Monday, August 11, 2008A global challenge: Engaging Generation Y
The United States is bracing for a shortage of a whopping 10 million workers within the next 10 years. Employers from every industry are frustrated by the passage of the dedicated Boomer workforce and the arrival of the non-committal, job-hopping graduates of Generation Y.
In any case, I often get asked why this is such a prevalent issue for the United States. How is it possible that Americans raised a generation of young adults that turned out so drastically different from their workaholic parents? It's fascinating to discover that this isn't an issue confined by U.S. borders. In fact, a report by BlessingWhite suggests that at least a quarter of Generation Y employees are disengaged across the globe, with the problem at its most acute in Southeast Asia, where around the figure rises to around a third. The report features surveys with more than 7,500 individuals and 40 senior human resource and line managers, and reveals that the more senior level young employees are, the more engaged they are. All over the world, Gen Y employees have been perceived as a bunch of demanding, greedy and unmotivated slackers. The fact is, they are desperately seeking ways to engage, and will disengage when they are treated like the young whipper-snappers that need to be managed, or bump into glass ceilings and corporate ladders. Perhaps we need to take a lesson from India, where Gen Y engagement levels are the highest. That's not surprising considering that in India all generations – including younger employees - have higher levels of engagement compared to other regions, most likely as a result of its young, fast-paced, knowledge-based economy. In the United States, as well as other regions worldwide, Baby Boomers (or the oldest, most senior-level staff) traditionally hold all the leadership roles. So why should it be any different now? Because Gen Y has been raised to be high-achievers in a world where instant gratification (from credit cards to technology) is customary. As a result, Gen Y is the most open-minded, multi-tasking, tech-savvy, media-savvy, globally-minded, diverse, college-educated generation in history. When you put that into perspective, it's really not that shocking that Ys will disengage when they see little opportunity for advancement or increased responsibility or struggle to get respect. Why ask Y to lead and take on more responsibility? Because employers stand a lot to gain from their young, brillant minds and unique worldviews. Because it is proven that the more engaged and enthused the Ys are at work, the more productive a company is, which is critical particularly in times of economic downturn and uncertainty. In every industry, the world over, the more responsibility an employer gives to a Gen Y, the more engaged and enthused they are about their jobs. And the earlier, the better. Labels: BlessingWhite, employee engagement, Generation Y, India
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