By the end of 2011 60% of our population will be Gen Y and while this continues to be our target market for future recruitment, we need to focus on retaining and attracting more experienced people. In order to engage with the Gen Y population in London, Asia and Australia we have had to adapt our strategy around attraction and retention. Our Academy programme in Australia had a targeted campaign geared around social media. Through Facebook, LinkedIn and our careers website we have spread the Ambition message through promotional video media and targeted advertising.With our staff communicating more and more through social media we have invested heavily in a new global Intranet, with more interactive features enabling our people to communicate with ease across the group. We are continuously developing our attraction and retention strategy and we have found that all generations, regardless of age are moving with the times and engaging through social media and networking.
Attraction of a diverse workforce is well served by recruitment using a variety of channels, not just traditional agency adverts, but also online though the company website, and using more fashionable methods such as social media. Building an employer brand can begin long before potential recruits reach working age, for example by offering educational items with suitable logos to schools and colleges, and by advertising in publications aimed at specific age groups. Reaching potential employees has strong parallels with reaching consumers of all ages – one size definitely doesn’t fit all.Retention presents similar challenges, even during tough time for jobs and the economy at large. The best people are always in demand. Few companies can afford to employ ‘coasters’ or even too many employees who are merely OK. Strong performance management and a genuine commitment to employee engagement and open communication will reap dividends.
HR are often advised to address employee engagement and retention challenges by identifying employee attitudes about career preferences, development opportunities and tenure expectations. These aspects are also important in attracting cross-generational talent and one important communication medium is the employer brand. Is your organisation presented as a great place to work for potential applicants of all ages and is there provision of a relevant package of economic and psychological benefits for the life of the employment relationship for all? Producing cross-generational value propositions (promises to potential and current employees) which suit the greatest number of people is difficult. What promises might different generational groups look for from you as an employer? Does your employer branding strategy provide for such multiple expectations? Does your ‘headline promise’ translate across generations? Does your employment offering truly define the employment experience for all? Do you provide tangible evidence that makes your propositions credible to all? Such questions can help to integrate talent management and diversity in any organization.
Achieving greater flexibility in the structure, composition and application of the employment package has been an increasing priority in recent years, supporting and enabling a more individualised approach to the employer/employee relationship. This recognises that the workforce is not an homogeneous group and a “one size fits all approach” is no longer appropriate. In developing this, it is important to have a clear understanding of the key features that employees value and how these may vary according across and within the different generations. Increasing segmentation can help ensure the adopted approaches are relevant to particular employee needs and aspirations and that they are communicated in ways which enhance and develop awareness and understanding. By drawing together the different aspects of the employment offering into a coherent and integrated whole and then targeting these accordingly, it is possible to offer greater choice and ensure that the organisation can offer something that is valued by everyone.
The labour market is more diverse than ever and attuning to the needs, motivations, preferences and expectations of individuals is of vital. Organisations that fail to connect the talent and diversity agendas spoil their own chances of getting the right people into the bright jobs at the right time. Understanding, valuing and managing diversity is a business imperative. Organisations benefit from a better workforce balance and mix of experiences, ideas and perspectives - which are vital to good economic performance.While the evidence related to generational diversity shows that all age cohorts want different mixes of the same things and it is dangerous to stereotype on the basis of age nevertheless a major difference between the natural predisposition of most young people in comparison with older people is their facility regarding the use of technology and social networking. These are vital organizational skills for future prosperity. As vital as the customer service skills built up by the older generation. Such difference illustrate why a balanced work force is essential. There is no longer a trade- off between younger and older workers. Organisations need both. If your organisation is not addressing the diversity agenda you have a problem write large.
The key to attracting and retaining the different generations is to give employees options and choices that reflect their personal circumstances and life stage without assuming what is important to them. This methodology should be considered for all aspects of policy and practice that impact individuals. A prime example of this includes enabling everyone to have access to work flexibility that suits them, either from a time or location perspective. That is one issue that seems to bridge generational requirements. In practical terms, our benefits package has been designed in an inclusive manner and enables employees to choose the benefits that meet their current needs, be that child care vouchers, dental and health cover or gym membership. Our care package allows everyone to benefit from emergency and permanent care not only for child support but also for elder care and convalescence. The key is to ensure that attraction and retention is considered in a fully inclusive and holistic way to ensure all life stages are considered and catered for.
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