A CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON GEN Y WORKERS

Table of Content

Introduction 2

A Critical Analysis on Gen Y Characteristics 6

 Millennials matter 6

 Indulge in instant gratification 7

 Avid job hoppers 7

 Smarter workers 8

 Social media generation 9

 In quest for work-life balance 10

 Flexibility is king 10

 Thrives in a positive work culture 11

 Emergent Leaders 12

Suggestions on Motivating and Retaining Gen Y in Organization 13

1. Help millennials grow 13

2. Encourage learning 13

3. Let millennials advance faster 14

4. Give frequent feedbacks 14

5. Incorporate emerging technology 15

6. Cultivate positive workplace culture 15

7. Give rewards and benefits 17

8. Set millennials free 17

9. Provide the sense of purpose 18

Conclusion 19

References 20
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Introduction

Today, the workforce is becoming more complex and it is undergoing a seismic

change as the baby boomers are set to retire, followed by Generation X and most of

Generation Y are taking on management roles in the workforce. Generation Y refers to

those born between 1981 and 1996, the demographic cohort that follows Generation X

(Dimock, 2018). They are also known as millennials since they are the first generation

to come of age in the new millennium. Basically, Gen Y would roughly be between the

ages of 22 and 37 today in 2018.

Figure 1. Generation Chart with age in 2018.

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of US Census Bureau data, more

than 35% workers are millennials, surpassing other generations in the labor force in the

United States. There were 56 million millennials in the US labour force in 2017,

outnumbering 53 million Gen Xers, who made up 33%, and 41 million Baby Boomers,

who accounted for 25% of the total. In the chart below, it is projected that Gen Ys will be

the majority with 42% in the workforce in 2025. With numbers, Gen Ys are making an
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impact in the global economy and today, part of those figures is taking on managerial

roles in their respective organizations. It is particularly important to understand and

address generational differences.

Figure 2. Labor Force Composition, by generation.

In the literature, Gen Y has been described as the generation that is shaped

heavily by technologies and they have a close relationship to the internet. Most Gen Y

came of age as the era of connectivity and internet was vigorously thriving and Gen Y

was rapid adopters of the new technology. Gen Y had to adapt to social media and

constant connectivity and today, social media and the internet as a whole, is the

lifeblood of Gen Y.

Millennials are known as great collaborators who prefer to work in teams

provided that there is flexibility for them to get work done. They are in general, very

creative individuals who are independent and resourceful though they prefer

collaborative work. The way we work and how organizations work are under a complete

overhaul with this collaborative revolution and organizations and individuals are working
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more cooperatively than ever before. Working collaboratively is vital in our global

economy in order to succeed in building a connected, engaged and profitable

organization. Evidently, technology is one of the biggest driving factors as well as the

major instrument enabling collaboration today.

Coupled with creativity comes the flexibility in terms of lifestyle of the Gen Y and

way of doing things. Gen Y seems to prefer to be casual in the workplaces as oppose to

the traditional offices which are more formal and authoritative (Othman & Lembang,

2017). Most sought after firms or companies to work with are Google, Yahoo, Netflix,

Apple and the likes which offers high level of flexibility for employees in terms of culture,

work hours and work location among others. These contribute to others stereotyping the

Gen Y as lazy and entitled but flexibility gave them more freedom and empowers them

to perform at work.

Another aspect of flexibility is that it allows some work-life balance which is one

of the top priorities for Gen Y workers. In today’s fast-paced work environment, life has

become quite stressful and hectic. Gen Y workers are juggling many hats; employee,

father or mother, spouse, son or daughter, to name a few. Finding the right balance of

work and life is a constant struggle and employers who see to the well being of their

employees will most definitely be desirable to the Gen Y workers (Naim & Lenka, 2018).

Gen Ys are eager to learn and grow (Caramela, 2018). They are young and

energetic, full of aspirations. With the guidance of an employer who is supportive and

nurturing, Gen Y workers thrive to learn and develop their knowledge, skills and expand

their experience. Here is where employers can play their role in molding and motivating

these young workers.

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Studies have shown that Gen Y employees lack loyalty to their employer. The

lack of alignment between Gen Ys’ perceptions about corporations’ motivations and

their own priorities is reflected in allegiance to employers. They are willing to leave the

organization if other organization could offer better extrinsic factors such as pay and

benefits (Kian & Yusoff, 2015). With a comprehensive understanding of the traits and

characteristics of Gen Ys, employees can develop ways to motivate and retain these

young workers.
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A Critical Analysis on Gen Y Characteristics

Millennials matter

In today’s society, it is more important than ever for employers to fully understand

the characteristics of the Gen Ys as more and more of them are occupying the

workforce. According to a statistic based on an analysis of UN population data, Gen Y

will catch on with the Generation X, also known as the baby boomers. The global

distribution of employment statistic projected that Gen Y will make up 35% of the global

workforce by 2020. The contributions and the role that the millennials have in the

employment sector are therefore significant and in this paper, the aim is to analyze and

explore the characteristics of Gen Y.

Figure 3. Projected Employment Percentage Worldwide by 2020, by generation.

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Without fully understanding their attributes, it is easy to just generalize and

associate the generation with stereotypes we often hear. Millennials are stereotyped as

a lazy, entitled and impatient bunch of youngsters who are addicted to social media or

to their phones. How true and accurate are these labels?

Indulge in instant gratification

One of the major distinguishing traits of the Gen Y is their affinity with the digital

world. This generation is first generation with internet and their utilization of technology

clearly sets them apart. To the Gen Ys, social media is their lifeblood and they expect

instant access to information. It’s not just the way Gen Ys use technology that makes

today’s youth different, as a result, they behave differently too. In the era of the

internet, almost everything one needs is available instantly just with a click of a button.

This cultivates the Gen Ys to indulge in instant gratification, bluntly dubbed as

“impatient”.

Avid job hoppers

Raised by boomer parents who assured them that they were special; Gen Ys

entered their 20s seeking the right career path for them. They developed a habit of

premature job-hopping or frequent job-hopping as they are unwilling to settle in roles

that did not make them happy or contribute to broader life goals. According to Deloitte

Millennial Survey 2018, 43% Gen Ys workers envision leaving their jobs in two years

and only 28% of the same cohort seeks to stay beyond five years (Parmalee, 2018). At

the workplace, building a career and making an impact takes time. Think of it as a
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journey, a process that builds a person and it certainly does not happen overnight. The

old saying “patience is a virtue”, is something the young workers need to understand.

Figure 4. Excerpts from Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018 on how long would a millennial worker stay
with the current employment.

Smarter workers

The generations before Gen X had to work hard. Gen X too had to work hard

but they figured out how to work smart. Millennials can work much smarter with the

technology advancement and other tools (Steward, 2016). This does not necessarily

mean that they are lazy but progress happens and people need to adapt, adjust or get

left behind. Imagine the man who invented the wheel claiming his children and

grandchildren lazy and entitled because they ride bicycles. By leveraging technology,

Gen Ys can work more productively and efficiently.

Employers who recognize the distinct advantages of using emerging

technologies at work will definitely have an edge. It is crucial for companies to meet the
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expectations of younger generations to incorporate technology at work, and identify the

right balance between leveraging its benefits while minimizing distractions.

Social media generation

In literature, on average, Gen Ys spends almost 8 hours online every day and

social media is the norm for them. In 2018, it is forecasted that 76.8 million millennials in

the United States accessed social networking services. From survey conducted in

February 2017, 98% of millennials in the United States are on social media which is not

surprising at all (Hill, 2016). Social media has a tremendous impact in the lives of the

Gen Ys and it shaped their core traits.

Figure 5. Reach of top social networks in the United States as of February 2017, by age group.
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On social media, filters are put up to illustrate to others that life is perfect though

in reality it may not be so. The need of approval and the constant need of feedback

build up and it can take a toll on one’s self confidence. On the upside, Social media

encourages sharing (knowledge and information sharing) and as a consequent, the

millennials are great collaborators. They prefer collaborative work and they value open

communication in sharing information.

In quest for work-life balance

Millennials are young adults embarking into adulthood, just launched their

careers and possibly starting a family. At this phase, good pay is attractive to them in

order to pay off their study loan, put up for a down payment for their car or even their

first property, to support a growing family, among other things. Gen Ys do not see their

careers as what represent themselves most but it is merely a role in their in life. Outside

work, they are parents, children, spouses and perhaps avid travelers,

environmental activists, social influencers, volunteers, free lancer photographers etc.

Millennials today prioritize work-life balance more than ever and organizations that offer

both good pay and positive corporate cultures that supports work-life balance are most

likely to attract millennials (Parmalee, 2018).

Flexibility is king

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) are options made available today, and is

considered one of the core factors to attract, nurture, and retain talent. With fixed

working hours, employees are forced to work in a rigid time frame and this can result in
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stress and hinders creativity and productivity output. Smart companies like Maybank,

Petronas, Pharmaniaga and Dell Malaysia offer some flexibility in their working hours.

Maybank introduced options for staffs to choose their preferred work schedule; flextime,

while Pharmaniaga implemented staggered hours with the option to commence office

hours at 8.00am, 8.30am and 9.00am. Dell Malaysia, offered hybrid flexible work

schedules, remote work or connected work model, and flexible time-off options to their

employees. Taking the latter as an example, in 2015, Dell Malaysia reported lower

attrition rates and an increase in employee work satisfaction with 92% of employees

surveyed felt positive towards the FWA provided. With technology advancement in

communications particularly, making use of the Internet, email, and the telephone,

telecommuting or working from home is an option in today’s workforce. Young digital

nomads even took this to a higher level of working while they travel around the world.

Thrives in a positive work culture

Being flexible is not only reflected in the flexible work hours and work location,

but in the broader sense which is the workplace environment. According Deloitte

Millennial Survey 2018 report, positive work culture is ranked as the most important

factor when choosing to work for an organization (Parmalee, 2018). A work environment

which is conducive and promotes sense of belonging and inclusion of each and every

one is very desirable for young these workers. The term diversity is the in-word in

today’s recruitment arena but one can’t have diversity without inclusion and belonging.

Even at the most diverse of organizations, workers will disengage and quit if they don’t

feel included and don’t feel like they belong at the work place (Reiley, 2018).
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Emergent Leaders

Millennials are maturing and will no longer the youngest in the office. Many from

this cohort are stepping into more pronounced leadership roles. Today, millennials hold

approximately 20% of all leadership roles, and that percentage is expected to grow

(Alton, 2017). As Gen Ys progress into emergent leaders they not only have to deal with

their superiors, but now they are also expected to guide newer employees. However, as

millennials emerge as middle managers, they’re facing unexpected leadership

challenges, namely in relation to communication and soft skills. Presumably, too much

social media is taking a toll on real-world social skills. According to a survey of more

than 1,000 people released in June 2016 by Bank of America, 39% of millennials admit

to interacting more with their phones than the actual people in their lives. This lack of

soft skills is alarming and therefore necessary steps need to be taken to resolve this. It

is now the responsibility of the organizations to provide appropriate trainings for these

emergent leaders and build their human capital. Gen Ys wants to learn and develop

thus employers must take a supportive role and positively shape this Gen Y with good

ethics, open communication and great leadership. Gen Ys are a cohort that thrives on

openness and transparency. Employers also should elevate efforts to continually create

a workplace that encourages social interactions its people.

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Suggestions on Motivating and Retaining Gen Y in the Organization

Whether Gen Ys are very much different than any other generations is not the

issue but the how we embrace the difference is main challenge. Organizations

specifically business leaders need to understand the millennial generation and work

together to attract and aspire the best of them.

1. Help millennials grow

Organizations need to fully understand the personal and professional aspirations of Gen

Ys. The traditional command-and-control leadership is no longer applicable and

managers should take on a more supportive role in guiding these young workers. At that

phase of life, young aspiring individuals tend to find someone that inspires them. A

manager who is encouraging, ethical and well-rounded can set a very good example for

these young workers. Alternatively, mentoring programs can also be a good approach

as it allows opportunity for millennials to connect, collaborate, build their networks and

above all, innovate (Jenkins, 2017).

2. Encourage learning

Gen Ys want to develop themselves as much as possible and organizations should

encourage continuous learning (Elsbury, 2018). Trainings should be provided not

necessarily on the technical or job related knowledge, but also on soft skills for the

emergent leaders from Generation Y which evidently lack communication skills.

Trainings may add cost to the organization but think of it as an investment. The
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fundamental rule is; organizations should be built around developing their human

capital.

3. Let millennials advance faster

In the past, career advancement was based on seniority. However, the Gen Ys disagree

as they value results over tenure (Jenkins, 2017). This may be perceived as Gen Ys

being impatient nonetheless, for those top performing young workers who have the

potential to take on more responsibility, why not let them? Organizations can study and

evaluate how best to provide some sort of a career ladder for younger workers to

pursue. Organizations can add in more levels or grades to meet the expectations of

these young workers.

4. Give frequent feedbacks

Managers can adopt giving their employees regular feedbacks highlighting their positive

contributions or improvements that they can apply. Giving frequent feedbacks is

important because managers can evaluate and respond in real-time. 41% of millennials

want to be recognized monthly (or preferably, more) for the good work that they are

doing (Wormley, 2015). Gen Ys value honest and timely feedback as they want to know

how they are doing much more regularly. With this in place, annual appraisal routine will

be irrelevant and ineffective.

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5. Incorporate emerging technology

Providing the right tool for employees to work with is essential and with technology

advancement, work can be done in a smarter and more efficient manner. Young

workers are tech-savvy and they work well with technology. The digital world is rapidly

advancing in line with the fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0 where automation,

machine learning and artificial intelligence are extensively integrated. Organizations

that do not embrace this trend will have a disadvantage when competing with other

businesses in attracting and retaining the young workers (Steward, 2016).

6. Cultivate positive workplace culture

According to Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018, 57% millennial workers said that positive

work culture is the most important factor when choosing to work at for an organization

(Parmalee, 2018). Organizations should provide a platform for millennials to build

relationship with other workers including their managers and peers. Millennials today

are too involved in technology and their mobile phones that they spend less time

building relationships. This may seem trivial but for one to feel that he or she belong,

and able to connect and work with others, one need to first, build in a relationship.

Simon Sinek, a notable author of the book “”Leaders Eat Last”, motivational speaker

and organizational consultant said that there should not be mobile phones in the

meeting room as they are a distraction that hinders people to connect, ironically (Sinek,

2014). Companies like Google, Netflix and Amazon provide break rooms with billiard

tables and bean bags not only for employees to relieve stress but mainly for their

employees to have a space to interact with one another.

 A CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON GEN Y WORKERS

Figure 6. The Millennial Workers’ Wish List 2018.

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7. Give meaningful rewards and benefits

The most fundamental mean of motivation for employees is certainly cash or monetary

rewards. Though good pay or increment in salary may be a strong factor in motivating

and retaining the millennial employees, intangible rewards are often the jackpot

(Wormley, 2015). According to Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018, 51% millennial workers

said that financial rewards and benefits is the second most important factor (after

positive work culture) when choosing to work at for an organization (Parmalee, 2018).

Reward strategies need to be creatively planned out as to compliment the needs on gen

Y workers. For example, offering benefits that support employees’ well-being is both

essential and attractive to the stressed-out, sleep-deprived millennials.

8. Set millennials free

Juggling many hats in life, millennials seek flexibility. They do well with clear instructions

and concrete aims. Successful companies adopt Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) to

give employees the freedom in terms of work schedule and work location or work from

home. Having flexi work hour policy implemented, allows employees to adjust their work

schedule to suit his or her needs. Although telecommuting or work from home or

working remotely may not apply for all types of jobs but employers should research on

how to implement a suitable FWA policy at particular workplace. Benefits of

implementing FWA is aplenty including increase in employees’ work satisfaction,

increase productivity and definitely a motivating factor in attracting the young workers

and retaining them. From a study by Zenefits HR Services Company in early June 2018,

73% of employees said that flexible work arrangements increase their work satisfaction
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77% of employees consider flexible work arrangements a major factor when evaluating

future work opportunities (Noyes, 2018).

9. Provide the sense of purpose

Millennials wants to make an impact and it is the responsibility of the employer to give

them a sense of purpose in what they do at work. By instilling a sense of mission into

one’s work, tasks take on a whole new perspective and no longer a burden. Employees

find deeper purpose in even the most mundane job because it makes a difference to

others. According to Laszlo Bock, Former Senior Vice President of People Operations

at Google, “Giving employees a sense of purpose has benefits beyond retention”,

(Bock, 2015). In 2014, Deloitte conducted a study entitled, “Culture of Purpose: A

Business Imperative” and they found out that Organizations that emphasize not only on

financial goals but also in instilling a deep sense of purpose among their worker are

more likely to attain long term success.

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Conclusion

Today, millennials made up of about 35% of the global work force and the numbers

are increasing and by 2020, Generation Y will be the majority of the workforce. Every

generation has its own characteristics which formed its strengths and weaknesses. It is

therefore important for businesses to fully understand the personal and professional

goals of Gen Ys so that organizations can plan strategies that compliment these young

workers’ needs. Generation Y is a creative and dynamic generation, and the best of

them are difficult to find and even harder to keep. The cream of the crop is already in

high demand and employers that meet their expectations will have an edge from this

pool of talent. At present, millennials are embarking into managerial level positions and

it’s up to organizations as a whole to help them become strong managers and influential

voices in their companies. Millennials have very different perspectives about work and

employers should recognize this and embrace the challenges. There is a considerable

gap between what Gen Ys expect from their employer and career and what they

experience at the workplace. The challenge is in closing this gap in efforts to motivate

and retain aspiring Gen Y workers in the organization.

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References

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2) Bock, L. (2015). Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How

You Live and Lead. Twelve. Edition 1

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