Reducing Turnover in Young Employees
Too many of your young employees jumping ship?
Don’t just chalk it off to the “generation gap” – do something about it!
Retaining young stars for your organization presents a unique set of challenges, because their values and priorities are different from those of previous generations. Notably, young employees don’t feel the same sense of loyalty to employers, and they’re more comfortable with change (yes, that includes job change) than their older counter parts.
So once you bring young workers into the fold, how can you keep them on your team? Today, PrideStaff shares four tips for reducing turnover in young employees:
Increase accountability. According to a recent Inc.com post, 61% of 18-29 year-old employees find it “considerably annoying” when management “passes the buck.” Furthermore, due to their age and relative inexperience, young workers may lack confidence in their abilities. Build more accountability into your organizational and management processes, so that younger employees get the answers and feedback they need to perform their jobs well.
Provide continual learning opportunities. Generations Y and Z have grown up in an age of rapid change, which has fostered their innate need to continually acquire new knowledge. If young workers can’t meet that need within your organization, they won’t hesitate to look for opportunities elsewhere. Make sure you provide ample opportunities, both formal and informal, for young employees to build their skills and knowledge within your company. Ideas include: pairing them with mentors; cross-training and job-sharing; informal educational lunches; and classroom-style training from industry experts.
Meet their need for work/life satisfaction. Finding the right mix of work and play is a significant driver of retention among Millennials, as well as Generations Y and Z. If you provide the balance younger workers crave, they’ll be less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. While it may not be practical for all job roles, consider ways to improve schedule flexibility and permit telecommuting when possible, to meet young workers’ need for flexibility.
Develop long-term career paths for them. Put yourself in your young employees’ shoes. If you didn’t see a promising future with your employer, would you look for a better opportunity elsewhere? Most high-performing young workers aren’t solely motivated by money or fancy job titles. They want real opportunities to grow professionally and enhance their marketability.
Meet with promising young employees individually to create clear paths for them that align with your organizational goals, provide ample advancement opportunities and ultimately improve retention.
Staffing Support: An Indispensible Retention Tool
Another great way to reduce turnover? Provide the support your direct employees need. PrideStaff provides flexible staffing services to alleviate the stress that position vacancies, special projects, fluctuating workloads or tight deadlines can cause your team. Contact your local PrideStaff office today to learn more.
