Session 3: Understanding, Recruiting, and Managing the Gen Y Workforce

1. Session 3: Understanding, Recruiting, and Managing the Gen Y Workforce Future Gen Y Superstar -->

2. Today’s Topics: • Part I: Who are these people? • Part II: Getting them to the interview-- What kinds of recruitment strategies/techniques are being used out there, what do they respond to, and what can we do? • Part III: Keeping them around– What management techniques/styles do they respond to best?

3. So Who Are These People? SomeCharacteristics of Gen Y: • Born between 1978-2000—they are 76 million strong • They respect the short term—if it’s not instantaneous, it isn’t relevant • They have been bombarded by the media and advertising more than any other generation • They are extremely comfortable with technology

4. So Who Are These People? Some Characteristics of Gen Y: • They are extremely accepting of diversity • They consider themselves masterful multi-taskers (how successful they are is debatable) • They can be contradictory in some ways—they profess to value long term job security but can also be very focused on the short term (What can you do for me right now?)

5. So Who Are These People? Some Characteristics of Gen Y: • Gen Yers are more idealistic than any other new youth cohort since the first wave of Baby Boomers came of age in the 60s • However, they are highly skeptical, at times cynical, and often distrustful of corporate America

6. So Who Are These People? Some Characteristics of Gen Y: • They are more concerned about the well-being of the planet, humankind, and their communities than most older cohorts were in their twenties • Because they are so used to acquiring info so quickly, they can sometimes come across as “know it alls” to other generations

7. How Were They Raised? • While Gen Xers were the great unsupervised generation, Gen Y is said to be the great over supervised generation • Determined to create a generation of “super children,” many parents may have accelerated their childhoods in some ways • Typically used to being guided, directed, supported, coached, protected, nurtured, scheduled, measured, medicated, accommodated, awarded, and rewarded

8. How Were They Raised? • Everyone is a winner, their feelings are just as valid/important as anyone else’s, and there is no wrong answer • Raised to respect test scores and benchmarks as a way to measure their success/worthiness—can be very competitive in this regard

9. How Were They Raised? • They tend to stay connected to their parents, often seeing them as friends and trustworthy consultants (called “helicopter parenting”) • Many were raised to question authority rather than blindly accept it • They may expect to be taken seriously before you feel they’ve “earned it”

10. What Major Events Have ShapedTheir Lives? • 9-11 and Iraq war • Shootings at Columbine and other schools • Enron debacle (and other corporate scandals) • Clinton/Lewinsky scandal (and other political scandals) • Tech boom and then bust • Heavy downsizing and outsourcing

11. What Major Events Have ShapedTheir Lives? • Rapid rise of the Internet, social media, and technology in general • Environmental issues/consciousness • Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters • Housing market turmoil/recession • All of these events (and others) have helped make Gen Y highly skeptical of standard institutions and hierarchy

12. Some Common Misconceptions • Gen Yers are disloyal- they can be very loyal, but do not expect blind loyalty. They subscribe to “transactional loyalty” (what matters most is whatever you can negotiate as their boss) • They won’t do the grunt work- they will do it if they know you are keeping “score.” Work needs to have a clear pay off if they are doing it for an extended period of time

13. Some Common Misconceptions • They have short attention spans - there can be some truth in this, but they can switch their focus to be in sync with the world around them faster and more successfully than you realize • They need work to be “fun” – Gen Yers want to be taken seriously; “fun” for them means work is meaningful, challenging, and real

14. Some Common Misconceptions • They want their managers to do theirwork for them – They want to do it themselves, but they want you to teach them how to do it very well and very fast • Money is the only thing that matters–while they want to make as much as they can, they also want to know what they need to do to earn more—they will expect a clear path to follow

15. Some Common Misconceptions • They don’t want to work up the ladder- They want to hit the ground running, but they also want to identify and solve problems you have not thought of and make an impact. • They don’t respect the older generation – They really do respect their elders. Mostly, they respect what you can offer them by virtue of your seniority and they want you to respect what they have to offer

16. Some Common Misconceptions • They are only interested in learning from computers – Yes, but they also can respond strongly to coaching, mentoring, and interaction—in fact, they most likely expect it due to their upbringing • They won’t stick around – Not necessarily true. But, they need to see their workplace as somewhere that values and recognizes their talent, gives them a “plan,” and keeps its promises

17. How Do They View the Workplace? • They generally have very high expectations for themselves and their employers—they will expect the most from their immediate supervisor • They often have been raised to see themselves as the “customer”---this can irritate some managers • They see the workplace as a “second home” that will notice their efforts and successes, no matter how small

18. Bottom Line • Managers can find Gen Yers a challenge to supervise, but that’s likely because they are largely misunderstood and not managed in a way that brings out the best in them • Some of their workplace expectations can be unrealistic and unattainable—this is partly due to their youth and inexperience in general

19. Bottom Line • If you want high performance out of this generation, you need to commit to high contact management • Don’t let any of this discourage you—they really can be valuable, productive, and loyal workers for you with some awareness, grooming, and effort

20. Recruiting Gen Y--The Two Biggest Mistakes Managers Make: • Managers who turn a recruitment into an unrealistic sales pitch that seems too good to be true or does not represent what they will actually be doing once they start • Managers who keep them waiting too long to start or do not keep in contact with them prior to starting

21. Your Overall Goal: • Managers must make a systematic effort to • find the right candidates, • develop strong and honest recruitment campaigns, • implement rigorous selection techniques, and • particularly with Gen Y, they must get their new staff excited to start

22. How to Get Their Attention • How a department presents its recruitment campaign can be critical • Ads should be visually interesting and user friendly • They must be able to apply easily online—Gen Yers feel more comfortable and secure applying this way than in person

23. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y? • More companies are realizing the power of their website. They recognize Gen Y wants to know • What is your mission? • What do you value? • What are your career opportunities? • What’s in it for me to work for you?

24. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y? • They incorporate very “you” centric language throughout • They use the latest technology on their websites and career links (i.e. using Flash, incorporating video onto their websites, using “apps,” etc.)

25. What Are Other OrganizationsDoing to Recruit Gen Y? • More organizations are using contemporary recruitment methods (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, iPhone apps, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.)

26. What Are Other OrganizationsDoing to Recruit Gen Y?

27. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y?

28. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y?

29. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y?

30. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y?

31. What Are Other Organizations Doing to Recruit Gen Y?

32. What Are Some Other State Agencies Doing to Recruit Gen Y? http://www.calpers.ca.gov/index.jsp?bc=/about/career/home.xml

33. Bottom Line… • The message conveyed in the recruitment must speak to them- it must be compelling but honest • Consider what they are looking for in the workforce and try to tailor it to what you can provide in your unit

34. So What Are They Looking For? • Flexibility (i.e. telework, seating choice, how they do their work, how they can dress, etc.)—most want a “custom deal” • Opportunity to learn/train/grow • Interest in Green Issues • “Meaningful” work (their effort will matter and be recognized)

35. So What Are They Looking For? • Accessibility to the latest technology/tools (fast information) • Your appreciation for work/life balance—otherwise, they will be gone • Human contact—most enjoy collaborating with others and will covet regular contact with you

36. Examples of Recruitment Campaigns Targeted at a Gen Y Audience:

37. Examples of Recruitment Campaigns Targeted at a Gen Y Audience:

38. Examples of Recruitment Campaigns Targeted at a Gen Y Audience:

39. Examples of Recruitment Campaigns Targeted at a Gen Y Audience:

40. Examples of Recruitment Campaigns Targeted at a Gen Y Audience

41. So What Can Departments Do? • Add content to our external websites which “sell” the State as an employer of choice • Advertise through other mediums (social media, career fairs, Monster.com, etc.) • Modify JOBs to be more in alignment with private sector • Run competency-based recruitments

42. A First Step: New JOB Templates for the Department of Technology • Hundreds of ads were reviewed for comparable IT positions in the private sector • Trends and verbiage were identified and new JOB templates were developed, one for each Division/Office • Instead of focusing on duty statement content exclusively, the new JOBs incorporate much of the same language used by competing organizations

43. A First Step: New JOB Templates for the Department of Technology • JOBs are now very “you” centric and do the following: • Clarify the mission of the department and indicate what the department can offer the employee • Briefly summarize what the position entails • Provide specific KSAs the manager is seeking, and • State how to apply

44. Example: New JOB for the Administration Division

45. Example: New JOB for the Administration Division

46. Interviewing Gen Y • Gen Yers can be very good at landing the job (they can be good at telling you what you want to hear) but can soon demonstrate some poor work habits • Sometimes this is due to lack of experience, but sometimes it’s directly related to their generation • Use behavioral-based interview questions to better assess who they are

47. Interviewing Gen Y • Give applicants a concrete task to complete to further measure and demonstrate their skill set and/or competencies. Examples include • An editing or writing task • A problem to solve • A PowerPoint to be developed beforehand and delivered to the panel

48. Interviewing Gen Y • Make sure your interview is rigorous and don’t sugar coat the job—always tell it like it is. • Tell them the perks and realities—Gen Yers appreciate honesty since they can see it as a rarity in the workplace

49. Onboarding Your New Staff • It’s critical that you stay in contact with your new Gen Yer before he or she even starts. Things you can do: • Assign the Gen Yer to another willing staff member who will stay in contact, answer questions, function as a mentor/advisor, etc. • Send a “welcome” email and add your Gen Yer to unit emails—send him/her background material or info on upcoming projects on which s/he will participate

50. Before They Even Start… • Give him/her a tour of the facility and a chance to meet other staff—feeling connected is often very important to them • Whatever you do, avoid silence during the intervening time between the offer, acceptance, and day one—don’t lose a Gen Yer to the competition