As Generation Y enters the workforce, employers should be willing to be more flexible and treat those workers differently.
“Gen Y has created a need for cultural overhaul that has not been this dramatic since women entered the workforce en mass,” says Jenny Floren, CEO of career services firm Experience Inc.
Employers are getting more creative in the work/life balance arena by offering perks, such as one-month sabbaticals after five years of service. This recognizes the generation’s strengths and offers them time to explore volunteerism and civic interests in a supported setting.
It also reiterates the commitment to community that is so inherent in 18- to 30-year-olds. This could offset the perpetual job-hopping which frustrates many employers.
Working remotely will become standard and the younger generation is at the core of this trend because for them, meeting and interacting online is just as comfortable and “real” as face-to-face meetings.
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Gen Y has grown up with online social lives, classrooms and entertainment, making the virtual world a natural extension of their personal experiences. This will benefit companies greatly as the need for global teamwork and flexible work hours continues.
“If employers evolve as their workers evolve,” explains Floren, “the end result will be a more dynamic and competitive organization where knowledge is shared, action is taken quickly and new avenues are opened.”
To comment on this story, email craig.sebastiano@rci.rogers.com.