The smartest employers are starting to deal with a new generation that expects a very different workplace from the one of their parents.
The desire to hire young graduates is prompted by the retirement of Baby Boomers. Many employers are trying to appeal to Gen Y by making themselves more transparent, flexible, responsive, even nurturing.
So who are these people?
Officially, this generation comprises 1982 and 2000 who began entering the workforce three years ago. They are supposed to be the hothouse kids: praised and coddled from infancy and watched over by their parents well into adulthood. As employees, they are said to have high expectations and demand meaningful work, constructive feedback, and positions of influence within their organizations. In other words, they want a seat at the table, or they'll walk.
It has been said that Gen Y needs buckets of praise. In fact, in many cases these folks are looking for honest appraisals of their work. Andrea S. Hershatter, director of Emory University's undergraduate business program, says, "They don't feel entitled because they're special, they feel entitled to have others support them in their efforts to accomplish and achieve." Twentysomethings want not just honest feedback but also routine conversations about their progress and their career paths.
Source: BusinessWeek, September 24, 2007