Do you find it harder to recruit Generation Y (candidates born 1981–1997) than previous generations? Are Millennials more likely to become unhappy and leave their jobs?
According to Clutch, Millennials are much more likely to rate their jobs “unfulfilling,” and over 30% plan to quit within 6 months. (For more insights, see our free eBook “From Y to Z: How to Target, Attract and Engage the Younger Workforce”.)
TalentRISE wants to know if this is your experience. What are you doing to attract — and then retain — young talent? Please comment and join the conversation below.
As an employer, I am increasingly hearing that truly engaging and retaining young professionals is a pipe dream, and that simply making their time with you as enriching and rewarding a developmental experience as possible should be your primary goal…and that way they leave with a very positive impression, and will refer others and/or just may return later after more learning elsewhere and add even greater value to your business. Would love to see/read any reactions from Gen Zers and Millennials to this notion.
Gen Z here – representing the wonderful year of 1995 (Class of ’18)!! Being a Gen-Zer, my friends and I are all in that critical 1st-6 month window at our new jobs. I can really only speak from my personal experience about attracting young talent, and not necessarily the retention of that talent. One of the more important things I’ve noticed is that we care A LOT about cool perks that we can brag about via social media to our friends. We all want to be able to talk about our new jobs like we work at Google HQ, having ping-pong tournaments and beer kegs on tap in break rooms. Those perks get posted on our social media for all our peers to see, leading more and more of them to apply to that same company. Just one thought though! Could be one way to start building a pipeline.
1979… Gen X… Millennial… Xennial? I’m right in between I guess. I have been in recruiting for over a decade now, and a decent portion of the hires I have been responsible for have been Millennials. The common thread I have found is that society seems to be trending towards more up-front, open honesty about embracing who we are as individuals, and the workplace sees this manifested in a very specific way.
Young professionals that have clear vision about their goals, understand their strengths, and desire to make an appreciable impact in the world will not settle for sitting stagnant in an organization where they are simply a cog in the machine.
Finding top talent is easy. Attracting that talent can be done by tailoring the message in all the clever ways people smarter than me have already figured out… The difference is caring about the candidate, and asking them what makes them tick… some may want that ping pong table, but others don’t. Each generation is as diverse and complex as the last. This matchmaking business we are in goes both ways. It’s so important to remember that we are human beings who deserve care and concern. Those who take the time to facilitate meaningful connections will find the most success in building a fiercely loyal and dedicated workforce.
As a more “mature” member of the Millennial group (a Xennial), I can appreciate the fun perks that Joe mentioned. However, if the office keg and ping pong table are really just for show and there is no real sense of a team or comradery with fellow employees, the glitzy perks will soon lose any real value.
I think many professionals do hope that each step of their career provides a positive developmental experience, as Rick discussed. But I do think, again, that if you enjoy the presence of other employees beyond one-dimensional friendly coworker status, you are much more likely to stay with and pursue further career goals with that company.
Millennial here! While my age group may occasionally get a bad rap in the workplace (and sometimes rightfully so), my experience tells me we can be extremely productive when we find the right environment. At the end of the day, the “right environment” is often made up of the same things other age groups value – a great manager, a workload that matches our talents/interests, and a feeling of investment in us as people.
Since Millennials are indeed likely to look at a job as temporary/a “stepping stone” of sorts, it seems appropriate to view Millennial workers more as consumers than anything else. How do you engage them? My answer is to go out on a limb to give them opportunities – to share their feedback; to expand their knowledge; to take on more responsibility when appropriate; to have a bit of choice in what they’re prioritizing. Make the employer/employee relationship a two-sided conversation. Why do I think that’s important? Because that’s what leaves me feeling motivated and engaged!
As a father of a millennial who’s getting ready to enter the workforce, I’ve noticed from my son a stronger desire for entrepreneurship than what I experienced as a baby boomer entering the workforce. When I entered the workforce, I was very focused on getting the job done without questioning anything. My millennial son on the other hand wants to know “greater purpose” beyond getting a paycheck. Additionally, he seems to be more interested and extending capabilities and identifying what else he can do to bring value – almost trying to find gaps and figuring out how to fill them. As far as how to engage and retain them, I say push them to their limits and engage them with you most difficult challenges. You might just find a more innovative approach than you can come up with.