Delaware Employment Law Blog

Delaware's Indian River School District has decided to prohibit students from having cell phones, pagers, and other communication devices both at school and on school buses.   According to the Indian River's School Board President Charles Birely, the District took this step because, cell phones are a distraction  that "have no place in the classroom.” 

Many public school districts have policies that restrict the possession and use of cell phones and similar devices at school. Such policies, of course, may give rise to legal liability when school officials seize or search a student's phone.

EEOC issued Employer Best Practices for Workers With Caregiving Responsibilities, a technical-assistance guide, last week.  Caregiver or Family-Responsibilities Discrimination, according to the EEOC, occurs when an employer makes an adverse employment decision based on the employee's care-giving responsibilities.  Because this type of discrimination is a derivative of gender discrimination, the basic premises begins with parents of young children.  But it extends in the opposite direction, as well, to employers whose own parents are the ones in need of caregiving.  This second category is the less commonly recognized of the two forms of discrimination.  But there is a third type, as well.  A  dual-income household where both caregivers are working and care not only for children, but also for aging parents, is known as a "sandwiched" home.  The sandwiched generation are those who are at a very fragile point, having responsibility for multiple generations.

As many as 9-13% of American households can be characterized as a sandwiched household.  The typical couple includes a 44-year-old man and a 42 year-old-woman, who have been married for just less than 20 years. Both spouses work full time.  There are two children in the home and two aging parents who require assistance in performing daily tasks of living, such as transportation, shopping, making care-related decisions, housekeeping, and managing money.  

Until the economy enjoys a significant improvement, it is easy to imagine that the number of sandwiched households will continue to grow.  Aging parents who, in good financial times, may have been able to afford the expense of assisted living, may see a more reasonable option as living with an adult child.  Of course, as we continue to outlive previous generations, the number of aging parents will continue to grow. 

Employers can play a key role in the lives of employees facing these challenges at home.  Of course, alternative work schedules can be used to attract and retain the best employees of all ages and in all stages of life.  To a group facing extraordinary pressures at home, an alternative work schedule may separate a good employer from a great one. Even aside from these more formal workplace initiatives, though, employers can take important steps to improve the work-family culture in the workplace.  Managers who are sensitive to employees' personal needs, for example, can be a great source of comfort to an otherwise over-burdened employee.  Guilt is not an emotional area in which they come up short and it's the last thing they need to feel at work when the pressures of home require them to leave early or to take a longer lunch.

For more on Family Responsibilities Discrimination (FRD), see:

Family Responsibility Discrimination. Download of a Short and Sweet Summary of the FRD Now Available

Gen Y employees have a not-so-great reputation for being difficult to manage.  Here are some tips to remember when rewarding Gen Y workers when they're on the right track.

A common mistake made by well-intended employers involves how they reward employees.  The value of rewards must be judged by a different standard.  To be effective, the reward must be tailored to its recipient.  When Boomers were on the receiving end of the rewards, it was common for the reward to involve more work.  

For example, a junior associate who does a stellar job on a client project could be rewarded with an invitation to attend a dinner with that client. That "reward" may have been well-received by a Boomer employee when he was climbing the ranks. But not so with Gen Y.  Gen Y is a generation of employees who value their personal time.  Being "asked" to attend a work-related event in addition to their normal work duties is not a reward. 

Today, the new reward is balance.  Reward Gen Y employees by giving what they want--flexibility.  To celebrate a big success, allow the employee to set his own schedule for the week.  If you know that your hard-working Gen Y is a late riser, change his schedule from 9 - 5 to 10 - 6.  

Related Posts:

The Impact of the 2007 Baby Boom

Should Gen Y Abandon Any Hope for Work-Life Balance?

5 Things Employers Should Know about the Engagement of Gen Y Employees

HR Glossary: Generations at Work

Employers are experiencing the impact of the generational differences between Boomers and Gen Y.  Don't expect that dynamic to change anytime soon.  The New York Times reports that 2007 holds the record for the year with the highest number of births in the U.S.  In 2007, 4,317,000 babies were born in the U.S.--beating out the prior record set in 1957. 

Coincidentally, the original Boomers, who were born in 1957, will retire at the age of 65 in 2022.  Three years later, the second wave of Boomers will enter the workforce at the age of 18, in 2025.  This generational conversion will mean a complete transformation of workplace values and expectations, instead of a longer-term integration.  It also means that there will be little opportunity for knowledge transfer between the incoming and outgoing generations.  Succession planning will require conscious awareness of the potential knowledge gap if businesses want to retain their critical knowledge. 

See our prior posts to learn more about the current impact Generation Y is having on employers.

Will work-life balance survive the current economy? Or will employees abandon the idea in an attempt to protect themselves from layoffs and other job cuts?  In a recent post, Adria B. Martinelli recently asked whether work-life balance issues are at risk in the current economy. 

And she's not alone. The ABA Journal recently reported that associates have dumped the idea of a "work-life balance" and are, instead, billing hours like crazy in an attempt to survive any upcoming cutbacks.

Others, however, think that the whole "work-life thing" should be abandoned in the name of self-preservation, especially when it comes to Gen Y workers.  Instead, says Jake on Jobs, 20-somethings should not worry about work-life balance--that will come in due time.  What they should do is "work their butts off until they find a job that doesn't feel like work."

It's a difficult question, really.  On the one hand, I do agree with Adria's points.  Time is an invaluable commodity that can't be bought back with money.  On the other hand, though, being home with family as a result of an unanticipated period of unemployment is not my idea of "quality time," either. 

I've posted about how Adobe Acrobat 9 can revolutionize your law practice by lowering operational costs and increased earnings.  And there's plenty more to be said on both fronts. But, in this post, I'll switch my focus from hard to soft costs; i.e., "intangibles."  There continues to be an increased focus on “intangibles” in the workplace—the costs that, although difficult to quantify, have a direct impact on profitability.  Employee engagement and satisfaction are intangibles that are linked directly to client satisfaction and retention, firm revenue, and firm profitability. 

Similarly, employee turn-over can have disastrous consequences for firms that ignore the value of employee morale. The cost of replacing an employee is estimated to be 100% of the individual’s yearly salary for staff members, 150% for long-term employees and management, and as much 300% for junior associates when partner mentoring time is factored into the equation. Based on these numbers, a firm’s intangibles can have an enormous impact—positive or negative—on the bottom line. 

And how can the digital office contribute to firm intangibles? The digital office enables firm staff to become more efficient in day-to-day tasks. Increased efficiency means more time for other tasks and different types of work. When freed from menial duties, such as repetitive copying and filing, staff can be given more challenging and substantive assignments.

The benefits of this should be obvious—a challenged and stimulated workforce is a more engaged workforce. Engaged employees are more motivated and that motivation leads to increased productivity. The more successes an employee experiences, the more engaged he or she becomes, thereby further continuing the cycle of positive results.

Additionally, the digital office enables attorneys to take their practice with them anywhere, provided they have access to an available internet connection.  Eliminating the need for attorneys to be in the office just for the sake of being there, workers in the digital office find that "work-life balance" may not be as elusive as once thought.  The modern workforce has made it increasingly clear that flexible work schedules are at the top of the priority list.  And Gen Y workers, the most recent generation to flood the recruiting office, have their own set of demands; and flexibility is high on that list.

Are you convinced yet?  It's true.  Go ahead, start a digital revolution!

Employee engagement differs between younger and older employees.  Employers are trying to navigate the needs of Gen Y and, to some extent, Gen X employees.  Learning how to attract and retain younger generation employees means understanding what it is about a workplace that these employees desire most.  And, conversely, what things are most likely to be so unfavorable that they actually drive away the recruits you're trying to attract. 

Here are just a few of the differences between younger and older employees to keep in mind.  Ask yourself whether your organization is making efforts to satisfy younger employees and keep them engaged.

• Younger employees tend to be more optimistic about opportunities for continued learning and growth in their employment.  This requires employers to prevent their youthfully optimistic hopes from being stamped out by the embattled bitter employee who can quickly poison the environment with repeated cynicism and distrust.

• Employees of every age crave recognition.  Study after study shows that employers that master the skill of providing timely, accurate, and regular feedback rate the highest in employee engagement.  The generational difference, though, is the amount of recognition that will satisfy younger versus older employees.  Gen Y is known as a "needy" generation for a reason.  One study showed that, for every piece of constructive criticism offered (and note that we're not talking about negative criticism), the Gen Y employee requires seven pieces of positive feedback if there's any chance that they'll even hear the constructive one.  That's a whole lot of pats on the back.  So many, in fact, that positive feedback almost has to be scheduled into the daily calendar of managers if they hope to ever really give a sufficient amount of compliments.

• Younger employees also tend to take more pride in working for their employer and are more likely to recommend their employer to a job seeker.  This gives employers a great opportunity to promote their organization and  their product to potential employees and to customers.  There is no better marketing tool than sincere praise passed along by word of mouth.

• Informal interactions are their preferred methods for "team-building," as opposed to the more formal, structured methods used in the past.  This means no more formal "team-building" exercises at the yearly retreat.  The otherwise positive and upbeat Gen Y employee will see these efforts as weak attempts to parse together relationships that don't truly exist.

• Younger employees place a premium value on a sense of "belonging."  If they do not feel that they are truly part of the organization, they quickly become disengaged and begin to look for new work.  If, on the other hand, they feel connected to others in the workplace, they have one more reason to work a little harder.  Gen Y employees were raised, remember, by Boomers, who played (and likely are still playing) an integral role in their development.  Gen Y loves to please others; hence the need for immediate recognition when they do something right.  If they don't feel that they're connected to others, then there is no one for them to try to please, and no one from whom they can expect regular positive feedback.  Ah, it's a vicious circle, isn't it?

Generation Y is not known for frugality. Savings is not something the Millennial Generation does very well at all, in fact.  Similarly, women are notoriously behind their male counterparts when it comes to saving for retirement.  The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), has begun an initiative targeted to both issues.  

Wi$e Up is a financial education demonstration project targeted to Generation X and Y women.  The DOL's Women's Bureau heads the project, which pairs participants with mentors, who are recruited by local organizations.  There are several components to the program, including classroom portions, online teleconferences with feature speakers, and other interactive experiences designed to get women in this particular age group up to speed when it comes to understanding the importance of personal fiscal health and how to achieve it.

The Wi$e Up website offers lots of helpful tools and resources, as well as its monthly e-newsletter, which focuses directly on the financial issues facing Gen X and Gen Y women.  Also available on the website is a Financial Planning Handbook for Generation X Women.   The Handbook is 91 pages long and retails for just $15 ($9 is you purchase 10 or more).  The Handbook is described as:

Most women want to be more "money savvy" and feel they need to learn more about how to manage their money wisely. This publication is especially targeted to young women age 22 to 35. It will guide you in learning about the basics of money management, credit, savings, investments and achieving financial security.

Wi$e Up is an excellent resource to help guide women in the Gen X & Y age groups to navigate an important area of knowledge that historically has presented steep challenges to women and, more recently, to Generation Y.

Smart employers have begun internal campaigns to prevent what could be a potentially crippling brain drain as the Baby Boomers, the largest generation in history, nears retirement.  As many as 40% of the current workforce is expected to be eligible for retirement age by 2010.  With a mass exodus of key employees on the horizons, employers look for ways to transfer knowledge to the next generation workforce.  But, in light of the many particular characteristics of Generation Y (or "Millennials"), this effort is not necessarily one with an obvious plan of attack.    

Gen Y demands that communications be transmitted in a format that they're used to, which almost always means the involvement of real-time technology.  For many employers, this demand is light years beyond the bulletin-board and newsletter-style communications they've employed for years.  So what's an employer to do if it's not current with the cutting-edge technology attractive to Gen Y? 

Implement a formal leadership program.  Gen Y will not have had the experience necessary to successfully take control as managers.  Unless there is a formal program in place to teach Millennials what makes a good leader and communicates the expectations of the organization with regard to have leaders should behave and treat others, we cannot expect them to simply "figure it out." 

Teach employees how to communicate with other generations.  Baby Boomers and Traditionalists hold the key to your organization's future success.  Now you have to get them to share it.  And, even if they're willing to do so, they may not know how.  Intra-generational communication is notoriously weak.  The generations simply don't speak the other generations' language.  Providing training to employees on how to communicate is essential if you want the older generations to share their knowledge and for the younger generations to receive and understand it. 

For more about Gen Y in the workplace, see:

HR Glossary: Generations at Work

Why Recruiters Need to Understand the Helicopter Parent

How to Use Reverse Mentoring as a Retention Tool for Gen Y Employees

Gen Y Demands Employers Open the Checkbook for Technology Requests

The Connection Between Training and Employee Retention, According to Gen Y

What Makes a Good Leader? If You Lead Gen Y's, You'd Better Find Out.

Knock It Off, Gen Y: 3 Ways You're Driving Your Boss Crazy

Human Resource professionals must be familiar with a vast vocabulary, spanning from the legal world to psychology and sociology terms.  At a professional organization meeting I attended this morning, I had the pleasure of listening to an organizational consultant speak about employee retention and engagement--a very important topic in my world.  Her presentation was filled with a variety of factoids of which I hadn't been aware.  One little tiny piece of constructive feedback I have, though, is that she got the Generations wrong.  

During her talk, she referenced the challenges presented to employers by Generation Y employees.  But what she meant was Generation X and Generation Y.  She stated that Gen Y includes employees just entering the workforce (i.e., 18 years old), through individuals aged 31.  This is not quite accurate.  Here's what she probably meant to say:

Traditionalists are actually two generations ("Matures" and "Silents") who share similar values and behaviors who were born between the start of the 20th century and the end of World War II (1900-1945).  This generation is characterized by rigidity, privacy, and loyalty.

Baby Boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964 during the Post-World War II baby boom,  the largest generation ever born in the U.S.  This generation is known for its love affair with rock 'n roll, Woodstock, and its experiences with the civil rights movement and Watergate.

Generation X includes individuals born between 1965 and 1980 grew up with celebrity figures that included Madonna, Oprah, and Michael Eisner.  Because the Baby Boomer parents of Gen X included working mothers, Gen X was left to fend for itself and the concept of the latchkey kid became prevalent. As a result, this generation is particularly independent and resilient.

Generation Y (also known as "Millennials") represent the youngest workers in today's workplace, being born between 1981 and 1999.  Raised by Baby Boomers, who coddled and protected in a way that they'd not been cared for by their own parents, Gen Y believes that it really can do anything and, as a result, tends to see very low penalty associated with frequent job changes and even career changes.  Gen Y engages in "real-time learning" as a result of constant digital access to resources such as YouTube and Google.  One defining feature of this generation is their general lack of awareness of the concept of a chain of command--something that can put a Baby Boomer or Traditionalist into a tailspin. 

For other posts on Generational Issues in the Workplace, see:

Why Recruiters Need to Understand the Helicopter Parent

How to Use Reverse Mentoring as a Retention Tool for Gen Y Employees

Gen Y Demands Employers Open the Checkbook for Technology Requests

The Connection Between Training and Employee Retention, According to Gen Y

What Makes a Good Leader? If You Lead Gen Y's, You'd Better Find Out.

Knock It Off, Gen Y: 3 Ways You're Driving Your Boss Crazy

Generational differences have transformed the concept of workplace management.  Ground rules that once seemed obvious and implied to many of today's managers have been flipped upside down.  And, often, there seems to be no common ground to be found among a workforce that now spans across four generations.  There is much to understand about each of the generations' perspectives, values, and priorities, and the differences among them.  Armed with an improved knowledge of the motivators and disincentives that drive its employees, an organization is more likely to develop the recruitment and retention strategies that others only dream about.  This post is not about any of that. 

This post does not discuss the differences between the Baby Boomers and Matures as compared to Gen X and Millennials.  But not because there is no value in that knowledge--there undoubtedly is.  If you understand the "why," it is infinitely easier to understand the "how," (as in how to respond/react/prevent, etc.)  Putting aside the value in being well versed in these sociological and psychological concepts, there is a way to press "fast forward" and jump straight to the playbook.  In other words, there are a number of programs and policies that employers can implement that will silently effectuate improved relationships between generations--without the employer even having known about it in the first place.  Although there are several such programs that come to mind, I will limit this post to just one--reverse mentoring.

What Is Reverse Mentoring?

Reverse mentoring is a type of workplace-mentor relationship.  The mentor in a reverse-mentor relationship is younger than his or her mentee with substantially less seniority in the organization.  Conversely, the mentee is the older of the two and is well-established in his or her position within the company.  Reverse mentoring works in all industries but may demonstrate the most effective results in professional fields where technology is an integral part of the work environment but is not the central focus of the work.  This environment is conducive to knowledge sharing between mentor and mentee using the mentor's deeply engrained familiarity and comfort with basic computer skills.  Of course, many would agree that there is no industry in which the new would not have something to teach the not-so new.

What Is the Subject of the Mentoring Relationship?

Reverse mentoring works in all industries but may demonstrate the most effective results in professional fields where technology is an integral part of the work environment but is not the central focus of the work.  This environment is conducive to knowledge sharing between mentor and mentee using the mentor's deeply engrained familiarity and comfort with basic computer skills.  Of course, many would agree that there is no industry in which the new would not have something to teach the not-so new. 

So, exactly what the topic is for the mentoring relationship will depend, in large part, on what it is that the mentor is knowledgeable about but the mentee is not.  As long as those two requirements are satisfied, the topics are unlimited. Most commonly, the mentor offers to share his or her technological know-how and the mentee returns the favor by sharing broader-picture lessons that can be formulated only after a full career of participating and observing one's self and others in the workplace.

What Does Reverse Mentoring Involve?

As with any mentor program, there are no clearly defined requirements for an effective relationship.  But there are guidelines that should be followed in order to receive the best results.  First, there must be a clear set of objectives and they must be communicated to and understood by both persons.  They can define the objectives themselves--no corporate branding required--but they must both come to the relationship with a defined target and set of goals.

Also, as in any relationship, both inside and outside the work environment, time matters.  There must be a mutually acceptable time commitment to both parties if the relationship can be expected to produce real results.  And the more time, the better.  Up to once weekly or as little as once every quarter can be effective. The key, though, is to set expectations in advance and to meet them every time. 

Why Is Reverse Monitoring Effective?

Reverse mentoring is a "win-win" relationship.  The mentee gets to learn skills or obtains access to information that otherwise would be unavailable or unattainable.  The learning environment is non-threatening, which means that it is much more likely to stick.  The mentor has no incentive to make the experience a hostile or showmanship-like event.  Not only does the student rank substantially higher than the teacher in the organization, but the student gets direct fulfillment from the relationship, as well. 

The mentee is given a direct line to someone who is willing to share valuable insight, which Generations X and Y deeply value.  The mentee is also given an opportunity to demonstrate his or her particular skill set, which, especially for the most junior employee, doesn't happen very often--usually because the skill set hasn't yet developed.  Once the bond has been forged, both parties are more likely to an active interest in the success of the other. 

For additional information on employee engagement through peer-to-peer training, see these prior posts:

As Further Proof that Training Is Key to Employee Engagement . . .

Why Top Performers Are So Hard To Please

The Connection Between Training and Employee Retention, According to Gen Y

Gen Y employees are difficult to recruit.  "Millenial" employees, as they've come to be known, have lots of demands from a potential employer.  But the expectations of potential Gen Y employees are not nearly as high as the expectations of their parents.  Their parents?  That's right.  For the first time, employers aren't recruiting just job candidates.  They're also recruiting the parents of job candidates. 

No, I'm not kidding.  The parents of Gen Y'ers are often referred to as "helicopter parents."  Why?  Because they're always hovering around overhead.  They were hyper-involved in their childrens' already over-extended activity schedules.  They raised Gen Y to believe that there was nothing they could not be, nothing they could not achieve.  (Thus explaining Gen Y's perceived sense of entitlement--Why can't I be the boss right away?  My mom said I can be anything I want to be!)  They coddled their Gen Y'ers and bought them new gadgets like cell phones and Blackberries, which, as an ancillary perk, enabled parent and child to remain in constant contact.  They treated their Gen Y offspring like adults, further deepening the one-way dependence that ran from child to parent. 

And now, employers of America, they're yours.  Now it's up to you to treat them like the equals that they're not, to pat them on the back for every seemingly unimportant accomplishment, and to give them the flexibility to work from home whenever the spirits move them crack open their third laptop of the year.

Which brings me to recruiting strategies.  For employers who haven't already figured it out, Gen Y job applicants won't make a move before getting the stamp of approval from Mom and Dad.  Not until the parents give the thumbs up will candidates accept a job offer.  So, when recruiting Gen Y, be sure to advertise your organization's flexible and alternative work schedules, the company's continued investment in its technology infrastructure, and the yearly allowance offered to new hires for purchases of Blackberries, laptops, and the like. But don't forget to look out for what Mom and Dad will want to see before they'll give the official seal of approval.

Helicopter parents want to make sure their Gen Y'ers will be secure for a long, long time (even though it's fair to say the chances of a Gen Y staying at any firm for more than 3 years at a time is pretty slim).  They don't want any chance that their pride and joy will be subject to a layoff during a reorganization.  But Helicopter Parents also want to be Helicopter Grandparents.  And in order to do that, the Gen Y employee needs to work for an employer with a healthy understanding of work-life balance.  After all, how else can the generation be expected to find a mate and produce offspring?  Work-family balance is as important to the parents of Gen Y employees as it is to Gen Y employees themselves.  The next time you are recruiting for a position that may be filled by a Gen Y candidate, don't forget your marketing audience has grown and now includes the parent hovering overhead. 

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