Understanding & Supporting Generation Y's Workplace Needs

Generation Y's 32 million U.S. workers will increase to approximately 21% of the workforce in the next 3 years.

More than 60% of employers say they are experiencing tension between employees from different generations and more than 70% of older employees are dismissive of younger workers' abilities.

Young workers move in and out of jobs faster and put more emphasis on individual satisfaction and development. Movement, change, and challenge become the motivating factors behind job selection and retention.

Strategies for working with Generation Y

• Provide access to technology. Generation Y-ers know how to use technology and they are good at it. They can use this ability to improve their (and your) work environment. 
• Establish mentoring as a means of providing supporting direct feedback. Generation Y-ers have grown up with more parental involvement and structured time from adults. Therefore a 'community if learners approach,' where workers are supported through activities such as mentoring, job shadowing, and shared product assignments may be viewed by Generation Y-ers as less intimidating. They want to participate in tasks and learning experiences that support their growth, are relevant, and can be applied immediately. 
• Support their values by inviting input in decision making. Generation Y-ers are used to being active participants in family and other decision-making matters from an early age. They bring a similar expectation of active participation and decision making into their work environment. 
• Individualize and customize career and growth opportunities. Generation Y-ers are innovative. They are used to change, personally and professionally, and have experienced change at home, school, in the community, and at work. 
• Provide training and skills development that can be connected with broader work applications. Generation Y-ers are goal oriented. They have high expectations for themselves and those around them: employers, family members, and peers.

Creating a supportive work environment

Above all else, involve your staff.

• Upgraded use of technology in the program
• Rethinking use of current technology to facilitate conference calls among staff, parents, and professionals to save time and travel, and technology-based games - to ass dimension to children's learning opportunities.
• Involve Generation Y-ers in policy-making processes. 
• Use 15 minutes of staff meetings for staff sharing of innovative ideas they would like to explore.
• Create a staff training plan that includes transferable skills such as customer relations, team development, public speaking, and critical thinking. 

Source: ccie.org