I was very fortunate recently to be invited by the Department of State and Regional Development to attend a workshop dealing with communication across generations. The presenter Michael McQueen opened my eyes to the “New Rules of Engagement” when dealing with Generation Y limitations.

Whether in business or on a personal level you will find as I did that Michael’s observations are not only fascinating but enlightening. Plus he also offers practical advice on how to deal with the “Why?” generation.

Now if you are like me and of course you are because you are after all Baby Boomers you probably get confused with all this Gen X Gen Y and Gen Z.

So to set the record straight :

No doubt you have nieces and nephews if not grandchildren and children that fall into one of these post boomer generational categories. If you have ever said or even thought “it wasn’t like that in my day” then take a look at this next table. US generational expert Eric Chester provides a good snapshot of how much has changed in recent decades. And while it is sometimes easy to criticize the younger generation – consider how different were we to the generation before us?

There is no doubt that each generation is affected by and develops behaviours accordingly and as a direct result of the social and economic conforms of the time in which they themselves are developing.

From a business point of view for those many Baby Boomers still in the workforce there will come a time that you will find yourself either employing, working with or even working for a Gen Y. 

Hope you find this resource an interesting and helpful one and if you would like to learn more please visit Michael’s website:

www.thenexgengroup.com

Y: are they even worth the hassle?

The challenges and opportunities of employing Generation Y

By Michael McQueen

“That’s it. I’m only going to hire

Baby Boomers from now on… Gen

Y are just too much hard work.”

This comment, one I heard following a recent employer’s breakfast at which I had I presented, is one I am hearing more and more frequently. It seems that many managers and business owners have reached breaking point with Gen Y. This younger generation, after all, rarely hangs around in a job for long enough to warrant the financial and time investment of training. What’s more, they have a sense of entitlement and a brash self-confidence that is less than endearing to many older managers.

Generation Y: they have been the topic of countless articles, research papers and books in recent years. Workplaces and employers in every sector are finding this group a great challenge to recruit, motivate and retain. This younger generation seems to operate by a different set of rules. Their concept of patience, respect and work ethic can seem bewildering at best and insulting at worst. Is it any wonder then that many managers are asking if Gen Y are really worth the hassle?

I believe that they are. Sure Gen Y may pose some challenges to work with. Sure they may have an approach to the real world that can sometimes seem less than realistic. And yet, this group is a generation of confident, well-educated natural networkers. They are innovative, flexible, tech savvy and most important of all, at home in the modern era. It is, after all, the only era they have ever known. 

Clever managers are recognizing that Gen Y are indeed an excellent source of creativity, innovation and a competitive edge. Rather than seeing this group as a challenge or a source of frustration, these managers are seeing the potential of engaging a generation who have a fresh perspective, boundless energy and a keen desire to get runs on the board as quickly as possible.

If you are keen to join the ranks of those that are engaging rather than estranging Generation Y, the following three keys should help:

1.     Put Relationship before Role.

Generation Y are a connected generation. Community, relationships and a sense of belonging are at the core of both their online and offline identities. They have typified the old phrase:‘I don’t care how much you know, till I know how much you care’.

Managers that can build a strong relationship and genuine rapport with their Gen Y staff will find that this will indeed be the key to gaining commitment and loyalty from this group. They will not be loyal to companies or corporate mission statements, but they are loyal to people and relationships. A far cry from the Power and Control days of management, those in authority can no longer rely on creating a separation between themselves and those they lead. 

If you want to build rapport with Gen Y, two tips; be authentic, and be interested. They don’t want you to be like them, they want you to be you. Walk your talk, be transparent, have some fun at your own expense and Gen Y will love you for it. 

2.     Focus on Outcomes Not Process.

If outcomes are all about why we do what we do, then perhaps process could best be described as how we do what we do. Of course, while both the why and the how are necessary for organisational performance, many organisations fall into the trap of focussing on process over outcomes. They become so obsessed with structure, lines of authority, rules, policies, benchmarks and KPI’s, that they lose sight of the reason these processes were put there in the first place. Process itself is not the enemy, but process that seems disconnected to outcomes is.

The biggest turn-offs at work for Gen Y are unnecessary structure, excessive bureaucracy and suffocating red tape.

3.     Give regular positive feedback.

Recognition is that all-powerful motivator. It’s the one thing that babies will cry for, grown men will die for... and Gen Y will work for. In his book, Whale Done, management guru Ken Blanchard highlights the importance of managers using positive affirmation and recognition to bring about behavioural change and employee commitment. Using the example of how the animal handlers train whales to jump out of the water and perform stunts at Seaworld, Blanchard suggests that positive reinforcement is the best and perhaps the only way to bring out the best in the people we lead. He challenges managers and employers to look for and ‘catch’ employees doing the right thing and then rewarding it, rather than ‘catching’ their people doing the wrong thing and then punishing it. I would suggest that this principle is certainly a key to engaging
Generation Y.

Use positive affirmation, recognition and encouragement with this younger generation and watch them thrive. Two quick tips when doing this; recognise them in person (don’t just send an email), and recognise them in public (they love to be singled out in front of their peers and colleagues). 

Engaging Generation Y employees may seem like a lot of hard work. It will certainly require an investment of time and energy and a willingness to change and adapt. However, those managers that can embrace the challenges of working with this group will reap the benefits of a younger workforce that is energetic, switched on and hungry to get ahead. 

Michael McQueen is a leading authority and sought-after presenter on the topic of Understanding & Engaging Generation Y. 

To purchase a copy of Michael's bestselling book, The ‘New’ Rules of Engagement or to find out more, call (02) 8252 0886 or visit www.TheNexgenGroup.com.

By Bryony & Michael McQueen