Having it all?

Generation Y – that is, people born during or since 1980 – have been popularly characterised as work-shy prima-donnas who expect riches and success to fall into their laps. But in the decade that I have been esearching the factors involved in workplace engagement I have seen the positive influence these young people have had on organisations. Generation Y want competitive salaries, good career opportunities and a healthy work-life balance, but they also want strong leadership and management and they want to work for organisations that ëgive something backí to society. Some employers bemoan their lack of loyalty, but such firms should be working harder to keep them. The 49 organisations that have just been awarded Best companiesí soughtafter 3-star accreditation for excellence in workplace engagement excelled in eight different areas. These were leadership, wellbeing, management, team work, pride in the organisation, personal growth, contribution to society and fairness. The ëdemandsí of Generation Y have helped drive progress in all these areas, given companiesí need to attract and retain this demographic in a climate of continuing skills shortages and an ageing workforce. So others in the organisation have plenty to thank them for.

But society owes them a debt too, because the one outstanding determinant of an engaged workforce
over recent years has been an employerís commitment to the greater good. In other words, young people are far more concerned than they have ever been about societal and environmental problems, and they naturally gravitate towards organisations that make a positive difference. But Generation Y are helping in other ways too to create companies that are in better shape to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Businesses can hardly complain if their young recruits want the kind of stimulating work, skills development and opportunities for progression that will enhance their value in competitorsí eyes. It wasnít employees who decided to knock the notion of ëjobs for lifeí on the head, so you canít blame them for being more concerned about their employability than about loyalty to their employer. But more flexible workforces benefit employers too, and having staff take time off to see the worldmay ultimately be a modest price to pay not just for greater flexibility but also for winning their engagement. Because the factors that characterize Generation Y – creativity, passion, commitment to causes, willingness to challenge and determination to play a part in the success of the business – can be extremely powerful if carefully harnessed. And as for their desire for a better work-life balance, well, organisations that persist in measuring input rather than output are stuck in the Dark Ages. In any case, how many of us have our best ideas behind the desk, and how many when we are out and about doing different things? Secondments and opportunities to work flexibly are far better motivators than golden handcuffs ever were.

Generation Y are taking the lead on all these issues, legitimising the demand from others in the organisation for similar things. The best employers arenít making the mistake of singling them out for special treatment either, but creating cultures that allow all to benefit rather than just the chosen few. But many do have unrealistic salary expectations, and employers need to manage those expectations by being open and honest about market
levels and by demonstrating the more intangible, but ultimately highly valuable, benefits they offer – principally the kind of criteria that our Best Companies accreditation is based on. Overall, the opportunities afforded by employing Generation Y-ers far outweigh the disadvantages – aside from the obvious one of helping to restock the ageing talent pool. But perhaps the biggest contribution of Generation Y is their concern for the planet which, with a lot of hard work and co-operation by governments and businesses alike, they hope one day to inherit.

Previously published in the Business Review, Impact Executives