By Sarah Newton

I was recently asked some really fascinating questions regarding social media and youth for an interview. I have posted them below – what do you think has social media changed today’s youth?

1. Do you believe that social media sites have placed a pressure on our youth to perform or behave in a certain manner?

I think what social media has done is given our children an ‘always on’ perspective; they all feel that they are one YouTube away from being famous. However, I don’t think this is a pressure as such; I think it allows them to be more creative and express themselves more. Unlike before, social media teenagers can now play with identities and ways of behaving on line that may be different to who they are, to see how it fits them. They no longer have to play these things out in real life. I think there is a pressure to be always connected to our friends, so that we don’t miss out, but I don’t think the feeling is any different, just the medium used.

2. Do you feel that Facebook has driven young consumers to increase their clothing and cosmetics consumption?

No, not at all. Youngsters will always be interested in these things and actually they stay in much more than going out, so they may have less clothing. What it has done is make them feel pressured to always look good, but you can position a photo or webcam to only pick up the bits you want.

3. Do you feel that social media sites are breeding a ‘look at me’ culture, or at least fuelling materialism/consumption? If so, how does this occur?

Not necessarily a ‘look at me’ culture, but one of, ‘I am influential and have something to say’. Social media has given our young people so many more influences from all over the globe and I think this is certainly impacting their belief of their self importance. I don’t feel it is fuelling materialism/consumption at all, in fact I think it is making youth more discerning. They don’t listen so much to advertising messages and trust their friend’s recommendations over anything else.

4. What advice would you give to parents whose children are addicted to Facebook, or are posting pictures of them on the internet?

I always advise every parent that they need to make a condition of their child joining Facebook that they are their friend. I think we need to be careful about saying people are addicted to Facebook; just because a young person communicates that way and that is the way they connect, that is not an addiction, it is about connection.

I always advise parents to:

1. be your child’s friend.

2. Check through their friends regularly and challenge them on people you don’t know.

3. Ensure their privacy settings are set so their profile is private.

4. Have a technology-free day in your home where everyone is free from the computer.

As for posting pictures, if you’re child has their privacy settings set up correctly I see no problem with it, it is just a form of self-expression.

5. Do you think that social media will have a positive or negative impact on Gen Y’s and Gen Z’s? If so, could you please expand on the matter?

Wow, big question! I think it has had both.

Positive

It has made them more creative.

It has given them a voice.

It has opened them up to information.

It allows them to find innovative ways to communicate.

It allows them to be more discerning about the networks they build.

It is making them quick decision makers who are good at prioritising.

Negatives

I am not going to state the obvious like paedophiles and bullying, as I think they are old problems with a modern twist

Overload – modern teens fit 8.5 hrs into 6

The ‘always on’ mentality – always having to look good

The lack of consequences or responsibility in on-line behaviour

Increased search ability is meaning that teens are not learning the skills of researching and discerning information so well.

Lack of meaning – while the internet can deliver a lot, it cannot deliver the meaning of emotions such as honesty, etc.

By Sarah Newton – @sarahnewton

These are some tips I recently wrote for the retail sector and thought they would be useful to share.

Sterotype One -Teens are Lazy

Tip – resume - Ensure it looks professional and is all formatted and spelt correctly. Any gaps in your previous experience (like a gap year, for example), ensure you mention them and what you did and what the experience taught you. Include all and any hobbies, even baby-sitting that you may have done and link the hobby to the job, for example playing World of Warcraft teaching you a valuable skill of building a social team to support you.

Interview - Dress correctly, smart and professionally (you may think smart jeans are OK but most adults think that means you don’t care). Look people in the eye and smile, show them that you like people and are able to be engaging.

Sterotype Two -Teens feel entitled

Tip – resume – Ensure you write in your resume what you learnt from any previous experience or jobs you have done and how thankful you were for the experience.

Interview - Research the company on the internet; make sure you know their vision and values and how you can support them to achieve their aims. Thank them for taking the time to see them and on leaving shake their hands, thank them and let them know you hope they find the right person for the job.

Sterotype Three- Teens are really bad at face-to-face communication due to technology.

Resume – Make sure you write in your resume the things you have done face to face, like participating in debates, speaking, communicating with customers in a part time job. If you go to a social group in a face-to-face setting make sure you mention that.

Interview – Look people in the eye and smile and make sure your phone is switched off. Let them know how important you feel face-to-face interaction is to the customer experience and what that adds to the retail experience.

Sterotype Four-Teens are selfish and only care about themselves.

Resume – Include any volunteering work you have done, even volunteering to look after your little sister or brother so your parents can go out shows you care. State in your resume what you loved about working with the other companies you have worked in or how you loved learning about other cultures on your gap year, or maybe you were involved in something at school that helped others like an organising committee. Even helping another win a quest in an online game or showing your parents how to Facebook counts for something.

Interview – Research the company and let them know what you like about them and what you are so interested in working for them. Thank them for their time and let them now how much you appreciate them seeing you.

By Carol Phillips*

Ask a teen how they are doing and they will nearly always answer ‘busy‘. For most teens, this is a true statement.  High school teens and college students alike are chronically tired and complain of stress.

How much of this round the clock activity and pressure is avoidable is different debate, one which has strong arguments on both sides of the fence.

An interesting series of essays among experts recently posited that some of the pressure, especially that due to homework and extracurricular activity, is unnecessary  (“Stress and the High School Student”, New York Times, 12.15.10).

Others, say stress from overscheduling is a s myth, and that the activities are confined to upper middle class ‘hurried children’ who benefit greatly from having so much structured time (“For Some Busy Kids It’s All Good“, Washington Post, 9.28.08)

Regardless of the reasons why or outcomes, stress is a reality of teen life, and an important point of context for those wishing to understand or communicate with Millennials.

Stress is an everyday reality, not just associated with periods of final exams or papers.  I had an opportunity to interact with several teens over the Christmas break. They all described their lives as filled with sports, homework, extracurricular activities, SAT prep, church group, theatre and more. They report staying up until 1 AM on a regular basis, and having little time for watching television.

A Generation of Sleep Deprived Walking Zombies?

In his book, Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers, Chap Clark describes the teens he met during his research as “observably tired, some to the point of near exhaustion“. (p 137)

“Instead of being a general laziness or a semi-bored listlessness (both of which have long been associated with this age), the tired I observed was like what I feel after stayig up most of the night due to a deloayed flight. Many students experience this zombie-like feeling on a daily basis. When I asked why they were so tired eh answers ranged from homework to work to a late practice….The busyness, fragmentation and stress level adolescents experience are relatively new, and they are increasing.”

Clark’s observations are supported by data from the National Sleep Foundation. “Teens tend to have irregular sleep patterns across the week — they typically stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep. ” One study found only 15% of teens reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights. As a result “many teens suffer from treatable sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea.”

Why the Worried Look?

An NSF poll tied lack of sleep to worry, not just overscheduling.  Most adolescents were likely to say they worried about things too much (58%) and/or felt stressed out/anxious (56%). Many of the adolescents surveyed also reported feeling hopeless about the future, or feeling unhappy, sad or depressed.

Chap Clark describes three areas of stress that take their toll on most students: “the pressure to succeed, the pressure to maintain stability at home while remaining loyal and connected to the peer group and the general pressure associated with relationships.” Of these, the pressure to succeed appears to be the most relentless..

“The pressure to succeed, whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in an endeavor that creates a sense of worth and accomplishment, represents an delusive, never quite good enough sense that students wear like a cloud. When students do something well, they believe it is only a step in the direction of adequate performance. I encountered few students who allowed themselves to do their best in a given arean and then let the chips fall where they may.”

An Uncertain Future

The performance stress high school students experience seems to accelerate in college.  Last month, we completed a series of in-depth interviews among college age students to learn more about how they think about the relationship of post-secondary education to their ultimate career goals. What we heard surprised us. They are sure that the relationship between a traditional college education and a ‘better life’ is no longer as strong as it was in the past. This makes the high cost of college, both in time and money, feel like an uncertain investment and is a great source of anxiety, both for them and their parents. Many parents are even pulling back their support, leading to further stress.

Stress Takes A Toll

For marketers, understanding the rising anxiety level of Millennials can provide a needed context for major and minor purchase decisions alike. Time savers, efficiency tools and programs that reduce life’s uncertainties will meet a ready audience. They especially need help developing a clear vision of what their adult lives will be like and how to achieve it. This ultimately may be the key to winning the hearts and minds of a stressed out generation of sleep-deprived young adults.

*Carol Phillips is the president and founder of the brand strategy consulting firm “Brand Amplitude.” She is also a Professor at the prestigious University of Notre Dame. Carol began her career as a market researcher and strategic planner at Leo Burnett. Later, as an Account Director, she led agency teams at four different agencies – Y&R, Leo Burnett, Mullen and JWT – for a variety of clients including Sprint, Nextel, Ameritech, Heinz, 7UP, and Philip Morris. She blogs at www.millennialmarketing.com.

By Sarah Newton

I recently found this article talking about Gen Z and their entering the workforce. I thought it was interesting on two fronts; one because we are beginning to talk about Gen Z and two, because it appeared to be giving out the wrong information. So I thought I would share my counter thoughts here for you.

If Gen Y is most defined by their approach to social responsibility, then Gen Z is defined by their knowledge and use of technology. They’re the first generation exposed to being connected throughout their lives online.

An obvious one, don’t you think, but hold on. Are they really defined by technology or is it deeper? Is it what technology has done for them, the fact that it has made them creative, innovative and collaborative and has challenged and tipped traditional power structures. When we say they are defined by technology we miss the point; they are defined by what access to technology has allowed them to do and become.

Gen Z is more security conscious than Gen Y. “Gen Zs have been under house arrest by their Gen X parents.” said Dr. Paul Redmond, head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool. “No longer playing outside and always chaperoned, there are concerns about their social, not to mention obesity, issues.”

I totally disagree with this one. They are no more security conscious from what I see, in fact the opposite; they don’t even remember events of 9/11 or July 7^th bombings. They feel really safe and they are not under house arrest at all, they are at home because they choose to be so. Many Gen X parents want their kids to go out more, but the kids want to stay in families. Their parents and their traditional values are hugely important to them.

Gen Z will be more switched on about the risks of social media and is unlikely to splash their personal lives on the net in the same way Gen Y so enthusiastically does. Employers will need to closely consider any social media strategies for this generation. However, they will be technological cosmopolitans and expect information quickly online.

Evidence form a lot of different sources is saying that this is not true at all. (Where does the information come from?) Gen Z will share more and for them, sharing will be the norm. Sorry guys, they will not now or ever, I feel, stop splashing their personal lives on the net; this is a trend that will not reverse. You only need to look at their streams and their social media activity to know this is not true. They may get slightly more selective about whom they let into their circle, but they will continue to share, share and share! Expect more videos and much more insight into their lives, not less.

Redmond warned, due to flitting from one technology to another, they’re likely to know little about a lot of topics, but not hold deep knowledge about a smaller number of subjects.

OK, I give you this one, and this is a concern. We may end up with a group of people who don’t really know a lot about anything. It is up to parents, teachers and future employees to step onto this one, I feel, and ensure we give the next generation the staying power they need.

So, if you are a company already thinking about Gen Z and how you will recruit them, be careful what you read.

Gen Z will be welcomed into the workforce. They are steady, traditional, great at building structure and are less likely to cause as many upsets as their Gen Y counterparts. The older employees in particular will find them much easier to manage.

They are more likely to rebel by behaving better, so although you may have a few years yet, get ready to welcome them with open arms.

By Carol Phillips*

“Oh man, I’d make a career out of the Muppets if I could. That’s my real dream job…” — Jason Potteiger, comment on The Next Great Generation Blog

When the Founding Fathers wrote “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” I think they must have had Millennials in mind. For the framers, ‘happiness’ meant the freedom to pursue prosperity and wealth as each individual saw fit.  Millennials are turning the pursuit of happiness into their life goal. Their biggest fear is having to sell out or trade off their passions for an ordinary job, an ordinary life.

Millennials seek to be extraordinary, or to use their word for it, “awesome”, in every area of their lives, but especially their careers.

Of course, every generation strives to be great. What makes this generation different is the intensity of their commitment. Chip Walker describes their aspirations this way an article last year:

“In a world of almost infinite lifestyle choices, Gen-Y activism is about young people knowing their own inner priorities and making a vow to live by them — even in the face of adversity.” — Chip Walker, Head of Planning, Strawberry Frog

When the New York Times wrote about unemployed Millennial, Scott Nicholson, turning down a $40,000 a year job in insurance because it didn’t meet his idea of a fulfilling job, Gen Y’ers understood. They saw nothing wrong with having high standards and admired Nicholson’s willingness to wait for the right opportunity.

Nicholson’s choice, and those of many others, suggest Millennials are looking for more out of work than just a job. They are looking for a place they can grow, and where their work will have meaning. Little surprise that the Great Place to Work Institute Survey identified Google, EBay, Starbucks, Container Store, ScottTrade, UMPQUA Bank, and CarMax as among the top 25 companies that people under 25 give exceptionally high marks. (For more on what makes these companies “Millennial Magnets”, read Neil Howe’s article, “Models for Managing Millennials“).

MindValley is a publishing company with a Millennial heart.

The company describes its mission as “to bring together marketing and technology to help spread enlightened ideas. We work with authors, thinkers, teachers and leaders who have pioneered new ways of doing traditional things: parenting, entrepreneurship, spiritual growth, self-development and more.” Here’s how the web site describes their attitude toward work:

“J-O-B is a dirty word. Work—we believe—needs to be fun, educational and something that makes you so excited that you jump out of bed each morning. Screw the traditional 9-5 job. Instead, get paid to play, create, learn and grow. It’s like being a child again. But with a salary.” MindValley Career page

Employees come from 22 countries and show an impressive diversity of backgrounds. MindValley has an award winning culture and who wouldn’t love their policy of flying all employees and their families to a paradise setting each year? Last year it was Bali, this year Costa Rica. I was especially impressed by MindValley’s recruiting video, titled “Is Happiness the New Productivity?“. These are REALLY happy employees! (This video is worth watching if you want to see what happy Gen Y employees look and sound like.)

Alex Cattoni is one of MindValley’s 35 employees. On the TNGG blog, she describes herself as “Personal development junkie. Marketing diva. Thrill-seeker.” A 2007 business school grad, she was headed to law school when “… like a cold hard slap in the face, I woke up one morning completely and utterly terrified. I had finally listened to that voice in my head telling me law school was not for me. I then had to ask myself probably the scariest question of all “What do I REALLY want in life?””

For Cattoni the answer was a hard shift that brought her to a dream job that involves a lot of travel, managing four businesses and launching a fifth. When asked what is most inspiring about her job, she said it was the company’s drive to think big:

“I would have to say it’s been witnessing my team achieve some incredibly outrageous and scary goals. We like to think BIG. In fact, this is the top value on our “Code of Awesomeness.” In the past 1 year alone, we have grown an outrageous amount – all because we dare to dream big. I love being part of a team that believes we can achieve anything and pulls together to make it so.” – Alex Cattoni, MindValley employee

Not all companies are as Millennial-friendly as MindValley. Increasingly, Millennials are sensing that they will have a better chance of pursuing their passions by entrepreneuring or intrapreneuring their way to jobs they love.

An October 2010 Junior Achievement survey of high school students asked why they admired entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. The top answer was their ability to make a difference in people’s lives (31%). Their reasons for wanting to be an entrepreneur, however, focused on independence – working for yourself and controlling your destiny.

If you are a Millennial looking for entrepreneurial inspiration, check out Shatterbox.com. The site features dozens of video stories of “innovative young people who love what they do.”  The common thread in each of these videos is a profound desire to do something that reflects their individual passions. Here’s just a sample:

“So I decided to start my own company to deal with it… and it just became my passion.”– Emily Doubilet, Oberlin graduate, founder Sustainable Party

“It was extremely exciting because it was so interactive. That was something I really fell in love with. I got really excited about bringing a craft that seemed so dusty to new life.”   — Nora Abousteit, Harvard graduate,  founder of social network sewing site, Burdastyle.com

In the last year, I have had the pleasure of working with many young people who have a vision for a new company. They include Matt Cheuvront (Proof Branding), Mark Sawyier (Off Campus Media), Sam Davidson (Cool People Care), and Jon Levin (ClearPoint Communications).

Mark Sawyier started Off Campus Media and its sister company, Moving Off Campus,  in the noble tradition of the ‘dorm room start up’ while studying at Washington University. Today, OCM has 5 full-time employees, an admirable client list, a network of campus ambassadors on 18 college campuses and is looking for office space in New York City. The company does great work helping local and national businesses connect with college students. Starting this month, my firm, Brand Amplitude, is partnering with OCM on a project for one of our clients.

Are they happy? I would venture the Founding Founders would approve.

More research on Gen Y and Job Expectations

Meet the Millennials: Our Most Educated Generation Faces a Most Challenging Time Seattle Times article profiles 11 Millennials who are looking for work as well as provides statistics on Millennial (un)employment

Seeing Eye to Eye… or Not? Research by Citrix on how Gen Y Views work meetings.

Millennials Have Their Own Take on Ethics in the Workplace Research by ERC Shows Millennials Share Interest in Fairness and Respect With Older Co-Workers; Concerns on Privacy and Calling in Sick? Not So Much.

*Carol Phillips is the president and founder of the brand strategy consulting firm “Brand Amplitude.” She is also a Professor at the prestigious University of Notre Dame. Carol began her career as a market researcher and strategic planner at Leo Burnett. Later, as an Account Director, she led agency teams at four different agencies – Y&R, Leo Burnett, Mullen and JWT – for a variety of clients including Sprint, Nextel, Ameritech, Heinz, 7UP, and Philip Morris. She blogs at www.millennialmarketing.com.

By Sarah Newton

I found this great post written by Josip Petrusa which was aimed at marketers, but I thought it would be also useful to share here with my thoughts.

Quick Ways to think like a Millennial

1. If it’s slower than a text message, it’s too slow.

Youth want quick feedback, not a long drawn out process. So instant feedback on the spot is better than a long meeting in the office.

2. We’re highly optimistic, seemingly regardless of the situation. Don’t deceive us, but do give us something to be optimistic about.

Let them know where their prospects are and where they could be heading without over exaggerating or lying. Also, tell them the truth as much as you can, they really value honesty. Make the work environment an enjoyable place as much as you can and have a Make Their Day policy; do something every day to make someone’s day.

3. We sleep with our smart phones. We eat with our smart phones. We go to the washroom with our smart phones. Well, you get the point.

Don’t ban mobiles unless you absolutely need to and don’t moan when they text all day, unless it really is interfering. Leave them to it or replace the old smoking breaks with phone breaks

4. There’s some great and cool technology out there. Use it.

Ask for their opinions; ask how you could do something quicker or better with technology. Use this experience; it is a valuable resource that is often untapped.

5. Any situation we’re in could possibly warrant us to tell someone else about it. Give us something good to talk about. And don’t worry; we’ll make sure to tell everyone about the bad.

Don’t expect them to be quiet about their day at work. If you are a good employee they will tell everyone and will get behind you and your company 100%. However, if the opposite is true, don’t expect them to hold back. See every moment with them as an exercise.

By Sarah Newton

There is no doubt that the work force has become so much more diverse in every way. From the amount of different generations, the retirement age higher than ever and the gap between young and old and their beliefs of and use of technology have created some big canyons that employers have a challenge crossing. So it is great to see a book addressing this.

According to Bob Weinstein, from Troy Media, the book “Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters – Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work” offers the following six tips on dealing with generational conflict:

1. Understand work styles. Traditionalists and baby boomers don’t like to be micromanaged, while Gen Y and Linksters (born after 1995) crave specific, detailed instructions about how to do things and are used to hovering authorities.

Yes, yes and double yes, however let me add something here to make this clearer. While traditionalists and boomers don’t like to be micromanaged, they like to know the process, how things are done and then get on with it. Gen Y and Linksters want to know the end result and the structure but they want to make up their own process and check in on the way. So the older employees want to know the how of it and the younger the why of it.

2. Consider generational values. Each generation is protecting a distinct set of values and conflict may threaten these values. For example, baby boomers value teamwork, cooperation, and buy-in, while Gen X prefers to make a unilateral decision and move on, preferably solo.

And let’s add that Gen Y and the linksters value open, honest teams that collaborate and share together and let’s not forget that they like options.

3. Share perceptions. When employees of two or more generations are involved in a workplace conflict, they can learn a great deal by sharing their perceptions. A traditionalist may find the lack of formality and manners of Gen Y offensive, while Gen Y may feel “dissed” when this older employee fails to respect his or her opinions and input.

What I have found to be really helpful here is to have the distinct groups create picture boards of things they value as a generation. They are a visual reminder for everyone and show the difference in a clear way. Also, a fun activity that does not make anyone wrong for how they see things or what they value.

4. Find a generationally appropriate fix. You can’t change people’s life experiences, but you can work with the set of workplace attitudes and expectations that result. A knowledgeable boomer who is frustrated by the lack of experience shown by a member of Gen Y can, coupled with his or her sense of entitlement, be turned into a mentor.

And can I add here that in my experience if you want a problem solving with a creative solution, go to the younger staff. In studies, people immersed in digital technology as a way of life are 10% better at solving problems than their older counterparts. Don’t assume that the decisions and solutions must come from the elders. Gen Y and beyond are the most creative generation we have seen for a long time. Use the skills of each generation to its best.

5. Find commonality. Traditional and Gen Y employees tend to value security and stability. Traditional and boomers resist change, but both crave training and development. Gen X and Gen Y employees place a high value on workplace flexibility and work-life balance. Boomers and linksters are most comfortable with diversity and alternative lifestyles. Gen Y and linksters are technologically adept and committed to socially responsible policies.

Absolutely! Point this out and also their difference. Help them figure out as a team how they can use their strengths as generations. Make them aware of the generation cycle and each generation’s jobs within that, so they can see where they fit in the bigger picture.

6. Learn from each other. Each generation has valuable lessons to teach the next. Traditional and boomers have a wealth of knowledge and tricks of the trade that younger workers need. Generation X employees are widely known for their fairness and mediation abilities. Generation Y workers are technology wizards. And linksters hold clues to future workplace, marketing, and business trends.

Yes, and take this one step further, see if you can have Skills Exchange Days. A day where someone from one generation teaches another a skill they have. What fun that would be!

Read more: How five generations can work together

By Sarah Newton

It seems long gone are the days when as employers we can forget social media and how we can use it to connect with potential or new employees. However many employers are concerned about the information their employees are sharing on social media sites and there have been cases of employees been sacked for letting off steam about their job on Facebook. But is that really fair? Can we expect this digital generation not to share information and should we judge them for it?

A recent Pew research stated that Gen Y is set to continue to share information.

It looks like this is to become a very hot topic.

“Generation Y Millennials will continue their current habit of sharing large amounts of personal information online as they age, according to the recent “Future of the Internet” study from the Centre’s Internet & American Life Project and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Centre.

Sixty-seven percent of technology experts and 69% of total survey respondents agreed with a statement that said in part, “By 2020, members of Generation Y will continue to be ambient broadcasters who disclose a great deal of personal information in order to stay connected and take advantage of social, economic, and political opportunities.”

And knowing youth the way I do, I have to agree the trend will continue. Generation Z are at an early age showing more openness and willingness to share much more information than we ever have before. Where will it end? Well I have to say it won’t. I don’t think so and while I think users may get much more choosy about who they share with and what and think.

With Facebook recently reaching the grand total of 500 million and Mark Zuckerberg halting any please make certain things more private due to his belief that we all have one identity and we should be able to just be that, where does this leave us older generations. Well confused mostly.
Most employers are at a total loss to understand this need for sharing especially if it may get them into trouble at work or heaven forbid they say something bad about them as a employer. And with a mindset not brought up in a digital world we can’t. Aleks Krotoski (presenter of The Virtual Revolution) was recently asked on a programme should we be concerned about the digital imprint youth are leaving and what that may say to a potential employer. Alex said no, as an employer we should be more concerned if we can’t find a digital imprint. I hope I got this right Alex, I am paraphrasing.

In essence what she was saying was that it is now normal for us to see pictures of our employees having a good time dressed up for the last fancy dress party and to see a few status updates of how bad their job went today. This is not going away and we need to get used to it and find strategies to deal with it.

As employers we should ask how fair it is to delve into the private lives of our employees, even if they have invited us and as employees, we need to ask if it is a good idea to be friends with our boss.

I do think these are areas that need to be looked at and people need to give serious consideration to. As an employer you either friend none of your employees or you friend all of them under the proviso that anything you see, read etc. will not affect their work.

And as employees we need to decide what we want to do. Do we never friend our boss/work colleagues or do we friend them and know we may need to edit or moderate some of our posts?

I’m not sure what the answer is, I just know there has to be one. What do you think?

By Sarah Newton

We have long been fed the line that Millennials are disloyal employees who expect to work when they want and how they want, but new research could be knocking these long held myths on their head.

The Price Waterhouse Coopers ‘Millennials at work’ research looks at the opinions and expectations of over 4,200 graduates from 44 countries in relation to the future of work and their attitudes on subjects including corporate responsibility, technology, global working and reward/ incentives.

And its findings are very interesting indeed.

1. Training and development is the benefit the Millennials value most highly – particularly coaching and mentoring
Globally, training and development is the most highly valued benefit for Millennials in the first five years of their career – with one third of respondents electing this as their first choice benefit (aside from salary). Almost all respondents (98%) stated that working with strong coaches and mentors is important to personal development. The three most popular benefits for UK respondents are training and development (46%), cash bonuses (45%) and free private healthcare (29%).
2. Millennials do not expect to reject traditional working practices
The findings show that – while global opportunities and robust corporate responsibility are critical to the Millennials – they expect to be predominantly office-based, work regular office hours and have a small number of future employers. Just 3% of respondents expect to work mainly at home and only 18% expect to work mainly outside regular office hours.
3. Robust corporate responsibility is critical to attracting and keeping the new generation of workers
Additionally, 86% (76% in the UK) would consider leaving an employer who’s CSR values no longer reflected theirs – Argentina (94%), the US and Brazil (both 92%) are home to the most idealistic graduates in that respect. Indian respondents were least likely to leave (66%). An employer’s policy on climate change is seen as important or very important by the majority of graduates globally (58%) and in the UK (55%)
4. They want to travel
Respondents were very open to overseas assignments, with Indian graduates showing the greatest appetite for working overseas (93%) compared with 62% of those from the Netherlands. 80% of all respondents want to work internationally. Of UK respondents, just 3% did not want to work outside of their home country during their career – 84% want to work abroad and the remainder are undecided.
5. They want it personal
40% of respondents are comfortable about giving employers greater access to their personal information in the interests of personal and business security. Additionally, two-thirds of Millennials would embrace the provision of personal services – such as housing, food and regular health appointments – by their employer. Which seems to be in line with recent studies on Gen Y sharing information?

So if we now know what they want why is it so difficult to keep them?

Research from the Commissioned by the Inspirational Development Group (IDG) shows that:

• 49% of HR managers highlighted the difficulty of retaining graduates for long enough, with 22% reporting that on average they lose graduates within two years of their employment.
• 57% felt that there was more they could do to retain these graduates – the ability to identify and retain the right graduates will be a crucial success factor as the economy comes out of recession.
• 75% of HR managers saw most graduates leaving between two and a half and three and a half years after starting their graduate program, or one year after the end of the program.
• 78% of HR managers agreed or agreed strongly that a specific development programme to increase retention of graduates one year after the end of their graduate program would be of benefit.

So what should the golden rules be?

1. Have a robust training and coaching/mentoring program that is clear full and worthwhile.
2. Highlight the opportunities for travel if there are any and show how and what your Millennial needs to do to get there.
3. Be very clear on your corporate responsibility and ensure it filters through your whole business.
4. Think about what benefits you can offer them in terms of health insurance, housing, lunches etc., they really do appreciate the smaller stuff.

By Sarah Newton

I do think when it comes to managing Gen Y we are missing a trick.

We talk a lot about how Generation Y are good at asking for what they want and fantastic and speaking up, putting their work-life balance at the centre of what they do, all of which I think are great attributes.  However we don’t take enough advantage I think of their fairness attitude. Most employers find them very difficult to manage, purely due to their inability to get Gen Y to sometimes share another point of view, which I think is a youth thing rather than a Gen Y thing.

But I think the key could lie in something I learnt in police training. When doing my sergeant’s exam we had to do some hideous practical exams, where we had to deal with six role play situations, one after the other, while been assessed. I did so much training for these exams and passed really well, but the best piece of advice I got was, think in threes. That was when we were trying to get our point across to a PC, we were disciplined to think how it reflected on them, us and the organization as a whole.

This stuck with me and in my earlier worked with families in conflict, I would always ask people to think of what they wanted, what the other person wanted and then what the family wanted. It was always so successful at getting people to realize the complex relationships involved.

Recently, I have begun to use this in my work with young employees.  Since most of my experience lies in the catering industry, that is where I started. For example, time off in the catering industry is a real challenge due to the antisocial hours you have to work. The old pattern was, ask for time off, get refused and get mad. We simply changed this to having every conversation include another person and that third part was “the business”. So when an employee asked for time off the manager would say, “I would love to give you the time off, let’s look at what the business needs that day”. They would then sit down and just go through the business needs for that day, balancing that with what they both needed as individuals and come to a conclusion which, more often than not, was not favourable for the employee. What we found though was that suddenly, employees started to find their own solutions to ensure the business needs got meet, they stopped blaming the managers and feeling liked they were been picked on. By clearly stating the facts and appealing to Gen Y’s need for things to be fair, we solved a very contentious issue.

I continue to use this technique in other situations, but my sense is that it will work just as well, begging the question of whether Gen Y really are difficult or are we just not dealing with them in the best possible way?