Generation Y-keep them keen? Send them backpacking!

What do you get when employing someone who is new to the job Market? We get a clean slate, someone with passion and a strong belief they can make a difference to your company.

At Purple Power we believe everyone should be given an opportunity to shine.  But just how easy is it to capture the imagination and loyalty of your Millennial workforce within your company?

On the surface these so called Millennials or "Generation Y" (anyone between the ages of 25 and 32) just want that "foot in the door" opportunity and will declare this emphatically, however go a bit deeper and you find the new generation entering the job market are looking for careers that can give them a sense of worth rather than a growing bank balance, unlike previous generations. 

New job seekers are much more likely to be led by their interests and passions. They don't like doing the boring tasks and they aren't shy about speaking up about it which can cause friction in the workplace. They are not as sensitive to the natural hierarchies that have always existed in the office.  The question is then asked, is this realistic in the current marketplace or would we want to go back to generations hungry for success rather than hungry for passion and inner drive? 

According to Alyson Kruger who writes for Forbes Magazine and describes herself as a typical Millennial " Millennials aren’t motivated as much by money. Gone are the days when employees solely cared about the size of a paycheck. Now, young professionals prioritize living a healthy life, going on adventures, and making a difference in the world."

How do you motivate a work demographic that is hailed as both ambitious and lazy? Kruger thinks the answer lies in tapping into what makes each individual tick and rather than spending on constant pay rises, "three-months off to backpack around Asia or a health-food packed cafeteria or a training program will often be much more valuable to their young employees."

We will have to see how this evolves in our workplace, it will be interesting to watch and be a part of.

They have been called entitled, lazy, and "the most high-maintenance workforce in the history of the world" but if you truly engage and tap into their passions, you won't find a more loyal employee.