This is the presentation I delivered to Hoteliers at a Caterer.com breakfast presentation, with the focus on engaging gen y in the workplace, on 24th September 2010. What are generation Y? What are the implications for employees? How do you manage them?

1. Generation YWho | What | How Presented by Andy Headworth,Sirona Consulting Ltd

3. Consult About Recruitment

4. Strategy

5. Process

6. Online Recruitment

7. Social Recruiting

9. Why does it matter? It is the youngest generation in our workforce and arguably the most important In 8 years time Gen Y will make up 50% of the workforce Your businesses will not survive without the Gen Y workforce!!

10. You Have Some Challenges Ahead! They have been brought up to expect everything .............................................and settle for nothing! They have no fear. They have been told since birth they can do what they want..... Even change the world! Don’t take it personally, they won’t accept your rules, they will look for the shorter route. They can multi-task like never before! Instant rewards needed – that is what they are used to. Connected 24 hours a day.........don’t even think of depriving them!

11. Too much for some employers?

12. Questions, questions ,questions! Why? Why? Why? NOW! When?

14. Further Education

15. Apathy

16. Suspicion

18. They will want to work in a two-way management situation. Just don't expect them to sit back and take instruction, they will reply with their own input.

19. Questions. Be prepared - all they do is ask questions.

20. They need to be part of a continuous feedback loop. They constantly need reassurance and constant feedback to keep their interest.

22. Short attention spans. Boredom will kick in quite quickly with them, and don't expect them to work unlimited hours in a day to get that project done, they will only work when they want to.

23. They are focused on their social life and consequently plan work around it, rather than the other way around.

24. Don't expect them to win that gold watch for staying long in your company. They will already be planning the next job before they have even started with you. And they see nothing wrong with this.

26. The World Has Gone Social Blogs

27. Your Career Sites Need To Change http://www.fridoids.co.uk/blog/

28. Retain http://galacoralcareers.com/

29. You Have Recruited Them, How Do You Keep Gen Y Happy? ***Warning*** Some of this will go against the grain! Engage them meaningful dialogue regarding workplace activities, projects and events Ask their opinion AND LISTEN (they may have a better solution) Communicate with them EVERY SINGLE day. Don’t dictate or direct. Give them scope if feasible. Don’t pay lip service to training – they are hungry for it. Reverse training – use THEIR skills Job rotation (remember they get bored quickly) Examine the £package – how creative can you be? Be flexible Don’t forget Gen X’ers and Boomers – use the knowledge Accept they will leave (sooner than you think!) Don’t ‘friend’ them on Facebook!!!

30. They Will Leave When They Are Ready Be under no illusions, gen Y’ers want everything yesterday and are not prepared to wait. They will not sit back and ‘do their time’, that is not their style. Your retention strategy is to accept that they will leave ! Now you manage them to a mutual point of exit – when you can no longer offer them what they need. But do it right and they may return, even better they may tell their friends on Facebook how good an employer you are!

32. Twitter

33. Interview Process

34. Training

35. Management

36. Employee Survey

37. Engagement Target audience = 16-30 yr olds

38. What Can YOU Do Today? Look at your candidate attraction process – is your career site/website social? Start involving them in decision making Ask opinion , listen – and show you have listened What would they do to improve the work environment? Are you using the gen Y skills in other areas? Think about some of the employees that are working in mundane roles – think about change and diversity When was the last time you simply said ‘well done’? Start talking to ALL your employees TODAY

39. If you thought gen Y was bad enough....... The generation Z’ers are even worse!!

40. Any Questions? Website: www.sironaconsulting.com Email: andy.headworth@sironaconsulting.com Telephone: 01903 206249 / 07788 726019 Blog: www.sironasays.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andyheadworth Twitter: www.twitter.com/andyheadworth Facebook: www.facebook.com/andyheadworth