Interesting post today on CARRERALISM on how generational differences have evolved over the last year.

I am seeing one of two things:

Category A: Leaders who are embracing Gen Y and learning from their knowledge and

Category B: Leaders who are digging their heels in, saying they are not going to change to make way for this new generation.

In my observation, the companies who are pulling ahead are in category A.  As a matter of fact, if you are in Category B, and you aren’t already making some very significant changes to make way for this huge demographic of workers, I’m not convinced you can “catch up”.  I suppose anything is possible, but if you are in  Category B, just know that there are a LOT of great companies in the first category who are beating the pants off you while you sit and dig your heels in deeper.

We cannot stop change. We cannot stop human evolution. We cannot stop new, young minds from coming into our workforce . In the article referenced above, I want to draw attention to this one point made (worth careful consideration):

“Have your coaching and communication skills inventoried to determined how prepared you are to coach Gen Y and integrate them into your multi-generational team. Then, get the appropriate resources and training to develop/enhance your skills. “

I see people trying to coach Gen Y. Hey…I have an idea…let them coach you! Watch how they coach you, and then…go try on what works with another Gen Y. You might just learn a thing or two.

I must be asked this question several times a day. Even by some of the best marketers in the business. My answer is always the same ‘talk to Gen Y,’ they don’t bite. And remember the way you learned about products and services is not the way they learn about products and services. So, don’t ask me what is the right type of TV commercial to run? Or what the right direct mail campaign is? Direct mail? The young whipper snappers I work with don’t write checks, don’t receive bank statements. They ‘do it online.’ But don’t take my word for it. Just ask them. Don’t look at them or treat them like they are from another planet.When we wrote our book, we went right to the source and ask Gen Y how they like to be communicated with.  To be honest, I hate when I see blogs and online articles that say the best way to market to Gen Y is to have cool and hip products. Those were words I used in high school and I am an old guy. But then again, what do I know. I did a Google Search on ‘Cool and Gen Y’ and ended up with over 600,000 results. Note, however, when I ask a Gen  Yer what type of product they like the words ‘cool and hip’ never come up. So there seems to be a disconnect here, eh? 

Tom Heck sent me this video today. Great take on generations at work by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Thanks Tom!

Millennial Leaders

Some interesting findings in a new report What Millenial Workers Want: How to Attract and Retain Gen Y Employees by Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm, and Yahoo! HotJobs commissioned the survey. The findings were cited in a report titled, “Generation Y workers were asked, “What is your number-one career concern for the future?”

• Their responses were:Salary and healthcare/retirement … 33%
• Job stability ………………………………. 26%
• Career satisfaction …………………….. 23%
• Other …………………………………………. 8%
• None …………………………………………. 5%
• Don’t know …………………………………. 5%

“The Gen Y professionals we surveyed were focused on practical concerns, such as saving enough money for retirement and being able to balance work and family obligations,” said Reesa Staten, senior vice president and director of workplace research for Robert Half International. “These basic quality-of-life needs are common among all demographics in the workplace. Respondents offered the following verbatim responses when asked to identify their top financial and benefits-related concerns:

• Having enough money to support the lifestyle I desire.
• Getting paid enough to both save for retirement and enjoy the present.
• Finding a better job or a career with benefits, a 401 (k), better salary and financial stability.
• How long I have to work into my golden years to secure a good retirement.
• If I will ever be able to afford a future; a house, a wedding, children and retirement.
• Access to health and retirement benefits.
• That I won’t make enough money to provide a good life for my family, with rising costs of everything from fuel to homes and food

Gen Y workers offered the following responses regarding finding and holding onto a job:

• That I won’t be able to get a job that matches up with my qualifications.
• Being able to settle into the job right after graduation.
• That the economy won’t be sustained in order for jobs to be secure.
• Being able to find a job after being outsourced.
• If there will be enough jobs for the number of job seekers.
• Having to switch jobs more than I desire.

And, finally, respondents to the survey who focused on job satisfaction offered the following thoughts:

• My number-one career concern for the future is advancement. A time will come when I need to decide if I should stay at my current position, or if I should take a new, better job. My concern is knowing how to tell when that moment comes.
• Finding something I am truly passionate about.
• Whether or not I’ll enjoy my work. Going to work when you hate it is so hard and tiring.
• If I want to change careers, how much more will I have to put into going back to school? How much is it going to cost me to change my career, and will it be worth it?
• Finding a niche career that suits me.
• Being happy with my job, and balancing work and home life.

Gen Y workers want the best healthcare and retirement benefits employers can provide as well as defined career paths,” she said. “To recruit these professionals, firms should make these programs easy to understand, promote them in detail on the company Web site and highlight them during the interview process. From the Gumbo Entertainment Guide 

Great story of inspiration about how Gen Y is changing our world.

NASA Gen Y Presentation Inspires Canadian Space Exploration

Post from my blog on ERE Blog Network today:

IBM Stops Talking and Starts Acting

Millennial Leaders