Singapore Job Guide > Around Your Workplace
Working with Gen Y
Young, savvy and energetic, Generation Y workers are in demand.
Here are tips on how to attract them
Cats Recruit in The Straits Times - January 23, 2008
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MANY employers want to understand more about Generation Y (Gen Y)
in the workplace.
Who are they and what are their attitudes towards work?
Is it difficult to communicate with them?
What are the tips to recruiting and retaining the younger
generation successfully?
Who they are
Gen Y represents those born between 1982 and 2000, immediately
after Generation X (1965 to 1981).
They are the largest generation since the baby boomers (1946 to
1964).
Their oldest members have not even hit 30 yet and are embarking on
career decisions.
Gen Y has its own set of values, view of authority and ideal work
environment.
Known for better education and open-mindedness, they are the
hottest commodities in the current job market. Employers like their
energy, drive and skills.
They are young, smart, able to grasp new concepts quickly and are
used to adapting to different situations.
However, these young employees are somewhat impatient, mobile and
have not seen the cold wind in the job market.
Unlike baby boomers who place higher value on career and stability,
Gen Y workers have different priorities.
They value things other than an office with a harbour view,
impressive job titles and high salaries.
Gen Y workers have high expectations of themselves and their
employers. They aim to work faster and better than others, and they
want fair and direct managers who are highly engaged in their
professional development.
They also seek creative challenges and view colleagues as vast and
useful resources from whom to gain knowledge.
How they communicate
The communication style of Gen Y is somewhat different from
previous generations.
Gen Y-ers like freedom, place importance on diverse experiences and
are socially driven.
If you have a hidden agenda or are not open with your
communication, these young people will react negatively and
distance themselves from you.
In some surveys, Gen Y workers have been labelled as demanding and
poor communicators. They are more difficult to deal with and have
less respect for seniority.
In their mind, the boss is not always right. Gen Y employees want
their suggestions to be heard by their employers.
Gen Y workers are comfortable with constant feedback and
recognition from others and feel lost if communication from their
employers is irregular.
Reviews should be held quarterly to ensure that expectations are
being met by both parties.
As Gen Y employees come of age under the influence of the Internet,
their expectation of online communication is higher than
ever.
While older generations may expect a phone call or a face-to-face
meeting on important topics, the younger generation prefers e-mail
communication.
The training format for Gen Y tends to be different as well, as
these employees are unlikely to pay attention in full-day
sessions.
Training should be available in different interactive platforms and
preferably in smaller groups.
Use humour and create fun learning environments.
The training modules should also be downloadable to their computers
or PDAs so that Gen Y-ers can study the details later.
How to keep them
To attract and keep Gen Y workers, the human resource department
needs to take a different approach.
Gen Y candidates accept a job offer because they want to work with
a particular organisation, not because they have to.
They look for an organisation where they can create good
relationships.
Therefore, your organisation must have social flair, offering
internal events and team-building activities to appeal to this
group.
Gen Y employees are less likely to respond to the traditional type
of command-and-control style. In fact, they are more receptive to
mentorship programmes.
So it is more effective to attract and mentor them through open
communication in the workplace.
Here are 10 tips on recruiting Gen Y successfully:
1. Move fast during the recruitment process. Their world moves fast
and so does the job market.
2. Present the challenging aspects of the job as they are not
afraid to work hard.
3. View the interview process from the candidate's
perspective.
4. Be focused, timely and polite.
5. Invest in employment branding and be known as a great
employer.
6. Use peer interviews.
7. Invest in line managers' interviewing and hiring
skills.
8. Benchmark salaries in your sector and pay
accordingly.
9. Build a relationship with your recruitment firm.
10. If you are big enough, maintain "watching briefs" and hire when
good people come along - you will need them sooner than you
think.
To retain Gen Y employees, it is important to show your
appreciation for their individuality and allow them to participate
in the decision-making process.
Finally, before creating your recruitment and retention plans, it
is crucial to understand Gen Y workers and find out what makes them
tick. After all, they are your future