With any number of books and articles available on the topic of the Millenials, or Generation Y, as the youngest generation of workers is known, as well as coverage by such highly visible institutions as the Society for Human Resources Management and television’s 60 Minutes, employers have a wealth of resources available to them. However, given the frequency with which we hear about this topic from our engineering and architecture firm clients, HR Advisors Group decided to query young design professionals directly about what motivates them in their careers. Therefore, we launched Future Leaders Focus, a survey of nearly 1,000 young engineering and architectural consulting professionals across the U.S.

Future Leaders Focus 2007 are today’s young engineers that much different from their older colleagues? Do they really have such unique priorities and work ethics? The Millennials certainly think so: Over 70% of them say they have differing personal priorities than older generations—which should come as no surprise, given their different stage in life. But nearly 90% of the Millennials surveyed say that younger generations approach their work differently than older generations.

Most important to successful relationships with Gen Y—or any generation in the workplace—is open and frequent communication. Only when your employees understand what you expect of them and what you are willing to do in exchange for their performance can they meet—and exceed—those expectations. We recommend the following:

• Be a Mentor. Although career development opportunities were their number one priority, fewer than 40% of the Millennials have a mentor at work. As busy as senior staff are today, their coaching and mentoring nevertheless provide the guidance that the younger generations need and want in order to grow and to take over the reins as we Baby Boomers retire; this investment of time engenders loyalty. Mentoring is a winning proposition for everyone at the firm.

• Establish Career Paths. When this population joins a company, they want to see where their careers can progress in the future. Employers should define and communicate career ladders to employees and prospects, and explain and model what it takes to achieve each rung.

• Talk About It. Only about a third of the Millennials surveyed report that their company’s leaders have addressed generational differences among employees. At the very least, you should ask your own workers if this is an issue for them and find out why. Talk about the topic in staff meetings or at casual lunch-and-learns. You might even charter an intergenerational committee at your company to promote multi-age activities and communication, and to advise on recruiting, training and development, and employee relations and retention issues.

In working with our clients on HR issues, mentoring, career development and communication continue to stand out as important areas to focus on within their firms. What the younger generations are telling us is that they are interested in working for your firms but they need guidance and direction on how to position themselves in your organizations to help you be successful. In what ways has your firm addressed this topic?

Would you like a free copy of the Future Leaders Focus 2007 survey results?

What have you been thinking about?
Contact me at bhirwin@hradvisorsgroup.com and let’s discuss your potential.