3 Tips To Retain Young Employees

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

Naturally, organisations want the best to be on their team to help their business thrive. But retaining top talents have always been a challenge, especially when it comes to keeping the younger generation. Their career needs and wants are very different from what Generation Boomers and X once did. The idea of sticking to the same job for decades and being okay with a stagnant or low increment salary wouldn't satisfy them today. 

The younger generation seeks purpose in their career; a fulfilling job contributes their talents to help the organisation and themselves grow. Due to the rise in inflation, their daily spending is much higher today than 20 or 30 years ago. Without some form of support from their parents, some can barely even live by with their monthly salary. 

The above are a couple of the many contributing factors that influence their career decisions. So, how can you keep young employees engaged and retained? Here are a few helpful ways that you can look into.

1. Focus on employee's talents

The younger generations are a creative and resourceful bunch. Living in a time where they face challenges like economic recession, climate change, and the global pandemic, they have to rely on their creativity to make their life purposeful. 

"Do what you love, and you'll never work another day in your life." - a sentiment that we have heard countless times. Well, not everyone is so lucky to remain in or find a job they are passionate about. Organisational change can force affected employees to either suck it up and stay employed in a position they might not enjoy anymore. Or to quit and find another.

A slight shift to one's mindset in the workplace can change his or her work productivity. But how long can one stay happy, especially when they realise that the change made will alter their whole career path? Younger employees are motivated by the positive impact their work will leave on society. Pushing them to excel in a job that they cannot utilise their true talents will eventually make them leave their job and explore new possibilities.

Alternatively, allow younger employees to show what they are capable of accomplishing. Identify their strengths and set reachable goals with them. Set a time frame, evaluate their progress, provide guidance and help them in achieving it. As they are still in the early stage of their career, they may have several hiccups along the way. Help them to understand what went wrong with constructive feedback and be patient to see the results. In the end, different generation learns differently. 

2. Recognise their effort and increase responsibilities

Nothing beats a good recognition after putting in a hundred per cent into doing something and achieving success. The younger generation wants is not merely a pat on the back and "good job; keep it up" from the boss. They want to work hard with a purpose, get recognised and have an opportunity to hold a more significant portfolio - a promotion with increased responsibility. 

Today's young employees grew up in a highly competitive era, unlike the times before smart technology is incorporated into our daily lives. They have to compete with their peers, previous generations, and beat computerised systems to their speed, capacity, and intelligence. That is a lot of pressure to take it, and they are built for it.

Instead of undermining their capabilities due to age and lack of experience, give them a chance to participate in the competition justly. Promoting them, especially to a managerial level, allows the younger ones to take on more responsibilities, empowering them to stay at a job. Do you know, one of the main contributing factors to millennials staying in a job is promotion? Other options may include increasing their tasks' weight, enabling them to contribute their opinions in strategic business meetings. Hear them out as they may bring new ideas and solutions.

Remaining in the same position can be mundane when it becomes a meaningless routine. It will affect employees' mental and physical health and drive to work for the employer, especially in a workplace that focuses on the monetary gain over employees' wellbeing. Young employees who know their worth will leave the organisation and find other employers who will appreciate their capabilities. 

3. Be open to change - support flexibility

One good thing that the global pandemic has brought to some is the experience to work from home. It might seem like a dismissible matter, but to others, it is a once in a "professional" lifetime experience. Flexible work options for employees is becoming a common practice in many organisations. But for some employers who follows a more old school workplace practice still finds it hard to accept.

Flexible work varies with the industry. But the idea that employees should work like machines by following a strict eight-hour work shift to churn out profit is outdated. Today's advanced technology and software systems are in place to help ease humans' manual tasks, allowing work to be completed quicker and easier. 

Younger generations are becoming more reluctant to be stationed in the office for long hours when they can deliver similar or better results with more flexible work schedules. In fact, job seekers across all generations tend to accept job offers that have flexible work options. Workplace flexibility includes employees being able to:

1. Choose the location to work
2. Design a work schedule fits them best
3. Plan their workday the way they want

It is time for employers to evolve as times have changed. Create multiple stages to implement change rather than taking drastic measures overnight if you are sceptical of the new system. Show younger employees that your organisation is willing to make changes for them and appreciate their presence. 

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