What the research shows about Generation Y
Many surveys and studies on Generation Y (individuals born between approximately 1980 and 1995, earlier or later in some definitions) indicate that, as a group, there are a number of characteristics they tend to display that employers should be aware of when hiring and managing these individuals.
Specifically, research has shown that more than any other generation in the workforce, workers from Generation Y (Gen Yers) tend to:
- Anticipate changing jobs frequently (with some research showing more than half of Gen Yers anticipate changing jobs every 2 years).
- Be much more likely to move to a new job if their needs for challenge and career development are not met.
- Have high expectations of their employers, including work-life balance, challenge, high salaries, career advancement and flexibility.
- Apply for jobs in non-traditional ways, including via social networking tools such as Twitter and supplying applications relying on technology.
Recent research has shown they are also more likely, up to twice as likely as Baby Boomers, to apply for jobs with no intention of taking them, to improve their interview skills and test the job market.
Of course, in every generation there are individuals who move jobs frequently, have high expectations from their employers, submit creative job applications and who are continually interested in looking around the job market.
What are the implications
Recruiting and training employees can be very costly to organisations, as is losing valuable skills and knowledge when employees leave. So it is important to ensure that effort is being put into those individuals who are most likely to be serious about their job application and as employees to put their best efforts forward, maintain some level of loyalty to the organisation and to value their own contribution to the organisation just as highly as the organisation’s contribution to their careers.
Navigating the complex world of non-traditional job applications can also be a challenge, especially to a non-Gen Y manager!
What can be done
Many of these issues can be minimised or negated by adding psychometric testing to the job selection mix. This is because:
- Psychometric tests don’t lie: an individual may be able to ‘wow’ a prospective employer with an interesting looking, high tech job application, but psychometric testing can help confirm whether there is any substance to the claims made.
- Psychometric tests are specific: you can choose to assess those skills/attitudes of most importance to the role, ranging from personality, to work safety attitudes, to fluid intelligence.
- They can sort out the ‘real applicants’: individuals who are not serious about a job or who don’t anticipate staying with an organisation for very long are less likely to want to undertake psychometric testing.
- They can be used as a ‘screener’: they can be the first step in a recruitment process and only those individuals with the right skills and attitudes as revealed by the tests can be offered an interview. This saves time and money on inappropriate candidates.
RightPeople has a range of cognitive ability tests, specific skills measures, personality assessments and other measures that are applicable to all job levels. They are in a user-friendly online format, and reports with details of scores and interpretative information will be compiled and emailed to the organisation in a short time-frame.
Being online they are even likely to appeal to the Gen Y candidate!
Contact us today to find out more about how our psychometric testing can help your organisation get the best out of its candidates and employees.
