What Do Young People Want in the Work Place
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Are you managing a call center team full of young employees? Here is some advice from David Woodward on what young people want in the work place. Good Luck!
Human Resource professionals and corporations need to understand what young people entering the work force value, so that a corporate benefits package can be designed to retain the leaders of tomorrow. The core values are finances, a life outside of work, education, and security.
Building a corporate benefits package today, as either a new corporation or old, is the most important tool in attracting young people. Corporate Cultures are starting to become an integral part of a candidates choice of work place. Many companies are now striving to better equip themselves to attract top talent.
An outside survey says the most important element is a life outside of the office. As odd as this may sound to some, when you work 35+ hours (more than you see your own family!) a week, this tends to almost be a requirement. Yes, you may love your job but to remain healthy, you need a life outside of the office!
Half day Fridays, shorter work weeks or four day holiday weekends!
A lot of corporations are starting to deploy half days, summer hours, four day holiday weekends and even every 2nd Friday off to give employees a chance to re-charge their batteries! These are inexpensive ways corporations allow a better family lifestyle, which in turn leads to better staff morale and satisfaction within the job!
Health Club membership
Staying fit leads to a better lifestyle both inside work and outside. Health club memberships are starting to become a popular extra in a lot of corporations. Whether they are offered as an extra or a part of a benefits package, it shows the employees that their employer cares about their physical well being!
Appreciation & Promotion is the Best Motivator
Today more than ever, young people want to grow within a corporation. They want to succeed and move up the ladder. Young employees want to know that they will be promoted based on performance, not on seniority. Many young people who have left jobs within 1-2 years say that they have asked a team leader, manager or someone in the position they wanted to advance to about how long it took to get there. If they find out it took them 10 years, chances are they will move on to a new job. Reward your star employees, or there is a risk of losing them to a corporation that will.
Vacation Time
Lifestyle is everything for young people, so letting them know they will have vacation time is important. Many young people are looking for at least 3 weeks – as this is now becoming the norm. With 3 weeks’ vacation it shows the company values employee’s free time as well as the time that they spend at work.
Continuous Training
Young people know education is everything. They’re aware that they have to keep learning new skills to keep up with the job! Paying for an employee’s extended education and continuous training also promotes retention, since young people value continuous learning and new challenges.
Social Activities – Having fun!
If aren’t having fun you’re fired! Well, not quite, but employees want to have fun at work. When you spend 35+ hours at work, social activities become key! Whether it is sports teams, contests, recognition awards, or seasonal parties, these activities strengthen communication ties between young and senior employees in the corporation.
Stock Options & Profit Sharing
A great stock options plan and/or a profit sharing plan is a good way to not only help satisfy the financial needs every young person has, but also a great way to say “thanks for a job well done”. New employees tend to stay longer at companies that reward them for their work. A well-rewarded employee is also more likely to volunteer to come in on days off to do extra work, if needed.
Subsidized Employee Transportation
A lot of corporations are subsidizing employee transportation in the way of transit passes, whether a percentage or in whole. Some corporations are even going to the extent of facilitating car-pooling from the same geographic location. It really is a great way to say that you care about the environment.
Challenges & Projects
Young people need to be challenged, if you give a young person a task such as data entry, don’t expect them to hang around a long time, if at all. Young people enjoy the challenges that come with a position, or the prospect of receiving a challenging project to handle. Young people think on their feet, with creativity flowing along side of them. Allowing a young new employee to be included in a project is the right ingredient for retention and to keep those creative juices flowing at your corporation.
Being A Part of Something That Matters
Giving an employee a day off to participate in a charity or foundation of choice that they believe in shows they are able to lend a helping hand to the community, and gives them an appreciation for the betterment of their own community and the lives of others. It allows them to be a part of something. Community work or group work as a corporation is great, but if the employee is allowed to choose their foundation or charity they will work with, it is even more meaningful.
Little extras go a long way to retaining staff and keeping employees happy. There is a lot you can do to keep and boost your company morale!
David Woodward
http://www.sweetcareers.com
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