Advice on Attracting and Retaining Gen Y Employees

A company is only as strong as its workforce, and if you’re not attracting the latest new talent, your business may suffer as a result. Gen Y or the Millennial as they are also called are hitting the workforce, and in order to attract them to your company and keep them there, you may need to change up your game a little.

First, you’ve got to find this generation and make sure your job postings are visible to them. The key is adopting a social networking strategy when you’re hunting for candidates. Use your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts to post job alerts. Make sure you have a mobile friendly website and keep it updated frequently.

Once you’ve got their interest, you’ll need to make sure you have an intriguing job description to catch and hold their attention. Take some time and really work on your job postings to make sure they contain what the Gen Y crowd is seeking — namely, flexibility, the ability to rise through the company quickly and benefits other than just money, such as more vacation time or the ability to telecommute occasionally.

Now you’ve got your Gen Y employees — what do you do to keep them there? This generation is one that has had a lot of guidance and hands on mentoring from teachers and parents. You’ll need to keep this up if you want to keep them happy and performing up to speed. Develop an onboarding program in your company for new hires and be willing to take the time yourself, or have managers that are willing to invest a little extra time in helping your Gen Y workers settle in.

This is also a generation that grew up with a lot of positive affirmation. If your management style doesn’t already include a lot of acknowledgment for employee’s efforts, now is the time to include it. The rest of your non Gen Y employees will also appreciate this addition.

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email