Trends In Attracting And Engaging The Next Generation
Despite the fact that Baby Boomers are retiring at a fast clip and the workforce is undergoing a serious makeover, many companies and associations are failing to embrace the next generation.
Despite the fact that Baby Boomers are retiring at a fast clip and the workforce is undergoing a serious makeover, many companies and associations are failing to embrace the next generation.
By as soon as next year, the majority of the workforce will be in their twenties, so it’s getting to be about time you learned how to engage the next generation. It’s not easy, especially for those unwilling to embrace major changes, but it can be done. Your organization needs to be paying attention to and acting on the trends in attracting and engaging the next generation.
RULES OF ATTRACTION
To attract young talent to your organization, you need to look where the talent actually is. That might mean updating your HR practices, because talent isn’t hanging out in the same places (but a lot of HR departments are). An alarming number of HR departments have not updated their recruiting techniques. Organizations need to invest in training human resources departments to keep everyone up to date because the landscape of the workforce has changed drastically. Attraction of talent needs to be at the top of HR’s to-do list, and they need the right tools to do that.
As the economy continues to improve, attracting talent will only get more difficult, and the game is changing. Big data and social media are two factors drastically shaking up the talent acquisition game. Human resources departments need to use both data and social media strategically to find and attract talent. Competing for top talent will require focusing on attracting talent and investing in training and technology.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
The next generation of employees want to be engaged at work–they’re looking for an experience. If you can’t engage your employees, you can’t keep them. Google has a low turnover because they are engaging their employees and providing an experience. You don’t have to be Google to compete, but you may need to work on company culture and reconsider how and where work gets done. Eighty-nine percent of Gen Y wants to decide when and where they will work for your company.
Loyalty goes both ways, and if you want Gen Y employees to invest in your organization, you need to invest in them. Invest in yourself and engage your employees by developing their talents and building leaders from within. Leadership shortage is getting to be a big problem for many organizations; it’s time to redefine where leadership comes and focus on building them from the ranks of existing employees. Doing this will engage your employees and help your organization become sustainable.
By next year, Generation Y will outnumber Baby Boomers in the workforce. Our workforce is shifting, and how we attract and engage talent is changing too. You’ve probably noticed this shift. To remain competitive you need young talent. Start making necessary changes to attract and engage the next generation now.