Managing and Retaining Generation Y Success strategies for your teams

Managing Generation Y 1)Be firm yet flexible. 2)Embrace and leverage Gen Y’s passion for technology. 3)Recognize your opportunity to function as a coach and mentor.

AS A MANAGER OF GEN Y EMPLOYEES YOU MUST BE FIRM BUT REMAIN FLEXIBLE  Generation Y grew up constantly challenging their parents in more of a peer-to-peer relationship than even Gen X grew up with.  Generation Y went to college and constantly challenged their professors way of thinking.  Now they will challenge you, and you need to know that they are not challenging your intelligence, your ethics, or your ability. They eagerly want to understand without doubt and seek to offer their perspective.  Maintain your company vision and policies, but be open and approachable to new ideas.

CHALLENGE IS A TWO-WAY STREET GEN Y WILL CHALLENGE THEIR MANAGERS TO GAIN BETTER UNDERSTANDING, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE CHALLENGED THEMSELVES. GEN Y THRIVES ON SPECIAL PROJECTS AND SEES CHALLENGE AS OPPORTUNITY.

EMBRACE AND LEVERAGE GEN Y’S PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGY Years to Reach 50 million users: Radio38 TV13 Internet4 iPod3 Facebook added 100 million users in 9 months. iPhone application downloads reached 1 billion in 9 months. Sources: United Nations Cyberschoolbus Document, Mashable, & Apple.United Nations Cyberschoolbus Document MashableApple

EMBRACE AND LEVERAGE GEN Y’S PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGY  They grew up with it, so they can be your resource.  It is a symbol of status, and so would a project based in technology.  It is valuable to your business.

RECOGNIZE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO FUNCTION AS A COACH AND MENTOR RATHER THAN A “BOSS”.

COACH AND MENTOR Gen Y craves a mentor, and will reject a micromanager. You must provide independence and frequent communication to maintain a safe balance. The most successful coaches and directors leave little or no doubt about what their expectations are. Gen Y’s love of technology means that they expect information to come to them almost instantly, and by that same rationale, so should feedback from you.

Retaining Gen Y Team Members 1.Starts with your hiring process. 2.Create a culture of fun. 3.Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

 Accept that most Gen Y employees will not retire with their current employer.  Find the best way to utilize that talent while you have it.

WHERE DID GEN Y LEARN THIS BEHAVIOR?

Brett Favre

RETENTION STARTS WITH YOUR HIRING PROCESS  No second chance to make a first impression.  What differentiates your company from others and how can you sell that to candidates?  How much value is there in “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Do your interview questions represent a high- energy company?  How soon is there follow up after a new employee starts?

DOES NOT MEAN EVERYONE IN FLIP FLOPS AND HAWAIIAN SHIRTS EVERY DAY. MIXES THINGS UP. ACTIVITIES REINFORCE THE TEAM CONCEPT THAT GEN Y CRAVES.

Create a culture of fun. o Casual dress day, employee awards and recognition, or company provided food and refreshments. o Team building exercises; golf outings, training seminars, cookouts. o Fun at work is proven to increase productivity, reduce stress, and enhance levels of customer satisfaction. o Avoid the mundane.

COMMUNICATE. COMMUNICATE. COMMUNICATE. If you don’t know how to text message you are missing opportunities. With the popularity of the Blackberry and other smartphones you have access to indirect yet engaged communication 24/7. Generation Y is engaged and available 24/7. Recognize patterns in communication to take the temperature of a team member. Generation Y sees voic as the equivalent to the typewriter or the rotary phone.

Generation Y in the workplace MANAGING 1. Be firm yet flexible. 2. Embrace and leverage Gen Y’s passion for technology. 3. Recognize your role as a coach and/or mentor. RETAINING 1.Retention starts with your hiring process. 2.Create a culture of fun. 3.Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

THANK YOU Jason Lehnst Management Recruiters of Iowa City – Lehnst & Associates (319)