 |
|
MRSC has joined with Janice Corbin and Janet May, Partners, Sound Employment Solutions, Rhonda Hilyer, President, Agreement Dynamics, Bruce Schroeder, Employment/Litigation Attorney, Summit Law Group, and Mark Busto, Attorney, Sebris Busto James, to bring you the "HR Advisor" article series on employment and labor law issues affecting Washington local governments. The "HR Advisor" will feature a new article each month with timely HR management information and advice you can use.*
Attracting and Retaining Generation Ys in Public Service – Part 2
February 2009
By Janice Corbin and Janet May
Sound Employment Solutions, LLC
Members of Millennials (Gen Y or Nexers), who were generally born after 1980 and before 2000, are becoming an important labor source for cities and counties, but are not always understood or appreciated. Nor is it always clear what can be done to attract and retain these individuals. In Part 1, we explored the general characteristics of Nexers, what Nexers want from the job and how they view the workplace, mistaken perceptions and assumptions regarding Nexers, and the strengths Nexers bring to the workplace. Building on that information, this article provides strategies for attracting Nexers to public employment, fostering their success, and retaining them.
Strategy 1 – Structured Advertising
Public employers have many benefits that are attractive to Nexers, but oftentimes miss the opportunity to promote those benefits in their recruitment efforts. Keeping in mind the general characteristics and desires of the Nexers, spend some time brainstorming about what you have to offer, and include that in your advertising. For instance, many Nexers want the opportunity to feel like they are making a difference in their community. Capitalize on how the vacancy allows them to do exactly that. Similarly, given their desire for flexibility, include those areas where you have flexibility, such as any ability to work an alternative shift, any cafeteria benefit plans, any educational incentives, etc. On the flip side, you need to be realistic in the advertisement about those issues for which you do not have flexibility so that Nexers can self-eliminate if that lack of flexibility is not acceptable to them. You do not want to spend time and energy on a recruitment process, only to have the individual quit after two weeks because he/she does not want to work weekends. If you have requirements for mandatory overtime, specific work hour requirements, or weekend or evening work requirements, you should include those in your advertising so that applicants can make an informed decision about whether the job is right for them.
Strategy 2 – Add Job Shadowing to Your Hiring Process
If channeled correctly, one of the exciting characteristics of Nexers is their self-confidence. When it comes to applying for jobs, however, this self-confidence can sometimes lead to poor job fits as Nexers believe that with proper training they can master any task. They then get hired and decide that the job was not what they expected or wanted and leave in a very short time. To stem this potential retention problem, it can be helpful to have applicants spend a shift or a portion of a shift shadowing someone who holds the position for which they are applying. This gives the applicants a more realistic picture of what the job actually requires, and allows them to assess upfront whether the job is a good match. Several communications centers (911) have used this technique and have found that although they lose some candidates as a result, they are having a much better retention rate with the candidates who stay in the process and are hired.
Strategy 3 – Develop a Mechanism for Consistently Providing Feedback
Studies show that the number one thing that employees want from their employer is to know where they stand. Yet, there has been a tendency in organizations only to provide feedback when an employee has made an error or is not performing adequately. The common phrase used by many supervisors is “if you don’t hear anything from me, you are doing o.k.”. Although most people do not like or appreciate this viewpoint, and want more feedback, Nexers are particularly troubled by it. They are used to receiving feedback from parents, teachers, coaches and other individuals in their lives, and expect and demand that same type of feedback in the workplace. Although it is not necessary to thank an employee every time that employee comes to work on time, it is important to schedule regular opportunities to meet with employees and let them know the things they are doing well, and those things that can be improved upon. Failure to do so leads to frustration amongst the Nexers, and will often result in their looking for an alternative job where they believe they will get more frequent recognition and support.
Strategy 4 – Have a Structured Mechanism for Gaining Employee Input
Nexers are very technological, and tend to look for ways to do things more efficiently. Properly channeled, their ideas and enthusiasm can help strengthen productivity. In many instances, however, the manner in which they present their ideas can cause resentment and fear in the listener. The presentation leaves the listener with the idea that the Nexer feels he/she is not competent, is not up with the times, and/or is not needed in the workplace. In reality, the Nexer is usually just trying to help make the listener’s job easier, but the confrontational style with which they present the information, and their tendency to want things decided on quickly, can rub the listener the wrong way, and the idea is squelched. This hurts the organization as a whole as potential improvements are ignored or lost. One way to help get around this problem is by having some kind of more structured mechanism for employees to present ideas. For instance, you may want to have a suggestion box that is reviewed weekly. In addition, make seeking input part of the employee evaluation process by asking employees during the evaluation meeting whether they have suggestions for how the job could be done better or more efficiently.
Strategy 5 – Provide Training on Change and Intergenerational Differences
One of the biggest complaints that the Nexers have about the workplace is that it is not welcoming and is resistant to change. In many instances, that concern appears to be well-founded. Because Nexers approach the workplace differently, they have often been subjected to some fairly strong judgments about their work ethic and commitment by some of the employees who have been in the workplace longer. Rather than examining their own behavior, the common question we receive from these tenured individuals is “how can we get these 'kids' to change their behavior.” In many cases, this is the wrong question. Although there are some adjustments that Nexers may need to make in the workplace, oftentimes the workplace also needs to change. Practices that have been done solely because people are comfortable with them, but that do not support the mission, may have to change. For instance, hazing or bullying of new employees is not supportable in today’s workplaces, and the use of technology will continue to grow. As employers look at changing some of their long-standing practices, they are facing resistance from some of the longer term employees who are perfectly comfortable with the way things are currently being done and do not feel changes are warranted. Those employees then lash out at the Nexers who they feel are responsible for making the change. To help employees adjust to the ever-changing workplace, it is helpful for supervisors to learn how to effectively introduce changes, and it is helpful for all employees to gain a better appreciation of what each generation brings to the workplace.
Strategy 5 – Have Clear Expectations and Accountability Measures
There is at least a perception that Nexers are not accountable for their actions in the workplace. Many Nexers were not expected to take personal responsibility in school or at home growing up, as parents tried to ensure that they were a strong presence in their lives and fought many of their battles for them. That has translated for some Nexers into a lack of accountability with respect to issues such as coming to work on time, following procedures, or manner of dress. From our experience, however, once those employees are given clear expectations, and are held to those expectations with coaching, and where necessary, disciplinary action, they are quick to change their behavior to match the expectations. The disconnect occurs when employers simply assume that the Nexer should know what is expected, or fail to correct the behavioral issue when it first starts occurring.
Strategy 6 – Find Ways to Foster Camaraderie Amongst the Different Generations
Oftentimes, when employees do not take the time to get to know each other, or to learn what makes the other person tick, conflicts increase because there is no personal connection. Although it is unrealistic to assume that all employees will like each other or have a close personal relationship, it can be helpful to sponsor some activities that help employees get to know each other better in a more relaxed atmosphere. Consider having intermittent potlucks or other get-togethers with a generational theme. Each generation would have the opportunity to host a potluck in which they would bring popular food from their generation, preferred music and games, and information about some of the major historical events or important persons that influenced their lives. Alternatively, consider allowing employees to volunteer to host a class on your premises about an interest they have such as jewelry making, cooking, gardening, etc. which allows them to share experiences that others may not have previously been exposed to.
A Final Thought
Just like the current economic climate, there is no answer. This is the first time in our history that we, in America, have had four distinctive generations working together in the workplace. We have no history to rely on, and there will be no one solution to the complexity of managing an inter-generational workforce. Rather there will be successes and misses as we all learn together, some of which we will learn from trial and error. SES welcomes your input and suggestions about how your employer or workgroup may have found solutions or strategies for blending today’s inter-generational workplace. Please e-mail ideas to sescorbin@msn.com and we will publish the results in a future article.
| Bruce Schroeder is an employment / litigation attorney with Summit Law Group, Seattle. Bruce's practice is concentrated on representing management in the entire range of employment law matters. More. |  |
|
Janice Corbin is a partner with
Sound Employment Solutions, LLC, Seattle. Janice has over 15 years of
human resources experience with the Seattle Police Department and the
International Harvester Truck Company and has worked in the law enforcement
field for over 22 years.
More.
Janet May is a partner and attorney with Sound Employment Solutions, LLC, Seattle. Janet has over ten years of experience in the labor and employment law field, and has represented both management and labor. More. |
 |
| Rhonda Hilyer, President and Founder of Agreement Dynamics, is an international consultant with a reputation for helping convert traditional, conflict-based environments into productive, collaborative ones. More. |  |
| Mark Busto, Attorney with Sebris Busto James, Bellevue, is a seasoned employment law counselor and litigator with a strong professional background in labor-management relations. He has represented employers in discrimination cases before judges and juries in both state and federal court and has arbitrated many labor and employment matters. More. |  |
*The Articles appearing in the "HR Advisor" column represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Municipal Research & Services Center.