POSTMEDIA NEWS
FEBRUARY 4, 2012
www.vancouversun.com
When it comes to recruiting and retaining Generation Y, employers need to use different methods than what worked for previous generations.
“There is going to be a war for talent unlike anything we have seen before,” says Gustavo Grodnitzky, a psychologist who works with corporate leaders and organizations to create successful work environments, told delegates recently at the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association fall convention.
With 10 million Canadian baby boomers retiring in the next 10 to 15 years and only eight million Gen Yers (born from roughly 1982 to 2000) to replace them, employers must appeal to their core values.
“[Generation Y] have skill sets that are different than previous generations,” Grodnitzky said.
For example, “Boomers always thought about money and a stellar career. Money for boomers is great reward. Not so for Gen Yers. They want time — time to lead a blended life, time outside of work.”
Grodnitzky bases some of his ideas on the generational theory proposed in the book Generations by William Strauss and Neil Howe. The book offers a cyclical theory of history based on repeating generations who share similar historical and cultural experience.
When it comes to employers recruiting and retaining Generation Y, Grodnitzky said there are five factors they should focus on:
TIME
“I found time is much more rewarding than money to Gen Yers,” Grodnitzky said.
They prefer benefits such as paid time off or leave without pay.
FLEXIBILITY
This generation is all about being flexible, whether that means a four-day work week or job sharing.
Grodnitzky said using performance-based or incentive-based pay instead of across-the-board bonuses is a better way to reward Gen Yers.
PERSONAL GROWTH
Grodnitzky said Gen Yers are interested in learning in a relaxed and friendly culture, and they love to share ideas.
RELATIONSHIPS
Having an immediate supervisor they like is critical, Grodnitzky said.
“The No. 1 reason why Generation Y leave their jobs is their boss,” he said, adding the average length of stay in any job for this generation is only 1 1/2 years.
If they don’t have a good relationship with the boss they will leave in a short period of time.
They also want their workplace to be their social realm.
“They value relationships and purpose more than compensation,” he said.
CAUSE
Generation Y wants to be part of something bigger than themselves and change the world, he said, so businesses must give them a sense of purpose with their jobs.
Grodnitzky said technology shapes generations, none more so than this generation. They are a tech savvy, perpetually connected group that is the first generation in history to have older generations coming to them to learn.
And they have strengths that employers can tap into — they are information gatherers, have an appreciation of diverse issues, are team oriented, can multi-task and are cause driven.
“I think the biggest mistake boomers make in hiring is that they use the number of jobs on the resume as a criteria for selection,” Grodnitzky said. “They get scared off by the number of jobs on the Gen Y resume.”
When employers interview Gen Yers they need to ask questions such as, ‘What things worked with your previous boss? What things didn’t work with you with the previous boss?’
“Then you want to ask what type of characteristics are (these potential employees) looking for in a new boss . . . culturally what are you looking for in a work site,” he said. “They will answer those questions in ways boomers would never have thought about.
“Now it’s not so much about skill set, because skill set can be taught. It’s, ‘Is this going to be a good fit?’ “
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