10 Ways to Keep Your Generation-Y Staff

When members of Generation Y (those born between 1982 and 1994) started work in the last few years, managers loved their energy, drive and skills, which put them in high demand. However, as thing progressed, managers realized that they were having a difficult time in motivating and retaining the young ones. Today, retention is becoming a greater challenge than recruiting as employers watch Gen-Y employees move out of their organization faster than they move up.

Here are ways to retain them.

Comprehensive orientation or on-boarding programme: it helps to make Gen-Y employees feel important and creates an impact from their first day of work. Gen-Y employees tend to lose interest and switch off if they feel that the organization does not live up to its reputation or does not pay attention to them.

Offer more responsibilities: Gen-Y employees look forward to increased responsibility and expect faster growth in an organization. They will choose to move on if they do not see their manager offering them challenging assignments proactively. Assign new and challenging responsibilities and provide them the appropriate training and development programmes.

Give more ownership: provide them with a greater sense of ownership on their work and challenge them. They yearn for challenging goals with deadlines so that they can build ownership of tasks.

Provide flexibility at work: money is important to them but maintaining work-life balance is also equally important. Employers should look at providing flexibility in terms of working hours and trusting them to work remotely from home.

Communicate regularly and find out what they want: employers should talk to Gen-Y employees openly and give them honest feedback on their work performance and career development.

Have regular feedback sessions: Gen-Y employees do not like to wait for a long time to hear feedback from their managers. Regular feedback sessions and fewer performance-review cycles supported by mentoring or coaching keeps them motivated at work.

Build relationships around people: Gen-Y employees tend to be more loyal to teams than organizations. Therefore, it is crucial to create opportunities for them to work in teams and organize occasions for them to build relationships with colleagues.

Give instant recognition: sincere appreciation with a "thank you" card, nomination for an award, movie tickets, meals and simple words of encouragement make these employees feel valued.

Provide development opportunities: provide opportunities for growth and development that suit individual needs and build competencies with Gen-Y talent in your organization. In addition, job rotation and internal mobility programmes should be promoted. Develop mentoring and reverse mentor programme as they value education and are committed to being life-long learners.

Create fun work environments: to capture their hearts and minds, create a sports and recreation committee, have cultural and family day events or outings and provide them with an opportunity to design their own work area or space.