09.01.11Elise Mitchell, President & CEO, Mitchell Communications Group, Inc.

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Putting right people in right places -- it's a timeless management challenge. But business leaders of late are universally lamenting this age-old issue with a new twist: "Who are all these young people flooding the workforce, and how do I get the best and brightest to work for me?"

Many companies are faced with an aging workforce dominated largely by Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) who are already making plans for their retirement years. As talented as Generation X (born between 1965 and 1976) is, lower birth rates during this time period add up to fewer workers today, and the numbers just aren't there to fill the workforce gaps that are coming. Generation Y -- or Millennials (born between 1977 and 1994) as they are often called- is the next great wave of talent. Thankfully, this is the largest and fastest growing group of workers in the United States with more than 70 million people, totaling 20% of the population.

It goes without saying businesses must be competitive on the human resources front to find and keep the most desirable employees from all generations. But, in light of the evolving workforce picture, there should be an even greater focus on how to be an employer of choice for those 30 and under who will help fill the coming talent void.

What makes this particularly difficult is those charged with building intergenerational teams -- department or divisional team leaders, small-business owners and human resource executives -- are often members of an older generation themselves. This means they must learn to look beyond their own frame of reference to consider the motivations and interests of those who might be quite different. Equally challenging is once younger workers are hired, leaders must identify how to overcome the barriers and pet peeves employees of different generations have with those from other generations.

What Are They Like?

When evaluating the growing pool of young talent joining the workforce today, it's important to understand what makes this generation tick. Without generalizing too much, it is safe to say each generation shares common experiences and traits that often characterize its members. The Millennials are no exception. Our firm recently conducted research for a client seeking to learn more about this talent base. Through a series of focus groups, we were able to engage young professionals in conversation and, as a result, uncover some of their motivations and values. After further study of existing research to validate our findings, we have identified some common qualities of these new employees.

• Millennials are relationship-driven. They thrive on networking, having interaction with and receiving feedback from others.

• They have a strong social conscious and awareness and are often active volunteers for worthy causes and altruistic organizations.
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• Quality of life is very important. They are much more inclined to work to live, not the other way around.

• They have a tremendous grasp of technology and are used to multi-tasking.

• Education has been a top priority for this generation. Consequently, many young professionals look for additional development opportunities, and they will likely be life-long learners.

• Having grown up during prosperous times, they are eager to have the comforts and privileges older generations enjoy -- even at a young age.

• As well as prosperity, their era has also enjoyed relative peace and achievement. As a result, Millennials tend to be upbeat, idealistic and optimistic.

• This group is also particularly self-confident and expects to have opportunities to participate early, contribute often and lead sooner rather than later.

These are just a few of the more defining characteristics of Gen Y -- some are quite similar to those of other generations, while some are entirely unique to this group.

How Can I Get Them to Work for Me?

But becoming more familiar with this generation is only the starting point. Leaders must next determine how well positioned their organization is to woo and win young top-notch talent that can enhance their teams and contribute to their company's long-term success. Following are some suggestions for attracting and retaining employees of the Millennial generation.

1. Create a Creative Workplace

   No one of any generation wants to work in a dull, depressing environment. But younger employees pay particular attention to what their work space looks like. Invest some time and money in creating a pleasing and productive place to come to every day. Allow some customization of personal space to help employees feel nested and nurtured while they work.

2. Create an Even Stronger Corporate Culture

   Ping-pong tables can't make up for a bureaucratic organization, low employee morale or a disorganized division. In order to appeal to younger workers, leaders must envision and bring to life a mission, vision and overall corporate culture that is ethical, inspirational, authentic and appealing.

3. Allow Real Contributions

   This generation's self-confidence and desire to advance quickly means they look for opportunities to work on challenging projects and make meaningful contributions. Make it happen, albeit with guidance and checkpoints to prevent major missteps.

4. Make Time to Mentor

   Most of us in older generations are characterized by our fierce work ethic. As a result, it can be quite difficult for us to make the time to invest in younger colleagues. However, Millennials crave feedback and attention from experienced professionals they admire, and not surprisingly they desire interaction with them. If an organization doesn't already have one, a formal or informal mentoring program can be established to bring workers of varying experiences together to encourage the sharing of knowledge and lessons learned.

5. Be Willing to Learn From Them, Too

   Young professionals have much to give in return. "Reverse mentoring," as it is often called, can enrich the lives and capabilities of older workers if they will allow their younger counterparts to teach them about technology, networking and work/life balance.

6. Implement Innovative Workplace Policies and Practices

   Indicative of their desire for work/life balance is this group's preference for flexibility in a lot of areas. This does not mean young employees can come in at 10 a.m. when everyone else has to show up at 8 a.m., or that they be allowed to wear weekend attire that is clearly out of place at the office. But it is worth offering to the entire employee group some options for work times, a more relaxed but clearly defined dress code and above all, permission to try new ways of getting things done. For example, we offer a "flex space, flex time" work culture at our firm that allows employees to work from home if needed and take paid time off to attend to personal matters. We provide laptops and smart phones to enable team productivity and connectivity from anywhere at any time. We also work hard to build a sense of entrepreneurship among our younger employees and encourage them to suggest fresh ideas or new ways to tackle old challenges.

7. Make It Fun

   As hard as most Americans work, organizations need to plan events where employees can play some, too. Young professionals value opportunities to relax with team members, laugh a little and engage in group activities. These things can help build bonds that create a true sense of community among employees. We plan opportunities to reward employees and encourage camaraderie. We invest in BrightSpots meetings, tailgates, Pagnozzi Charities, and other events that reward employees and encourage camaraderie. While Millennials may never be as loyal to organizations as Baby Boomers, they will be fiercely loyal to people they care about.

8. Invest In Their Professional Development

   Because they are highly educated, this group desires opportunities to continue growing. Create training programs that will give them the tools they need to move down their chosen career path and move up the corporate ladder. Above all, leaders who want the cream of this young crop must value their values and make the most of the unique contributions and perspectives Millennials bring to the table. Like any other generation, they have a lot to offer. Organizations that become an employer of choice and enjoy the many rewards that come with that reputation will be those who take the time to understand these young professionals cultivate them and prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow they are capable of becoming.

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Reader's Comments

Date	Comment
Ferdinand E. Banks 9.5.11	Hmm. I seem to remember somebody saying that the emphasis is on finding younger employees (and immigrants) who can replace older employees before those older employees reach their estimated salary maximum d- where the estimated salary maximumd involves interpreting some statistics for the previous 5 years.
Len Gould 9.7.11	Agreed Fred, something's off. "fewer workers today, and the numbers just aren't there to fill the workforce gaps that are coming" -- Is this the same United States with a 9.5% acknowledged unemployment rate (and much higher by the rules in any rational social democracy).
Jennifer Zajac 9.8.11	Great article! I see two things happening right now: 1) Although unemployment is indeed more than 9% in the U.S., companies are still struggling to find employees that have the skills to fill open positions. 2) Due to the recession, many companies have slashed costs and devoted less time/effort to many of the suggestions made in the article (holding fun events, investing in personal development, etc.). I'd move mentoring to the top of the list: It is a cost-effective way to develop younger talent and make current employees feel valued. This, in turn, helps retain new and existing workers.

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