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How to Train the Class of 2008
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As the baby boom generation heads toward retirement, and Generation Y starts working, businesses realize that training and developing a new generation of employees requires a much different approach from anything they’ve done before.
Most companies expend a considerable amount of resources recruiting new staff members, and the problem they face isn’t recruitment but rather it is retention. Today’s college grads are a new breed of workers; they rely more on social skills and social media. They are less likely to have the attention span to read an employee handbook. In addition, long-term employment to these Gen Y-ers usually means one to two years, unlike the baby boomers who retired after working for their first and only employer for 25 to 30 years.
This new crop of talent utilizes technologies and applications that had previously been used for social networking and interaction. Applications like instant messaging, blogs, wikis and other interactive media allow ‘millennials’ to connect with peers, gain instant access to resources and communicate with each other via methods that easily surpass the speed of even email.
Millennials have a different idea of what comprises a desirable work environment. Gone are the days of ties and wing-tip shoes. Gen Y-ers have entered a work force of jeans and polo shirts. The casual nature of the workplace entices millennials with an environment that resembles the familiar, casual atmosphere that they are accustomed to via internships or college work programs.
Millennials expect ongoing intellectual enrichment and challenges. Learning is not a benefit to be earned. It is a part of the expectations of employment. They want to know that what they learn today will help them long term in their careers. If a lesson doesn’t seem like useful training for future endeavors then it’s not worth participating; training is seen as a benefit, but only if it is approached correctly. Additionally, millennials do not regard training as a solitary event that occurs every six months. They’re ready and eager to pick up bits of knowledge on the go, on a continual basis. They understand that learning is not just in a classroom or taken via any kind of course. Learning is empowering them to find answers at the moment of need, regardless of format or modality. Employers have a unique opportunity to capitalize on this desire by playing to the strengths of Gen Y-ers.
Most new hires are accustomed to a very interactive, digital lifestyle. Millennials grew up with constant audio-video stimuli. They are accustomed to receiving and disseminating information from multiple sources simultaneously. Composing an email, texting a friend and instant messaging at the same time is a normal occurrence. In fact, multitasking is not a skill that millennials learn; it is a facet of their personalities; an extension of how they interact in the world.
Innovation in today’s workplace learning means a lot more than PowerPoint presentations, printed handouts and one-way lectures. Millennials expect and thrive on engaging learning experiences, whether they take place in the classroom or online. Early exposure to the sophisticated programming techniques of television and video games has left them with high expectations for all forms of communication. Employers that communicate via highly produced, interactive media and incorporate social media applications into their work culture are those that grab millennials’ attention first.
Employers can address this need by supplementing static training with simulations and other forms of learning that requires active participation. Virtual classroom sessions can be used to bring together groups of learners, allowing for interaction and discussion of topics that previously had been covered in online self-study. Although the primary goal of training is knowledge, not entertainment; interspersing multimedia learning that incorporates audio and video will not only grab but also hold their attention.
While the Gen Y-ers saw their parents go to work from 9 – 5, the new generation of worker expects a more flexible work schedule. Working from home, avoiding long commutes and high gas prices, entices the next generation of workers, as does flexible work hours. In the world of multi-national corporations and a disbursed work force, working with peers who are in different time zones is now common. Allowing millennials to work more in sync with these foreign peers encourages diversity and shared knowledge throughout the organization.
This generation is on its handheld devices nearly 24x7 and has no problem with the “virtual leash.” You can often find a table full of Gen Y-ers all on their handheld devices, not speaking to each other at all. On the contrary, staying connected is imperative. They want to remain as informed as possible and take pride in the immediate access they have to peers and information. Employers can take advantage of this trend, providing learning experiences on demand via mobile devices. This could be a section of an e-learning course, a specific chapter within a reference work or a brief video by a high-profile expert.
Podcasts provide another effective mechanism for learning on the go. Information on business issues, trends and initiatives can be downloaded to laptops, iPods and other MP3 players for quick and easy consumption. This allows employees to glean new knowledge during commutes or anytime that’s convenient. Learning cannot and should not be an isolated event. Rather, it should become an inherent part of the workday that is easily accessible via multiple electronic devices. This affords employees the flexibility to select, “cafeteria-style,” the exact combination of information resources they need for the work at hand, ensuring understanding of job requirements, improved job performance and greater employee satisfaction.
Millennials tend to work well in teams and define success in terms of team rather than individual achievements. Team dynamics play a large role in college classrooms and therefore translate easily into the workplace. Perhaps this is why many seek to also gain “soft skills,” or better communication and corporation skills, to help them to be a better team player. Utilizing engaging, online courses that hone these business skills is imperative. For example, millennials could be engaged with and benefit from multimedia vignettes where employees can freely navigate a simulated workplace — complete with virtual colleagues, ringing telephones and documents on the desktop — to analyze and solve business problems.
Ultimately, the goal is to provide rich, pleasing learning experiences that stimulate employees and make them comfortable and allow them to grow. Training no longer needs to be a chore associated with a negative stigma, but rather, it should be viewed as an added benefit in the workplace that aids and assists everyone. Something to keep in mind with millennials is that they consume learning in smaller, more frequent “bites.” Those who accept, embrace and implement tactics to keep millennials engaged, stimulated and informed will be more effective at sustaining a knowledgeable, younger work force that will help aid the corporation as a whole.
John Ambrose is the Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Development and Emerging Business for SkillSoft.
