Friends,



What New Generation Want From Work?



What Young & New Generation Want From Work? Are Job 4 comfort but Experience 2 Less...





Today's young generation or a fresh graduate is looking to enter the corporate world and aspiring to make a mark in it.



I am not really an HR veteran, but my observation of today’s youth is that they are more agile than we were when we started out starry eyed and idealistic.



The next Generation is focused and knows what they want from their life personally and professionally. They are no longer looking for ‘just a job’ but a career.



They are dynamic and willing to take risks by choosing the road less travelled. They are realistic individuals, unafraid about pursuing a career in photography, artistry or film, and not just the traditional streams of accounting, law, medicine and engineering. They demand nothing short of excellence from themselves, and those around them.



The Young generation will not settle for a job of comfort, or for an experience less than the best.



You would wonder, is it too much to ask for- a great job description, job satisfaction and enough money to take home? The answer would have to be in the negative because Gen Y is willing to work hard and stretch themselves to newer limits at times placing their personal life on the back seat.



This explains the growing trend that we have observed of young managers who are quick to climb the ladder, and early to retire. The mantra of work long, retire short has indeed found many followers.



HR managers would argue that the ideal mean is to strike a balance between work and play, but more often than not, the employees of today choose one over the other in a hurry to grow.



So we come to the key question:



what do people really want from their work?



The modern age employee’s career would typically depend on his own choice and preference but my experience with peers, employees and friends has led me to believe that there are some parameters that emerge as the key reasons why an employee would either love or hate his job.



Love thy job: I recently met my friend’s son who completed his post graduation in media. Knowing very little about the field, I asked him about his plans for the future, and was quite surprised when he said that he was on his way to becoming a radio jockey!



The ‘why’ was simple he enjoyed it.



The question of whether this would be something he wants to do for the rest of his life would come later, but right now he wanted to fulfill his need of doing something he was truly passionate about.



It might sound clichéd but it will always hold true pick a job that you love and you won’t have to work a single day in your life!



Fun and Respect: The fun aspect is somewhat similar to loving thy job, but with a slight difference. Just because you love your work, does not necessarily mean that your workplace is a fun place. This is where a company’s policies take centrestage.



An environment which brings in an element fun in its approach allows for fresh ideas to be generated and makes the work more enjoyable. It also acts as an extremely useful retention tool. That said, a workplace that respects its every employee, and treats them justly and fairly will always find that it will have loyal people.



Self-respect leads to self-discipline, and when you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power.”



Creativity: The sky is the limit for a man’s imagination. Employees need a ground to express their creativity to fulfill one of the most important needs self actualization. Your work should give you a chance to display your true creative self in front of teams/clients alike.



Acknowledgment: Voltaire has rightly said ‘Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.’ At times, all it takes for an employee to stay around is a simple ‘Thanks’ or ‘Good Job’ from the company.



Let’s face it: no one wants a thankless job. Appreciation for a work well done is one of the strongest motivators for a person to excel at his work and also keeps the employee loyal to the company. This fact holds true for people across all levels and functions.



Stability: Once the basic self realization requirements are met, employees want stability and security at workplace. Work will get even more demanding once they move higher in the hierarchy and at that point, the one factor that will act as a binding force to the company will be the level of security they get from the company.



It is at that point that the employee looks for a silent assurance from the company that it considers them an integral part of their system.



Good culture: The ‘modern age employee’ is a team player but still wants to maintain his own individuality within the workplace.



However, since he constantly needs to work in synergy with his team, co-workers, subordinates ‘Bosses’, and the basic work culture makes a lot of difference. Fairness in working, an apolitical environment, an understanding and empathetic team are some parameters that constitute a good work culture.



Growth Opportunities: A stagnant job might as well be a dead end to your career and the new age employee knows that. Gone are the times when employees joined a company and finally retired from it after serving decades of loyal service.



Today’s employees know that change is the only constant and a dynamic and challenging job guarantees that. This is when a company’s ‘job rotation’ techniques could be put to task.



Constant learning and development :The recession today has highlighted one major aspect of human resources – Learning, Training and Development.



A number of companies emphasize on the necessity of training and development, but only recently have they acknowledged its importance to the HR function. L&D acts as a tool for companies to gain a competitive edge among its peers, while simultaneously contributing to employee satisfaction and development.



Monetary benefits: Some work for fun, the rest work for money! At the end of a hard day’s work, the modern age employee just wants to sink into a comfortable chair, enjoy the company of his friends and relax. Money certainly adds to that comfort, and helps provide that luxury.



So while fun and learning are important, it is perhaps opportune to end this by saying that Rich or poor, it’s always good to have money!



Regards



Mr Dixit