colloquialisms like "ttys" or "nbd" (Gen Y speak for "talk to you soon" or "no big deal," of course).
They work "smarter," often answering e-mail from home with a time stamp of midnight or later, but aren't willing to work harder – a weekly yoga class is as important as your last-minute staff meeting.
They are phenomenal multitaskers, but put off even the smallest deadlines until the night before they're due … and if you won't grant an extension, they're not afraid to bring in the big guns (Mom and Dad) to get their way. And when it's done? Tell them "good job." These folks need constant praise to keep motivated.
"You can dislike it, but pretending [Gen Y doesn't exist] is just sticking your head in the sand," Ivey says.
Recruit
With 80 million of these strange new fish, human resource professionals would think it's easy to have the best catch of the day. Not so.
Lisa Orrell, author of Millennials Incorporated, says that smaller companies need to push towards technology. "[Smaller companies] need to quickly adopt and adapt to a Web 2.0 planet," she says. "A corporate or company Web site isn't enough — [you have to] get creative and strategic."
Yahoo! HotJobs and Robert Half International recently surveyed 1,000 Gen Yers and found that nearly three quarters visit company Web sites to look at prospective employers.
Lauren Harris, a 23-year old assistant account executive at a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm says that having an online presence is paramount. "Posting jobs on the Internet is how you're going to find people," she says, and notes that her 50-member company even has a group on the popular social networking site Facebook.
"Our CEO just signed up, and he's been 'poking' all of us," she says.
A comprehensive benefits package doesn't hurt either.
Gen Y employees say that salary (33%) and job stability (26%) are top concerns, according the Yahoo! survey.
Retain
"It's not only Fortune 500s that are attractive to Gen Y employees," says Linda Blandford-Beringsmith, vice president of human resources at Robert Half International. "Gen Yers want to know what they're doing matters. A small company can emphasize 'high touch' and that employees can have a recognizable, visible contribution quickly," she says.
Megan Zoback, a recent university graduate who spent a summer interning at Google now works at Menlo Park, Calif.-based internet startup jaxtr.
For Zoback, who was the companies tenth employee the opportunity to have a stake of equity in the company was a deal-clincher.
To obtain that stake, Gen Yers don't mind working hard. And they often turn to SMBs to find the knowledge they crave.
"I knew I would get more experience working in such hands-on environment," Harris says, and she doesn't mind putting in long hours to see results.
But they want their flex-time, too – all of the Gen Y employees interviewed said that a flexible work schedule was one of their top requests when applying for jobs. "They think, why do I need to be chained to a desk when I can be online anywhere, at any time?" says Blandford-Beringsmith.
Luckily, this is an easy trend for SMBs to embrace. "Web Commuting & the American Workforce," a recent study by Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems Inc., finds that 23% of workers (and 41% of small business owners) regularly telecommute. Of those unable to do so, 62% would like to.
While in the office, Gen Y employees like to keep busy, Blandford-Beringsmith says, so play up the opportunity for internal networking or side projects within the company.
"I definitely want interaction with my boss or manager, if not on a daily basis, than at least several times a week," says Mary Beth Ballard, a senior at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., who is making a "hands on" approach a big factor in her job decisions. "I don't need hand-holding, but I want to make sure I'm working in the right direction, especially when I'm staring a new job or project," she says.
"It's true Gen Yers crave more validation," says Blandford-Beringsmith.
What better way than to cultivate that relationship prior to employment through internships?? Think of it as finding farm-raised creature rather than fishing the wild seas of the great Internet ocean, if you will.
"An internship is just like an extended job interview," Ivey says. SMBs can benefit by keeping in touch with former interns when they return to college or even hire right out of the pool, she adds. It's a continued form of positive reinforcement that the Gen Yers are doing a good job.
"They need flattery to survive," Ivey adds wryly, but does add that they're open to taking constructive criticism.
Involving Gen Y employees in projects is a great way to have their voices heard.
Zoback says her opinion as a Gen Y member is often "golden" when her company is targeting a younger demographic.
But here's another thing. Harris, Zoback and Ballard's demographic is constantly changing. So how do you hold on to these slippery fish?
Motivate
The Yahoo! survey says benefits are a strong sticking point. On a scale of one to 10, Gen Yers ranked salary and benefits as their top two priorities, above job title, company reputation and location.
They also hope to spend a shorter amount of time "paying dues" – one to two years, at most. Since employees at SMBs often handle important tasks on a more regular basis than those swimming in the corporate ocean, play that opportunity up with new employees.
"Mundane tasks need to get done," says Ballard, "and that's just part of any job. But I want to know that eventually, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And if I'm doing a good job, I'd like to be more responsibility now, not on a strict promotions schedule."
Fran Luisi, founding partner in search firm Charleston Partners, says that it's important to make sure your environment encourages, rather than stifles, growth. The keyword, he says, is integration.
"There's a real marriage between corporate culture, benefits and work-life balance," he says, adding that for many Gen Y employees, wellness programs – see our October 2007 cover story for ideas – are a highly valued benefit.
Ultimately, the right bait is to show that you are innovative, offering perks like flexible workdays and stability. Once Gen Yers are in the boat, motivate them with rewards for hard work. Retain by maintaining cutting-edge technology and benefit offerings like 401(k)s and health insurance. Then, seal the deal by giving Gen Yers opportunities they can't refuse – chances to sculpt their own career track or to work with senior-level executives from the beginning.—M.R.
To comment on this article or suggest a piece for an upcoming issue, e-mail the author at mclean.robbins@sourcemedia.com.
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| Who is a Millennial? There is no consensus over the exact birth dates that define Gen Y, which are also known to some as "echo boomers" or "Millenials." Broadest definitions include the nearly 80 million Americans born between the late 1970s and early 2000s. Narrower definitions place Gen Yers as those born between 1978 and 1989, or those who are now aged between 16 and 27. |
