Motivating Gen Y

In preparing for this editorial, I had mapped out a theme around “it’s a web 2.0 world” and how to build a better intranet integrating social and community building techniques. Then an invitation from a local recruiting firm landed on my desk, asking me to attend a panel discussion on how to recruit and retain the diverse and ambitious Generation Y. Born between 1977 and 1994, Gen Y makes up over 20% of today’s population and they are rapidly becoming a hot commodity in the work force. Organizations of all sizes are scrambling to learn how to attract these dynamic individuals.

I own a software firm where most of my employees happen to fall into the Gen Y category. They are indeed dynamic, creative, intelligent and highly motivated, and there have been many a sleepless night spent dreaming up ways to retain this amazing talent.

The studies say that this is the top five for Gen Y
They are looking for work/life balance
They want to be heard and valued
They need regular recognition
They want to work somewhere fun
They are motivated by challenge and a collaborative environment

During the audience participation of the panel discussion, it occurred to me that Gen Y was getting a bad rap due to studies showing an inflated expectation surrounding salaries and career advancement. Most questions were on how to keep this ambitious bunch motivated and why do they think they can get into management within a few short years when it took us older folks the better part of our careers to reach that goal. The truth is that if you embrace the full potential of your young employees, they just may have what it takes to reach management sooner than you think.

I have always subscribed to the KISS principle in creating and designing intranet software. I like simplicity and use it in just about every aspect of my life. The same holds true for retaining talented employees. Motivating the younger generation doesn’t have to be complicated. Turns out it can be pretty simple.

What motivates my Gen Y employees is being involved. We provide a team atmosphere and I ask their opinions constantly. We had the opportunity to advertise through a New York publishing firm recently, and when our Marketing Director brought in the ad for my review, I asked everyone to take a look. My lead software developer jumped in and requested to see a few variations that turned out to be excellent suggestions. He has no marketing experience, but he has a good eye for detail. A new employee still training for the support desk came over to see the ad and came up with a cool idea. We didn’t go with it, but I will remember that he showed strength in creativity and I will look for ways to leverage that in the future.

Employees may have their specific job duties, but if you allow the opportunities, Gen Y may bring to the table a diverse knowledge and an interesting perspective that can really make your company shine. One of our annual objectives is to incorporate web 2.0 tools into our intranet software product, and in development of a new blog application I turned to my senior support desk technician to bounce ideas off of. He knows zip about development, but he is a blogger and came up with some great suggestions. Not to mention he has one-on-one relationships with our customer base and has intimate knowledge on what they may be looking for. I tend to blur the lines between roles in my company. I have done this from the beginning, more due to the need for everyone to wear many hats, but in the long run it ended up doing something unexpected – this style of management started attracting and retaining that elusive top rated Gen Y. When we interview for new positions, my existing employees sell the job and company to the candidate.

One of my Gen Y employees is 25. She has been with the company for four years, in the same position. She is a great asset but about a year ago there were hints on where does she go from here. Creating growth opportunities can be challenging for a relatively small organization. I started looking for opportunities that showed her strengths, what she is good at outside the scope of her daily duties. She is excellent at organization and administration, so I got her involved with Accounts Receivable and she now manages client maintenance renewals. She also showed a talent for design, so I have her creating new themes and skins for our intranet software. The hints about where she is going in the company have disappeared and she is starting to become involved with some of our marketing efforts. There are ways to provide growth opportunity other than a literal move up the ladder.

As I sat listening to the panel discussion on Gen Y, I was surprised to learn that what I have been doing as CEO is right on target for the kind of company I want to cultivate.

Creating a warm, fun, friendly environment to work in
Socializing with my employees
Rewarding them for performance
Providing flex time as long as the work gets done
Giving them a voice that is heard and valued
Opportunity for mentoring others
Sharing in the company success

At one time or another, each of them has probably wondered if they could do a better job at running the company. If they think that way, all the better. It shows they have passion about the company and our customers; that they take ownership in the product, and they care about their jobs and peers. If they want to take over the company some day, they will have to work hard to get there! Would I consider handing the reigns to one of my employees someday? You bet. Without their ambition, exuberance, hard work, loyalty and commitment, my company would not have enjoyed the success it has over the past decade.

I am part of Generation X and my four year old son will part of Generation Z. Who knows what that generation will require for motivation. It will be exciting to see how the future unfolds and how technology and the Internet will play its part. For now, my motivation is being surrounded by outstanding people who can join me in creating something unique and special.

Carolyn Douglas is the CEO and founder of Intranet Connections – Intranet Software (www.intranetconnections.com) a fu lly customizable out of the box intranet suite of applications designed for ease of use, simplicity and affordability. C arolyn can be reached at douglasc@intranetconnections.com.