This post originally appeared on Forbes.
It’s not fair to expect young people to be—or act—like older people, even at work. And yet it’s common, and perhaps expected, for older generations to complain about their juniors’ lack of dedication, appropriateness, and understanding. But organizations need these younger workers, perhaps today more than ever. So how can they balance the need to attract and keep younger employees?
Kathryn Minshew is co-founder and CEO of The Muse, a values-based job search and career advice site that’s popular with younger generations of workers. Minshew describes how organizations must shift their practices if they wish to appeal to younger workers—and learn to deal with them successfully. Here are four workplace factors that are significant to younger workers, and suggestions for organizations that are trying to meet their new expectations.
Younger workers express their opinions more freely than previous generations. They expect their views to be noticed and acted on. Minshew says that they “ask loudly for the things everyone wants [and] have had less time being told that you can’t have those things,” so they’re less tolerant of cultural norms like waiting your turn or paying your dues before you’re considered worthy of attention or gain access to power. They’re also much less likely than older generations to suppress their own needs for the sake of organizational harmony and are more likely than older employees to leave if they are not satisfied.
In The Muse’s most recent survey of job seekers, 67% of respondents said they were likely or very likely to change jobs in the next 12 months, and their most important criteria for a new job was work-life balance, followed by learning and growth opportunities. So don’t wait until you hear bellyaching or receive resignation notices. Inquire early and often to learn what their concerns are and whether their expectations are being met, or you won’t have the chance to counteract any negative experiences. Don’t write them off just because they’re young or inexperienced, and help their older colleagues bring their own concerns to the surface rather than holding resentment toward the younger people who are more comfortable expressing their wants and concerns.
They expect their work experience to be personalized and easy to use. When work environments and processes are unattractive, unpleasant or impersonal younger employees may reject them outright. Minshew emphasizes that “Tech companies have created products that are seamless, easy and beautiful to use. So it makes sense that younger workers are asking, ‘Why can’t my work and workplace be more personalized to me? Why can’t the tools that I use to apply for a job, interview and be onboarded be streamlined and frictionless? Why must I use something that looks like it was vomited up by robots in 1995 when it’s clear that the ability exists to create better experiences?’”
You can save the costs of unnecessary turnover and insufficient performance if you redesign candidate experiences at every step in the employment, work, and career process and show potential candidates what your actual employees think, say and do so they can picture themselves as part of the team. Minshew explains the value of enhancing your employment brand: “The goal of the hire is not to get someone as fast and cheap as possible. It’s to get someone who does the job well, and who stays … to become culture carriers, evangelists and advocates.” Verify that every touchpoint—from the careers page on your website through the submission of materials and scheduling—is understandable and welcoming, and then build that same ease of use into other areas of workplace life, from payroll processing and benefits administration to performance review and career development.
Both Millennial and Gen-Z employees care deeply about meaning. They don’t want to be treated like bodies, headcount or butts in seats. Younger employees want to believe in the value of their work and their company’s purpose. They’re willing to work very hard to reach meaningful goals and contribute to meaningful achievements. But Minshew cautions that they’re less likely to “follow orders [without context] or remain in unfulfilling or disrespectful environments.” They don’t need to be in charge, and they “are not looking for perfect. But they do want to be heard. They want to be treated respectfully. They are … much more willing to go along with rules or restrictions if they understand the reasons why.”
So take the time to explain the connection between employees’ assigned activities and responsibilities and what the organization is accomplishing in the world. Don’t rely on glitzy town hall announcements about new, cool initiatives—and definitely no greenwashing, rainbow-washing or race-washing. Instead, invite their comments and show them how you’ve applied their input. Put time and effort into planning ongoing communications and develop skillful managers at all levels who are willing to do the missionary work about values and purpose and act consistently with those aims.
They seek shared experience but different specifics. According to The Muse’s research, “People don’t want to go back into an office that nobody’s at. And they don’t particularly want to be allowed to be remote at a company where everyone else is clinking beers at happy hours and passing each other in the hall. [They want their team’s schedule] organized around the same preference that they have.” At the same time, their individual lives and needs are different, with some wanting significant compensation, others wanting status or prestige and still others wanting a job that’s flexible enough to support their other interests. Unfortunately for employers, there isn’t likely to be any structure or decision that will make all employees feel satisfied all the time.
Nonetheless, if your leaders are clear about what you’re trying to accomplish, many people will self-select and commit deeply enough to the larger goals that they’re willing to give way on some of their smaller, more personal preferences. Plan team experiments to try out various approaches to everything from scheduling to meeting processes, and then commit to the options that work best. And consider reducing the emphasis on career-long trajectories; instead, structure jobs specifically with the intent that young people stay in them for a year or two and then use their earned experience and understanding to move on to new roles—possibly still within your organization.
Many of today’s young people actively and intentionally seek happy lives and expect that their work experience will support that goal. That’s an actual shift from previous generations, when work norms were focused on how to climb the career ladder and gain status, power and compensation; or how to tolerate your work so you could go home and be happy there. Purposefully adapting workplaces to take advantage of younger generations’ drive and demand for quality experience will make those workplaces more resilient and supportive for employees of all ages.
Onward and upward —
LK