Recruitment in the New Millennium
How Do We Get ’em in a Changing Market?
Dianne Hunnam-Jones, District President
© 2008 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
In the News…
What Gen Y Really Wants
… Now along come the 76 million members of Generation Y.
For these new 20-something workers, the line between work
and home doesn’t really exist. They just want to spend their
time in meaningful and useful ways, no matter where they are.
Time in partnership with CNN
Mar. 20, 2006
Generation Y:
Too
demanding at work?
Not too long ago, the generation gap
meant parents didn’t understand why
ripped jeans cost twice as much as regular
ones or why every other word coming out
of their child’s mouths was “like.”
CNN.com
December 26, 2007
GM closes 21
factories and cuts
70,000 jobs
Financial Planning: Gen Y
beats parents on work savvy,
drive
The new generation of workers might be
more ambitious and savvy than their
parents, according to a recent study.
www.Gen-y.org
December 7, 2007
Discussion Overview
•
What has changed in the market place
•
Who are Generation Y ?
– Gen Y’s priorities
– The ‘why’ behind Gen Y
– Myths and Facts of Gen Y
– What Gen Y looks for in employers
•
Recruitment strategies that work
•
Bursts of Excellence
“Generation Y will change jobs more often until they find their dream
job, or change jobs more frequently for higher pay.”
– Gen Y survey respondent
What has changed?
• Talent deficit
– Baby Boomers exiting & Gen Y entering the workforce
– Canadian provincial governments could lose up to 50% or
more of their workforce within 7 years “D&T”
• How has the recession changed the current landscape?
• How will the supply/demand for skilled talent change postrecession?
• What knowledge does the younger worker bring to the
workforce?
• Municipalities – what has shifted in our world?
Generation Y
Born 1979-1999 (80 million)
Also known as
“Millennials” or “Nexters”
Optimistic, confident and
goal-oriented
Financially and
technologically savvy
Expect greater
workplace flexibility
More open to change in
jobs and career
Generations Preceding the Millennials
Generation X
Baby Boomers
The Silent Generation
Born 1965-1978
(41 million)
Born 1946-1964
(79 million)
Born 1925-1945
(50 million)
Often had both parents
working, hence also
known as “latchkey kids”
Most talked-about
generation in history
Born mostly during era
of war or depression
What Are Gen Y’s Priorities?
•
•
•
•
•
•
What motivates them at work?
What types of career concerns keep
them up at night?
How do they view their roles and
responsibilities in the workplace?
What do they want from their employers?
The ‘Why’ Behind Gen Y
•
Have experienced effects of economic uncertainty
•
Conduct much of their lives online
•
Comfortable with close parental involvement in their lives
•
Ambitious and highly motivated, but share same concerns as
their predecessors
“I don’t think Generation Y will stay at their jobs as long as their
predecessors. They prefer change and will gravitate toward ‘forward thinking’
companies that embrace nontraditional working environments and high
technology.”
– Gen Y survey respondent
Myths and Facts About Gen Y
Gen Y lives in the moment
and would rather play
than work
• 33% of Gen Yers surveyed are
concerned about financial
security, supporting
themselves and their families,
and “saving enough” money
• 26% worry about
finding/keeping a job and
career longevity
• 23% worry about finding
fulfillment on the job and
advancing in their careers
Myths and Facts About Gen Y
Gen Y expects
instant gratification
• They’re focused on the future and
worried about funding retirement
• Benefits, including health
insurance and retirement
programs, rank among the top
three factors when evaluating a job
opportunity
Myths and Facts About Gen Y
They slack off at work
to take care of
personal matters
• 73% of Gen Y respondents worry
about balancing professional and
personal obligations
• Want fulfilling work, families and
rich personal lives
• Look to employers for help in
achieving work/life balance
Myths and Facts About Gen Y
Gen Y workers can’t
take direction
• 35% of Gen Yers polled want to
communicate with the boss
several times a day
• 25% want once-a-day interaction
• Only 10% are comfortable
communicating with the boss once
a week
Myths and Facts About Gen Y
Gen Y employees have a
sense of entitlement
and don’t want to
“pay their dues”
• About half of those polled expect
to spend only one to two years in
entry-level positions
• 73% expect to return to school to
obtain another degree during
their careers
• Many expect to work harder than
their predecessors did
What Gen Y Looks for in Employers
• Top two factors when asked what would
influence them leaving their current job:
– Higher pay
– Better benefits/perks
• Additional factors:
– Growth and advancement opportunities
– Company’s location
– Company’s leadership
– Company’s reputation/brand recognition
– Job title
– In-house training programs
What Gen Y Wants in the Workplace
They ranked these aspects of the work environment as most important:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Having work life balance
Having a strong sense of job security
Working with people they enjoy
Working for a manager I can respect.
Having a short commute
Working for a socially responsible company
Working with state-of-the-art technology
Gen Y’s Dream Boss
• Good management skills
• Pleasant and easy to get along with
• Understanding and caring
• Flexible and open-minded
• Respects, values and appreciates
employees
• Good communication skills
“My dream boss is understanding, laid back, trusting, someone who
doesn’t hover over your shoulder but gives you a project and lets
you run with it, giving guidance when needed.”
– Gen Y survey respondent
Recruitment Strategies that Work
• Reach out to them at their level with their tools, in their style.
• Create on-line methodology (facebook/linkedin) to recruit.
• Use the other gen Y employee to reach out to prospective
new hires
• Follow up with instant message vs. email and phone
• Advancement – be careful of the use rapid
• Honest in recruitment – be who you say your are
– this group will get the word out quickly if you
are not authentic
Margrethe Olson – (former professor of business at New York University, author
and volunteer with World Vision and Oxfam
Recruitment Strategies that Work
•
Lead with compensation and benefits, then highlight the
commitment to employees professional growth and advancement
•
Make them an offer they can’t refuse
– Competitive salary
– Immediate rewards
– Emphasize stability and job security in the Municipalities
•
Think about benefits from their perspective
– Make your programs easy to understand
– Arrange for benefits to take effect as soon as possible for new
hires
“I think Generation Y will expect more out of their employers in terms of
salary, benefits and continuing education, and helping them obtain the
life/career balance that they want to achieve.”
– Gen Y survey respondent
Recruitment Strategies that Work
•
Show them how they can grow
– Showcase professional development opportunities
– Give challenging assignments for skills growth
– Make jobs diverse and interesting
– Show how they can make a contribution to the firm’s success
•
Get the word out about your company
– Use social networking sites and traditional channels
– Highlight Gen Y values on your company’s website
“I think Generation Y will try to break the stereotypes of
the office job. It’s not all 9-to-5 anymore. There are many
remote employees who work whenever it is convenient for
them. They also have broken the dress code for
businesses.”
– Gen Y survey respondent
DECODE – Canada’s Top Campus
Employers Survey “Brainstorm Consulting”
•
16,000 Canadian Students Rank Canada's Top Employers
1. Government of Canada
2. Provincial Government
3. Health Canada
4. Google
5. Apple
6. The Hospital for Sick Children
7. Municipal Government
8. Canadian Cancer Society
9. Microsoft
10. David Suzuki Foundation
Bursts of Excellence
•
What are you doing today to recruit Gen Y?
•
What % of your new hires were recruited from “social media”
medium?
•
What % of your recruitment budget do you allocate to the
various mediums available?
•
How do you continue to compete with the private sector for
talent?
Recruitment in the New Millennium
How Do We Get ’em in a Changing Market?
dianne.hunnam-jones@rhi.com
© 2008 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer.