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Generation Y at Work Today Generation Y is the fastest-growing segment of the work force, increasing from 14 per cent in 2001 to 22 per cent in 2006, and they will outnumber Gen X-ers before 2011. Like Gen X-ers, the most talented Y-ers are independent and entrepreneurial thinkers who relish responsibility, demand immediate feedback, and expect to feel a sense of accomplishment hourly. They thrive on challenging work and creative expression, love freedom and flexibility, and hate micromanagement. They are more than willing to tell you how to fix your team, department, and organization, even before they have completed your orientation program. And they will tell you that with attitude, an attitude which proclaims: We are here! We are energetic, smart, creative, techno-savvy, and vocal. We are here to challenge old ideas, push forward new ideas, and use our energy to find work-arounds. We are team-ready and like to collaborate. And watch out! We have very high expectations of this organization, our managers, our coworkers, and ourselves. We are entitled to create the life we want and we hope you will help us succeed! How to Interact with Generation Y at Work Improving your relationships with Y-ers and meeting their expectations are the foundations for success with this generational group. Start building those relationships and meeting those expectations by adopting these eight best practices: 1. Get to know Y-ers and their individual capabilities. 2. Establish coaching relationships. 3. Treat Y-ers as colleagues. 4. Be flexible enough to customize schedules and assignments. 5. Consistently provide constructive feedback. 6. Tie rewards and incentives to performance only. 7. Help Y-ers meet their high expectations of coworkers. 8. Help Y-ers meet their high expectations of themselves. 1. Get to Know Y-ers and Their Individual Capabilities Devote time to each Y-er on your team and get to know his or her capabilities. Listen to your Y-ers. Ask them about their dreams and aspirations. Show them you genuinely care about their success in your organization-and in life in general. Go for a walk, take them to lunch, have coffee. Y-ers feel more comfortable in informal settings than in formal meetings. 2. Establish Coaching Relationships Y-ers want people to help them grow and improve. Since they are the education is cool generation, position yourself as a dynamic source of learning. Provide resources, tools, and learning goals as needed, so that Y-ers progress just-in-time. Gen Y-ers learn best, as most people do, when they immediately need that knowledge or skill to succeed. 3. Treat Y-ers as Colleagues From day one, treat Y-ers like value adders, not as interns or know-nothing kids. They cannot stand condescending attitudes and anyone whom they cannot approach when they need questions answered. They want to feel like a colleague or an associate, not a subordinate. Treating them respectfully, and asking for respect in return, is key to a great relationship. 4. Be Flexible Enough to Customize Schedules and Assignments Develop enough stretch to customize schedules and work assignments. Since some Y-ers are still in school, they appreciate attempts to balance work requirements with their other commitments. They also want to work faster and better than anyone else; thus you need to coach them closely by identifying goals, deadlines, and guidelines so your expectations are crystal clear. Empower them to be creative within those boundaries. In doing so, you will be offering them both the flexibility they desire and the security of knowing they are on track. Position the best schedules and assignments as rewards for high performance. 5. Consistently Provide Constructive Feedback Tell Y-ers what they are doing right or wrong. Tell them yourself daily. Let them know what they are doing well today; let them know how they can improve today. …
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