Working Effectively with Today’s Young Professionals

We’ve all heard people say-- often in an exasperated tone -- “Kids these days!!” Young people over the generations have often been misunderstood and, I would assert, underutilized. And today is no different.

I hear frustrated managers frequently make statements such as, “Young people don’t want to work anymore!” “Young people have unrealistic expectations and lack work ethic– they don’t even show up for scheduled interviews!” And, of course, “Young people are glued to their cell phones!”

So what’s the deal? What are young people between the ages of 18-29 thinking about? What’s important to them? What motivates them professionally?

To tackle these questions, it’s helpful to first distinguish between Generation Y (“Millennials”) born between 1981-1996 and Generation Z born between 1997-2012.

Can you believe the youngest Millennials are now in their late twenties, and seeing 30 just around the bend!? They tend to value collaboration, communication, and making a positive social impact in the workplace and beyond.

Gen Zs more so value instant messaging, independence, and financial/entrepreneurial opportunities. They expect employers to be technologically “with it” and out-front on DEI and personal wellbeing matters.

While they may lack some of the skills and experience you prefer to see in candidates you’re hiring, both of these younger generations can be huge assets to your organization if you can understand, and properly leverage, who they are and what they bring to the table.

Sooo… the next time you think that young people are just lazy/unmotivated, consider the reframe that most of them yearn to make a positive difference in the world but often lack career direction and professional mentors.

Many young people are still beholden to their parents financially, but resist hearing/taking advice from them, which leads to mutual tension. A combination of personal debt (college, car, credit cards) and the high cost of housing and daily necessities can cause young people to delay or cancel major life decisions such as buying a home, getting married, and having children.

It should be noted that today’s younger generations have been directly shaped by the horrors of September 11th, 2001, the economic fears of 2008, the constant trauma of school shootings, and more recently, COVID seemingly bringing the world to a screeching halt at the same time they were meant to spread their social-emotional wings.

All of these factors contribute to increased anxiety and depression among young people today. Additionally, many 2020, 2021, and even 2022 college graduates suffer from elevated self-doubt and imposter syndrome, since they hold a degree but (largely thanks to COVID) often lack the work skills and experience valued by employers.

So what does all of this mean for employers looking to hire and retain today’s young professionals?

I wrote an article for the Worcester Business Journal on this very topic last year titled, “5 Things I know about… Attracting and retaining young professionals.”

These 5 things include: 1. Provide a paycheck with a purpose, 2. Be clear and supportive, 3. Use consistent systems, 4. Initiate regular communication, and 5. Offer fair compensation and growth. I’m biased, but this article is worth the read for more insight ;)

Here are a few more related tips about working effectively with young professionals:

• Get into their world, just as you want them to get into yours. This starts with taking the time to build authentic meaningful relationships. Ask them about their career aspirations and listen intentionally for what matters to them most.
• Speak to their greatness, show them what’s possible (and what’s not acceptable), and challenge them to engage in purposeful work that motivates them and adds measurable value to your organization. Trust them to get the work done (this includes being flexible with hours and remote work options) and to ask lots of questions along the way.
• Make sure you are initiating regular communication with the young professionals on your team. They appreciate clear communication about their progress and recognition for a job well done.

Whether you are working with interns or early-career new hires, you could be inadvertently underutilizing your young talent by orienting/supervising them in an uninteresting (hum-drum) way vs. challenging them to solve real-world problems that matter to your organization.

Now here’s my challenge to you: Implement 2 of my suggestions and let me know if you change your mind about “kids today” and, specifically, how you could work more effectively with today’s young professionals.

To Your Success!

Amy

P.S. Drop me a quick email [email protected] if you would like more info about our new service to keep your interns and/or early-career new hires on track– and free up your time.