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Seize the Moment – Insights from Newcomers
Written by Buddy Hobart on December 17th, 2009
As we begin to climb out of the recession, employers will be hiring more and more Gen Y candidates to fill open positions in their organizations. With this in mind, it is very important that leaders do not miss an opportunity to identify ways to improve their organizations in the process of onboarding these employees.
Gen Y comes into an established organization, and the smart ones see lots of things they think can be done better, or just differently. In one sense, this is the tendency of anybody to make an impression in a new setting. For instance, many managers change things when they take a new job, either to shake up the organization or because they think they know what is best.
It’s natural enough that new, young workers would see things to change. In fact, they likely have new skills that the organization needs. Another advantage of newcomers is that they see things with fresh eyes.
This is a very important moment. If you squelch newcomers now, you may never get their enthusiastic input for your organization. In a general sense, it takes about ten positive reinforcements to equal one negative one. You need to avoid negative reinforcements to new workers. If you want to get their best, you need to reinforce as many ideas as you possibly can. If instead, you tell newcomers to hold their ideas until they actually understand “how things are done around here,” you may have lost them.
This doesn’t mean you have to listen to every idea that Gen Y throws out. The point is to open the lines of communication between you and your new Gen Y employees, and encourage them to contribute to making the organization better. In addition, their fresh perspective as new employees can be priceless as you strive to improve your organization for all employees.
6 Tips for Managing Gen Y At Work
Written by Buddy Hobart on December 15th, 2009
Communication is everything, especially when it comes to managing Gen Y. Many managers often make the mistake of providing extraneous data, overly long instructions, and other information that young employees can’t see themselves actually using. However, Gen Y does want information, and they do want to be kept in the loop with what is happening in the organization. You’ll have to determine your own communication style with Gen Y, and it will probably be different than with older workers.
Here are some communication tips for managing Gen Y:
1. Cut the b.s.! Don’t try to hype Gen Y on the one hand, and don’t be subtle on the other hand. Just tell them your point.
2. Ask for their input. Ask for their ideas or reactions to policies, work, and so on. Don’t tell them that you’ll use their input unless you will. Being heard will tend to win them on your side.
3. Keep them in the know. All workers rate being kept informed high in their priorities, and Gen Y is no exception. Schedule regular meetings to review projects, adjust work-goals, and answer questions. Keep the pace fast. Explain the big picture and discuss your corporate strategic plan. It helps for them to understand the “30,000 ft. view.”
4. Let everyone teach. The best way for people to learn is to teach others. Generation Y employees learn well from each other, and they are often highly effective on-the-job coaches. You also extend your training dollars this way since one employee can take a course and then come back and teach others.
5. Encourage ongoing learning. Encourage Gen Y to set their own concrete learning objectives. Provide access to the materials they need to meet their learning objectives at their own pace.
6. Show them a growth path. The type of Gen Y employees you want will be unhappy if they think their jobs are dead end. They don’t see the point to experience just for its own sake. They want to be going somewhere. Either put them on big, multifaceted projects or move them laterally through different departments.
In summary, to get the most out of young workers you have to engage them. Keep them in the loop. Give them an environment that lets them expand and use their skills. Help them grow by allowing them to take on additional responsibilities and authority.
“Hey Gen Y, Thanks for Coming to Work Today”
Written by Buddy Hobart on December 14th, 2009
During a recent conversation someone mentioned my work pertaining to Gen Y. Someone spoke up and said that she works for a major (well known, so it will remain nameless) corporation that is receiving “Gen Y training”. Then she said, to my amazement, that they are being taught not to reprimand Gen Y if they are late to work or a meeting. She jokingly, at least I think it was jokingly, said they are being taught to “bite their tongue” and thank the Y’er for showing up today! (The more I think about the conversation, the more I don’t think she was joking). It is these kinds of conversations that further drive home several Gen Y myths.
When we talk about creating alignment we never talk about making these kinds of accommodations, or any accommodations, for that matter. There are certain principles that must be upheld. Respecting someone’s time is critical to alignment. If accommodations are made for Gen Y, then either the other generations will resent them or simply assume tardiness is acceptable. That is a dangerous road that can only lead to conflict and lack of productivity.
There is another way to address tardiness from a Gen Y’er. First of all, thanking them for showing up at all is not even an option. What is the best option is timeless leadership. There are four points I would ask any leader to consider:
1. Generation Y views time a bit differently than previous generations. Their world is a 24/7 world. The lines between leisure, work, hobbies, etc are blurred. It is just as likely that a Gen Y’er, sitting at a coffee shop at 11pm typing away on a laptop, is working on a work project as it is that they are addressing a personal matter. Time is viewed very differently. A Boomer working at 11pm is “burning the midnight oil” and “working overtime”. A Y’er is simply working. There is no consideration for the time of day, nor is it viewed as an inconvenience.
2. It is a natural tendency for all generations to assume their view is shared by everyone. Since Gen Y views time differently, it is human nature for them to assume others see it the same way. This is not a selfish thing, it is just reality. If a leader does not step up to help add perspective to the situation, then there is no reason for a Y’er to even think something is wrong. This is where timeless leadership is needed.
3. If a leader takes a moment to explain the why of the situation, I believe their Gen Y employee will get the message and understand the ramifications of tardiness. While Gen Y may not respect time, they do respect others. Tardiness is a sign of disrespect. If someone is late for a meeting or work, the (possibly unintended) consequence is that everyone else believes their time is not respected. If I am waiting for someone who is late, my natural reaction is to think that person feels their time is more valuable than mine. Leaders…..take some time to mentor and lead!
4. My final point is a bit more pointed. There will be people of every generation who push their boundaries to see what they can get away with. If the disregard for norms is tolerated, people will push even further to see where the boundary ends. I know of several situations where too much slack was granted to Gen Y’ers on issues like timeliness. After several frustrating months for the co-workers, the employee left anyway. When we interviewed the departing Gen Y’er we learned that there was a lack of respect for leadership because they were never approached for “breaking the rules”. If, once addressed, someone continues to be late for work or meetings (of any generation) corrective action must be taken. Thanking them is not one of the options!
Gen Y is looking for leadership. Give it to them. You will have more engaged employees, who will look to stay with a good leader.
What do you think? Are many other companies out there thanking Gen Y for coming to work late? Please send comments to bhobart@solutions-21.com.