Special Promotional Feature

Much of the older generation saw them as troublemakers with a poor work ethic and no respect for the rules. They dropped out. They protested. And they then entered the workforce anyway and exacted their impact. At their hand our world has since seen unprecedented innovation and advancement.

They are, of course, the Baby Boomers. Redeemed by their actions, they and others today now look upon the youngest generation entering the workforce and wonder whether or not those kids have what it takes. But the kids are all right, and it’s now Generation Y’s turn to boom in the workplace. Just as Baby Boomers were different from their elders, however, so is Generation Y from Baby Boomers and, for that matter, Generation X.

In March 2013, Ceridian Canada commissioned its annual Pulse of Talent Survey. Over 800 employed Canadians, ranging from Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y, responded to questions on their perceptions of job security, technology, performance reviews, job recognition and career satisfaction. Across the spectrum, though similarities exist, the youngest generation sees work life differently than the older generations do, and employers would do well to adjust and tailor practices in order to maximize everyone’s productivity. Employee engagement and retention benefit, helping to drive overall success for the organization.

Generational Approach
Though similarities exist, different generations tend to act differently in the workforce and expect different things from a job. Ceridian’s survey findings at once underscore why and reveal just what the differences are and aren’t. Furthermore, employees who feel valued tend to perform better, and, by catering to all generations at once simultaneously and differently, employers do best in fostering the sense of feeling valued.

Venting through Social Media
For instance, an overwhelming majority of respondents (89 per cent) to the Pulse of Talent Survey indicated that they prefer face-to-face communication over any other in the workplace. This is despite the permeation of social media and the presumption that Generation Y prefers it to other communication in most circumstances. Where this presumed preference does surface, however, is in Generation Y’s tendency to promote its employers via social media: Whereas 29 percent of all respondents, regardless of generation, admit to promoting their employer in social media, Generation Y does so in larger numbers (41 per cent).

Of note, members of Generation Y are more apt to complain about their employers via social media, too. Case law is showing that complaining about an employer in the public square can be grounds for dismissal, yes. But ex-employees, especially, will continue to complain—on social media. The imperative to help Generation Y feel valued in their work is therefore all the more important. And it might improve Generation Y’s sentiments if more Canadian businesses allowed employees to use social media tools at work; currently, only 24 per cent do so, according to survey results.

Valuing Recognition and Rewards
Across generations, a majority would prefer to receive non-monetary rewards as a form of recognition for a job well done; however, whereas nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of Generation Y would like something other than more money in return for logging in a great work performance, the numbers are lower for other generations: 65 per cent for Generation X and 56 per cent for Baby Boomers. In various percentages, survey participants pointed to several non-monetary rewards: free personal days off (37 per cent) free food/meals (20 per cent); event tickets (19 per cent), club memberships (17 per cent) and technology resources (15 per cent) such as smartphones and iPads.

Interestingly, despite the plurality of preference for non-monetary rewards, the older the generation is, the less likely it is to prefer them. That’s cultural and, at the risk of being obvious, directly affects how an employee will feel valued. For instance, any employer that wants an older worker to feel valued and want to stay would do well to presume that the chances are just shy of 50-50 that he or she would prefer a raise or some other monetary reward over another expression of recognition.

Related to recognition and rewards is performance feedback, of course. And 15 percent of Generation Y workers want more feedback on their performance—far more of it, more often. That’s a small number, but still higher than the paltry 5 per cent of Baby Boomers surveyed who wish likewise. Communication with Generation Y should be more frequent.

Heeding Generational Needs, Generating Employee Goodwill
Organizations that successfully improve their retention of top talent and increase all employees’ level of positive engagement will do so through tailored approaches. These take into account all employees’ life experiences and age. Through special attention to the many generations in the workplace, not just to Generation Y, employers generate maximum employee goodwill. It’s the byproduct of employees’ satisfaction with their jobs, and a generational approach considers generational differences in instilling a sense of value in the minds of all employees.