Delaware Employment Law Blog

Attention, Employers.  Your Millennial workforce has an important message for you--one that you'll need to get loud and clear if you want to remain competitive in attracting the massive wave of talent currently graduating from college.  So what's the message? 

Well, what's important is not so much the message, really, but how they're going to be communicating it.  The message is going to be coming through via
Wikis, Blogs, and Social Networking sites.  Instant Messaging and Text Messaging will also be the way your future workforce will communicate its needs and demands through the chain of command.  And those employers who aren't equipped to deal with this change to its infrastructure will be left behind.   

The reality is, today's newest employees, known as "Generation Y", are known for their need for speed--on the information highway.  They're about as comfortable as one can get with the idea of technology.  They embrace--instead of reject--the idea of rapid technology changes.  In fact, technology is such an integral part of the daily lives of Millennials that you shouldn't be surprised when you start to get questions about your organization's technology from recruits.

As reported in PC World, Gen Y employees have a laundry list of technology-related demands that must be met in order to have some chance at job satisfaction.  Employers who don't offer virtual learning, internal social networks, or are unwilling to spend the money and time needed to get these essentials will be unable to recruit and retain the best and the brightest young employees

Training is directly connected to employee retention.  Many employees view adequate training as an essential element of a satisfying workplace.  Gen Y sees continuing training as particularly important.  This could be, in part, because of the high priority the Millenial Generation places on making a valuable contribution to the workplace.  And it could be because the average Generation Y employee stays at a job for just 2 years, making continued learning even more important to keeping their skills sharp. 

But how Gen Y defines training is as different as the high value they assign to its importance.  The most recent generation to join the workforce demands access to "knowledge in chunks."  Given their familiarity with YouTube, podcasts, and online tutorials, Gen Y is used to jumping online and having immediate access to on-demand learning whenever it is convenient for them. 

Their older coworkers, on the other hand, are more likely to turn towards the traditional paper manual.  They are also more comfortable with classroom training and will request reimbursement for academic tuition fees-not the cable internet bill.

The same casual approach that characterizes Generation Y's workplace attire carries over to their approach to knowledge sharing.  They are not shy and have no qualms about asking their more knowledgeable coworkers for the answer they need.  And, given that casual attitude, they're more likely to just "holler across the cubicle walls" to a colleague.  Boomers, who have spent a career in a much more formal and structured workplace, are less than comfortable with this casual interaction.

So what's the lesson for employers?  For one, if you haven't already adapted a training and learning approach that fits the Gen Y model, get moving!  Your best Gen Ys may already be "googling" their next career opportunity!!

What makes a good leader? Each leader surely has his or her own thoughts on this.  And so do those who are required to follow that leader.  If leader and follower do not value the same characteristics, trouble may follow. A recent survey may provide some helpful insight to this question.  The survey looked at the attributes that individuals value most in a leader. 

Respondents ranked the following characteristics as contributing the most to an individual's ability to lead:

85%  Accountable

82%  Knowledgeable

81%  Honest

78%  Effective

78%  Integrity

76%  Good listener

72%  Flexible

69%  People Person

68%  Visionary

62%  Inspiring

59%  Intelligent

57%  Creative

55%  Experienced

54%  Strong

The highest rank trait, "Accountable," is defined as "is responsible, admits and learns from mistakes."  Not too surprising.  Accountability is integral to gaining respect from others.  Accountability includes not just taking blame but it also means not taking credit that belongs to others.  Those who are charged with the responsibility of a leader but who steal credit from their reports will not likely go far in the leadership ring. 

But, as BusinessWeek reports in Gen Y: It's What You Know, the results of the survey that are a bit more surprising involve generational perspectives. Once again, Gen Y stands apart from its Boomer and Gen X colleagues.  

Gen Xers and Boomers both selected "Accountable" as the most important quality in leaders, with Boomers ranking it slightly higher.  (88% vs. 83%).  But Gen Y didn't see accountability as the most important.  Instead, Gen Y selected "Knowledgeable" as most important. (79%).

The quality rated the most different?  Integrity. It was rated as Very Important by 66% of Ys, while 76% of Xers and 84% of Boomers thought it was Very Important.

Employers are always looking for new ways to offer their employees perks and benefits.  Perks can be a double-edged sword.  On one hand, many think that employee retention can be directly correlated to the perks offered.  On the other hand, in difficult economic times, employers worry that they'll have to chose between keeping costly perks or keeping employees.  And to take away perks is an absolute morale killer.  (See The Real Price of Pulling Perks and 5 Free Ways to Reward Employees).

So what's an employer to do? We've talked before about some of the free perks that employers can use to keep employees.  Here's another type of perk that isn't free but that will give you a real return on your investment.  Training.

Yes, that's what I said, training.  Employees, especially Gen Y employees) want to know that they are making a contribution to their workforce.  Employees who are able to participate in meaningful work, as opposed to mind-numbing "busy" or "filler" work are far more likely to get engaged and have the sense of ownership that employers value so highly. 

Without continued development, employees are destined to get bored and lose their enthusiasm.  Unless employees are given continuous opportunities to develop new skills or to deepen their understanding of skills they already have.

This is a win-win for employers, too.  What more could you want?  Engaged and highly skilled employees?  Maybe it's more of an employer perk.

Gen Y, Gen X, Boomers.  No matter what generational label you've been assigned, everyone wants make a good impression at a new job.  Sometimes, in our eagerness, we unintentionally rub our new coworkers and bosses the wrong way.  Gen Y is particularly skilled at this.

Perhaps it's because they move at a hyperfast pace, leaving the rest of us with heads swirling.  Maybe it's a result of their extraordinary need for approval that they happen to be a little more eager than previous generations.  And maybe it's related to their assertiveness and impatience with the idea of a corporate food chain that makes them just jump right in instead of waiting their turn.

Don't misunderstand--these are all good things--in the right setting.  But at the wrong time, in the wrong place, to the right person, these habits might be misconstrued as, well, annoying.  Sort of like "Little Miss Bossy" from Roger Hargeaves' Little Miss series.

Instead of getting upset at me for calling it like I see it, why not listen to some advice on how to make sure you don't do it again. 

    One

Do not interrupt someone while they're speaking.  Especially not if it's your boss who's speaking and especially not if your boss is trying to give you instructions or explain something to you.  Generally, when this happens, it's a sign that you should be listening--not talking.  If you have a question, just hold it until your boss asks whether you understand.  Interruptions are disrespectful, knock it off.

    Two

Do not "agree" or "confirm" another's conclusion unless you actually could have and would have reached the same conclusion totally on your own.  By nodding emphatically or saying "right, right" while someone else speaks, it indicates that you already know this information and, frankly, you are finding it quite boring to have to listen to it again.  I know, I know, you are really trying to show enthusiasm and team spirit.  This is not what is conveyed. So knock it off.

    Three

Don't be a show off by asking questions if you already know the answer.  This is the conduct of a six-year-old who asks her mother, "Mommy, am I pretty?"  Of course she knows that her mother thinks she's the most beautiful child that's ever lived--her mother tells her so every day.  The child just wants to hear it again.  And that's ok when you're six.  It's not so cute once you grow out of footed pajamas.  When you ask questions that you clearly understand already, it make you look like you are taking your bosses [highly valued and very limited] time to seek gratuitous compliments.  It's childish, knock it off.

Workplace attire is a topic that just doesn't seem to go away. Dress codes and style rules for the modern worker get continuous coverage in the media.  Apparently, fashion is not just for the fashion columns anymore.  Fashion is a part of the business world, like it or not.  This modern-day fashion challenge is especially prevalent with Gen Y employees. 

Gen Y is known for its casual approach to work attire.  A generation that grew up wearing flip-flops and baring their belly rings can be particularly defiant of a conservative dress code.  The Millenial mantra for fashion may be coined, "Comfort Is King."  But that position often conflicts with the expectations of management. 

It can also prevent Gen Y job candidates from landing the job in the first place.  Candidates who come to an interview dressed in clothing that stands out as casual, trendy, or "young" will have a more difficult time making the cut.  And they may never know why. 

So what's a 21st-century fashion savvy job seeker to do? Generally speaking, don't take chances.  The interview is not the place to demonstrate your appreciation for cutting-edge couture.

And what about the rules of engagement for employers?  Although some will surely disagree, my position is to err on the side of caution.  If a potential employee comes to the interview with hot pink fingernails and Cyndi Lauper-style eye shadow, don't assume that she'll magically know better by the time she arrives for orientation, or that she'll "get the message" once she start work and sees that her colleagues are all dressed in more conservative garb. They won't.

Gen Y is known for its fantastic sense of entitlement and are unlikely to be particularly understanding or appreciative of the message that their clothing choices are unsatisfactory.  So, if you hire a candidate who makes his first impression by wearing a vintage Van Halen t-shirt under an Armani suit blazer, just be aware that you'll either have to accept his particular style choices or be prepared to have the uncomfortable "dress-code discussion" that will inevitably be required.

Accenture has come up with a great way to communicate its dress code and, with any luck, to prevent that dreaded conversation from ever being necessary in the first place.

Related Posts on Dress Codes:

I'm Too Sexy For This Job: The Beginnings of a Failure-to-Hire Lawsuit

“Are You My Lawyer or the Janitor?” The lawyer’s dress-code pendulum swings back.

Gender Discrimination & Dress Codes. Who wears the skirt, I mean, pants in your office?

Employers are keenly aware of the difficulty in attracting and retaining Gen Y employees.  Employers are attending seminars, reading books, and turning to HR for help interpreting the real desires of the internet generation.  The general theory, right or wrong, has been that Gen Ys are not interested in a life-long career with a single employer.  They're not so into the idea of working the boring corporate work week--hence the additional push for a 4-day workweek, telecommuting, and other flex-time options. 

But really, I think it's safe to say that most employers will admit that it's the communication barrier that's created the generational log-jam.  Businesses really want to recruit the all-stars of this mysterious generation.  But, doggone it, they just don't seem to know how.  If only the Gen Ys could speak Baby-Boomer for just long enough to explain what it is that they want!  Until today's management communicates in a way that Gen Y understands and can relate to, it's unlikely that the new workforce will be jumping at the chance to hash out their emotions with senior management over chai lattes at Starbucks any time soon.

But just when you think all hope is lost, that it simply cannot be accomplished, alas, a beacon of hope.  By way of  . . . a law firm?  Huh?

ABA Journal points its readers to the website of Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson, a Minneapolis law firm with a great Marketing Director and/or sense of humor.  When you visit the site, you're faced with a talking-head type interviewer--suit, tie, smirk, and all.  The talking head bobbles back and forth as if he were nodding but not listening to a word you say (c'mon, you've been there--we all have).  Next to it is aan online "game," the "Laywer Job Interview Translator,"  which allows you to select a question and get (1) the biglaw canned answer; (2) Halleland's translation of the meaning of the canned answer; and (3) Halleland's answer--had you asked them the question. 

Pretty clever, I'd say.

Now, the next time you try to make a pitch about "lightening up" as a way to attract Millenials to your workforce and you get a dirty look, just refer them to this site.  Then refer them to the ABA Journal, a national publication read by lawyers everywhere, which picked up the story and, undoubtedly, single-handedly altered Halleland's recruiting roadmap (or, at the very least, sped up the engine substantially). 

Who knew?  A law firm raises the "trendy" bar a little higher.  Gen Y attorneys-to-be will surely have this employer in their sights.

For earlier posts on how to recruit, hire, manage, and retain Gen Y:

How to Tap Into the Millennial Market – Part 1

How to Tap Into the Millennial Market—Part 2

How to Manage Your Millennial Asset–Part 3

How to Retain Your Millennial Asset — Part 4

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Women's Bureau will offer a free teleconference on June 19 2-3 pm EDT.  The topic of the free teleconference is Flex Options, Generation Y . . . What Do They Really Want. The DOL's website describes the program as a talk from the perspective of large and small businesses – and Generation Y employees – about the roles that workplace culture, flexibility and career development play in recruiting and retaining the best talent.

The three speakers include Ann Ivey, of Anna Ivey Consulting, a former lawyer and dean of admissions at a top-ten law school, Ivey now focuses on admissions consulting. 

Elizabeth Kennard is a specialist for Starbucks' Emerging Workforce Center of Excellence.  Kennard's responsibilities include the development of workplace flexibility and multigenerational workforce strategies.

Dennis Loney is the Employment Practices Specialist at Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), working to ensure that the co-op's practices are cutting-edge and aligned with its values. 

This is a very hot topic right now and seems to be infiltrating more and more areas of the business world.  You can register for teleconference through the following link:

Women's Bureau (WB) - Flex Options Teleconference Call - Generation Y …. What Do They Really Want

You’ve recruited top-notch Millennials and are actively managing them in your organization. Now you must retain and develop your Millennial talent. In the final post in this series, we list four tips for retaining your Millennial talent, some of which demystify the Millennial mystique.

1. Millennials have a solid work ethic.

Because Millennials are more peer-oriented and seek instant gratification, their work ethic can be self-centered. They ask, “what is my job?” and figure out the most efficient way to accomplish it. The result is that Millennials respond well to organizations that offer paid time off, as opposed to a year-end bonus, in their reward structure. This also plays into the Millennials’ need for work-life balance. The more your organization can offer mechanisms to achieve a balance between work and personal life, the more likely Millennials will be to stay with you.

2. Have a plan for Millennial advancement.

Although Millennials tend to think shorter-term than their Baby Boomer or Gen X counterparts, that’s not to say that they don’t need a plan. They just need a shorter plan. Millennials will not stay with an organization that has long advancement tracks, and Millennials loose interest in organizations that promise quick advancement opportunities and fail to follow through on such promises. Consider offering small rewards along the way, stringing the accomplishments together, and laying the groundwork for a Millennial to develop seniority.

3. Millennials don’t value “face time.”

Recently Millennials have garnered a poor reputation because they don’t put in the face time like their predecessors, which may not be a bad thing. Employees are indeed more satisfied if they feel valued, which for employers can mean acknowledging that your employees have a life outside of work. A difference between Millennials and their predecessors is that they want to accomplish a task as efficiently as possible (which usually means implementing their significant ability to multi-task) and build their reputation on substantive accomplishments rather than long work hours. For employers, this means that your reward structure needs to match the Millennials’ expectation that if they perform well, they will advance, regardless of how long it took them to finish a project.

4. Provide challenges and opportunities quickly.

Now that you’ve painted your organization as a challenging, satisfying place to work, you need to make sure your Millennial talent does not loose interest quickly. Instead, find ways for your Millennial talent to have a meaningful role in their projects and with their team and encourage Millennials to contribute new ideas. The notion that Millennials are valued for their contributions fits well with their perspective that each Millennial is special and unique. Foster an environment that allows new hires to take on increasing responsibilities as their performance improves.

Retention that works.

The key to retaining Millennial talent is to understand how Millennials view the world and their role in your organization. If you’ve done your homework recruiting Millennials, then you should have a good understanding of what Millennials want from their employers. Millennials often leave their jobs because it is not challenging, rewarding, or both. Millennials will, however, stay with organizations that value their professional growth and provide personal satisfaction.

Prior Posts in this Series, What HR Needs to Know About Your Company's Millennial Assets; include Recruiting Gen Y; and Managing Gen Y.

Okay, you’ve recruited talented Millennials.  Now you actually have to manage them!  Knowing that Millennials’ values and goals are different from those held by Baby Boomers or Gen Xers means that managing and mentoring Millennials is also different.

Here are some tips for managing your Millennial talent:

1. Provide a structured, supportive work environment.

Because Millennials are team oriented, they work well in a hierarchy. This is a significant upside, because Millennials are also easily “teachable;” they like to know how the team works and who’s in charge. Keep in mind, however, that this needs to be balanced with their need for instant gratification. A Millennial will quickly loose job satisfaction if they are a part of a team which fails to acknowledge each member’s contributions. Similarly, Millennials will loose interest if there is no payoff for accomplishing mundane tasks.

2. Create interactive relationships.

This is not your old mentoring relationship. When your organization selects mentors for Millennials, you need mentors who are willing to actually mentor – they must be willing to take the time to teach, advise, and contribute to a Millennial’s work experience. Lunching with your Millennial just before an annual review is not enough.

3. Be prepared for high demands and high expectations.

The tables have turned a little bit here. Whereas Baby Boomers and Gen Xers were willing to put in their time and ask few questions about their future, Millennials are likely to ask about how they can advance in your organization sooner rather than later. This means that your organization needs to be prepared to answer such questions, or risk loosing your Millennial talent. This does not mean, however, that you need to promote Millennials before they are ready. Instead, be prepare to reasonably manage Millennials’ expectations so that they have answers to their questions regarding rewards and promotions. One of the keys to managing Millennial talent is to develop and communicate multiple career paths.

Managing your Millennial talent is imperative to your organization’s success. With respect to Millennials, management means more than making sure your new hires are showing up for work and meeting deadlines. Much like your recruiting practices, your organization will need to commit to creative and strategic ways to manage your Millennial talent. Don’t spend time wishing that the Millennials fit into the same management mold as your Baby Boomer or Gen X employees. Instead, remember that flexibility and change can bring new successes to your workforce.

Other posts in this series:

Recruiting Millennials

Why Millennials Should Matter

Recruiting has never been easy. It's not getting easier. Organizations across the country are facing a double dose of hiring difficulty. The workforce is facing a brain drain as Baby Boomers near retirement. And, as one generation prepares for its exit, another is preparing its entrance. The challenges that this generation brings are novel. Smart recruiters are using creative solutions to manage these new challenges.

1. Get to Know Them. Recruiting to Millennials means you have to get to know who they are, what they like, and what they are looking for in a career. Before you recruit Millennials, go out and meet some Millennials. Find out what they want from an employer, how they think they would get it, and what makes an organization appealing to them. Remember, Millennials are not motivated by the same things as either Baby Boomers or Gen-X-ers, so before you set out to recruit some Millennials you need to know what your organization has or does to make it attractive to the best Millennial talent.

2. Think Digital. There is no doubt that Millennials are wired into all things digital. In order to reach the best candidates, you need to adapt your recruiting practices to their digital world. That's not to say that you need to launch text-messaging recruiting; however, you do need to seriously consider the best way to attract Millennials to your organization. You also need to promote how tech savvy your organization is, otherwise, Millennials will not consider your organization at all.

3. They are Team-Oriented. Millennials are peer-oriented and are accustomed to working in teams. Instead of trying to recruit a Millennial to your whole organization, consider recruiting Millennials to more discreet areas of your business which already work as a team. Also, make sure when you promote your organization's atmosphere, you emphasize group dynamics rather than individual performance. Millennials don't necessarily like to "go it alone."

4. They are Civic-Minded. Millennials are likely to grow up like their civic-minded Baby Boomer elders, which means that recruiting Millennials is a great way to boost your company's community profile. If your business is already involved with charitable organizations, make sure you highlight those efforts when you recruit a Millennial. If your organization is not involved with charitable efforts, consider allowing employees to create opportunities for your organization to do so. The result may be that your new hires are quickly folded into your organization's culture and they have an immediate attachment with their peers and their new boss. Plus, your organization gets the PR benefit.

5. They are the Future. Finally, your organization's leadership must understand how important Millennials are to your business's future. Despite the bad rap Millennials seem to be collecting (i.e., the new MBA who won't travel without advance notice or the new hire who won't look at his Blackberry on the weekends), they are unavoidable. Employee recruiting, management, and retention will absolutely change as a result of the infusion of Millennials into the workforce. HR experts predict that more employees will seek out companies that allow flexible schedules, reward creativity (rather than long hours), and provide meaningful challenges (rather than merely putting in time to climb the corporate ladder). The consequence is employers may need to re-vamp their culture and commit to some of the changes Millennials demand. In short, your organization's leadership needs to buy into the idea that in order to recruit the most talented new hires, you may need to emphasize different aspects of your organization's culture and reward structure.

The bottom line is Millennials remain a largely untapped asset and your organization will benefit from their talent. As long as you remain creative and strategic, your company has the opportunity to recruit the most talented Millennials.

Recruiting, Managing, and Retaining Millennials

The HR world has been abuzz with discussion about the generational dynamic between the aging baby boomers and the Web 2.0 world of Millennials. This five-part series is designed to give the rest of us some perspective.

A "Millennial," demographically speaking, is a person born after 1980. They are the youngest members of today's workforce. Experts estimate that by 2010, Millennials will outnumber both Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. Millennials (a/k/a "Gen Y") are our society's "digital residents," which means that they have enjoyed the luxuries of digital technology their entire lives, including the massive world of video games. Their digital residence has given their generation characteristics employers never seen before.

Some sociologists believe that as a result of their residence in the digital world (think instant messaging, Facebook, and MySpace), Millennials are significantly peer-oriented and constantly seek instant gratification. The bottom line: Millennials don't necessarily buy into the idea that in order to succeed at work, you need to get in early, stay late, and consistently work hard.

These characteristics can make it difficult for employers to adapt how and who they recruit, and how they manage and retain their new human resource. In short, Millennials are changing the way employers do the business of, well, employment. The next three installments provide tips on how your organization can tap into Millennial talent.

For more insight on Millennials and how they fit into your organization, consider the text "Millennials Incorporated" by Lisa Orrell. Ms. Orrell hosts the blog "Lisa's Generation Relations Blog." And, on May 20, 2008, HRHero.com will host Dr. Diane Gayeski, contributor to the Wall Street Journal and consultant to some of America's top employers, in an audio conference titled "Are you ready for the Millennials? What HR Needs to Know to Recruit and Manage the IPod Workers."

The focus of the next post in this series is Recruiting Strategies for the Next Generation.