Managing Generation Y for Better Performance

The generation born in the 1980s and 1990s, consisting primarily of the baby boomers ‘ children and usually viewed as becoming progressively concerned with digital and electronic technologies.

Stop resisting and eventually embrace the challenges that Generation Y presents 

No standardized mentoring

Over the past decade, mentoring has become a common management strategy, and one of the new buzzwords. We believe that mentoring is a critical component of being an efficient manager, but there are many mentoring moments outside of the one-on-one formal mentoring sessions that have become commonplace in corporate settings.

We get complaints from both the baby boomer managers and Generation Yers about this “mentoring” problem. They want to understand why managers are so set in their ways when we speak to Generation Yers, are reluctant to change the status quo, are impatient with questions, and hoard the information.

What is a “Powertrip”? In short, it’s when administrators aren’t going to address a question or make a reasonable explanation. Or when they put their foot down on what, from the viewpoint of a Generation Yer, seems to have been a reasonable request perhaps as a reminder of who is boss.

And when we deal with baby boomer executives, we get this line of questioning constantly: “Why do Generation Yers always wonder ‘ why ‘? Why aren’t they understanding we’re just doing things a certain way? Why are they defying my authority? “And ……… so on ….. Really, it’s not a tough situation to handle …. and I’m sure that managers sitting here might think the same … on a similar note about this Y generation

Suspend your judgment as a boss, and realize that perhaps these Generation Yers are really just curious creatures who want to know why you’re doing the stuff you’re doing so they can learn from you.

Note they may not even have been out of school when you made the policy or when that method became standard operating procedure.

When you mow them down with just the answer “That’s how we’re doing things around here” or “Do you doubt my power?” You’ve just missed out on certain awesome mentoring and growth. Not to mention, you have lost respect with them and your authority.

Generation Yers emphasizes that it was not that they mistrust the expertise of the executives which they challenge. It is more a matter of having a deep interest and the ability to better understand a situation’s past or context

Generation Yers have an eye for changing how things are done, and they continually note the actions of a boss as indicators of how they might behave in future endeavors themselves.

They too have a critical eye for the distinction between “true” coaching and genuine concern. They are oversensitive to being brushed off and given a canned response. We are ready to work hard for the people in their lives who make the effort to show genuine interest.

So, mentoring is the first technique. Use every chance as a moment of learning; see it as an opportunity to share knowledge with them, or help them learn from your mistakes or wrong actions.

Since baby boomers appear to be political and suspicious, they believe that others are as political and suspicious as they are, and often start playing a game of power.

This is basically not the case with Generation Yers. Their questioning is much more innocent than that. It can be truly a desire to make something a process improvement.

Keep the tones of authority and power out of the frame.

Make sure to answer their questions on “why,” before they even ask them. Stay a step ahead of them by offering regular and thorough updates that provide details that they would not be able to collect by themselves.

Which proves your intellectual strength and remaining ahead of time. 

This is the purest form of mentoring you can do in a one-on-one structured session without having to call it “mentoring” By doing so, you’ll build trust with Generation Yers and create loyal employees in the process because you’ve touched them on a personal level.

Accept Technology 

Use the technology to remain on venture with constant communication with Generation Yers. Tell them that you require them to give you regular email updates on a venture. This way you’ll use their technology to respond with your thoughts and advice.

Give Them The Remote Control 

The problem-solving skill and the audacity to tell the boss what they think should be done, may challenge certain managers.

Yet, we have to realize that this action does not come from a place of arrogance; instead, this is how Generation Year is hardwired.

These are the products of an environment where they were at home alone or along with an older sibling and had to try to solve problems on their own. That puts out fierce freedom.

Generation Yers also often come to the job from volunteer opportunities or internships with higher education and work experience, because they don’t see themselves as a novice in the organization.

As Generation Years has the opportunity to experiment and, of course, make mistakes, they learn — just like every-age employees. But this generation wants the freedom to be provided to try different things.

Generation Y’s approach to work may frustrate you, but we’ve learned, it’s a mistake to spend time judging this behavior. Instead, give them the remote control on decisions wherever possible.

Give any power to them wherever you can. It will pay off loyally and will potentially make them better decision-makers and future executives. 

You will probably wonder why it is you who have to make the adjustment to them. Based on numerous seminars, lectures, and coaching sessions, it’s our experience that moaning takes you nowhere. This causes instability and anger.

Stop the suffering, and don’t get caught up in the struggle for power. They know you’re responsible. We just don’t know. You will do more for your company by making friends with Generation Y, a generation that is incredibly ambitious, informed, enthusiastic and compassionate.

Managers know that research (Sheahan, 2005) has shown that satisfaction is directly related to productivity; managers have to keep them happy to keep the best workers, which means making the work environment enjoyable for Generation Y employees. Building a positive atmosphere for workers, as Zappos CEO said, improves productivity and employee retention.

One way of retaining employees at Generation Y is to create a desirable work environment. It just happens that this new generation demands a new type of work environment, while the stereotypical work environment has been accepted by generations before.

Generation Y sees a desirable working environment as one that provides opportunities for career development, involves access to technology, offers flexible work arrangements, telecommuting options, flexible work practices, work-life balance and trust.

Progressive companies have developed a work-life balance culture for their workers, and have seen improvements in retention rates as a result. Organizations such as Google are providing services such as on-site daycare, employee children’s scholarships, ample holiday time, maternal and parental leave, and adoption support to cater for Generation Y and the value it places on family and parenthood.

Millennials are constantly excited about how they spend their time at work, and expect to be. They are multitaskers, who are very able to manage a wide array of operations at once. Easily distracted, they want and need to be challenged, which is a benefit for managers who want to use their resources, expertise and resourcefulness to their favor.

Generation Y grew up earning awards just for involvement and had parents who loved them and constantly fed them with encouragement, so it is necessary to give them input and support in order to increase organizational productivity and morale.

Adjust Training Techniques to Generation Y Employees’ Learning Styles:

Taking an unconventional method to train people of Generation Y,  requires helping them to know by doing so. Managers should try to let them first explore and find, then educate them on the correct technique that was proven to work for this company if they didn’t learn first through experimentation.

 Beekman once stated to encourage the willingness of Generation Y, to contribute, and reward them with opportunities for progress. Building a sense of loyalty with them will ensure that you hold on to tomorrow’s leaders

 Stop, Collaborate and Listen

Generation Y is team focused and they love working in a relaxed, modern work environment. Executives are also recommended for making the first move towards cooperation to let workers of Generation Y realize they are ready to work together as a team.

Do Not Micromanage

Micromanaging would be when the job is delegated by a boss or chief, telling competent workers precisely how to do it, overseeing them constantly and often taking over when the work is not done exactly as the boss wants.

Employees of the Micromanaging Generation Y result in disengagement and a loss of productivity.

Micromanagers who monitor and learn to manage each part of their worker’s job will never be effective in managing this generation because “employees get frustrated and lose interest in the job because they don’t have any sense of ownership in the process.

Start giving Generation Y Employees Work that Has a Significant Objective

 One way for Generation Y employees to create loyalty is to give them work to make a difference. Generation Y members like to do work with a greater significance which they can see contributing in a real way to the organization.