Least happy, but rising to challenges - the changing face of Gen Y staff

By Sarah Michael THEY'RE among the least happy staff, but more willing to go the extra mile at work. Meet the Gen Y worker.

Gen Y worker

THEY'RE some of the least happy employees, but more willing to go above and beyond their duty: meet the modern face of Gen Y employees.

They might have a bad rep as the “lazy generation”, but new research suggests Gen Y just wants to be challenged.

If they are stretched, they are willing to go beyond the basics of what their job requires.

Mercer’s What’s Working survey, released today, found 52 per cent of workers aged 25-34 report they are “seriously considering” leaving their current job, compared with 40 per cent of Australian workers overall.

The survey also found Gen Y is the least likely to be satisfied with the type of job they do. 

Younger workers like a challenge and take a “zig zag” approach to career progression, Ms Henry said.

“They will move sideways to do a job where they’ll learn new skills which may then give them a promotion into a different area then they were in,” she said. “For them it’s actually about learning new skills and being challenged.”

As research shows the cost of replacing an employee lies somewhere between 25 and 200 per cent of the leaver’s salary. So as Gen Y workers start to become more knowledgable and senior in the workforce, employers might want to start working harder to keep their younger staff.

Avril Henry, author of the book Inspiring Tomorrows Leaders Today: Breaking Down Generational Barriers at Work, said younger workers need growth opportunities.

“[T]he important thing is that the growth opportunity can be in a completely different business unit doing different work. Because they actually are adaptable and like change,” she said.

Ms Henry said Gen Y also wants to know how the work they do contributes to the business overall.

“Some of the key questions that Gen Y would ask are ‘Why do you want me to do this?’, ‘Why does it have to be done in that time frame?’ and the really bold Gen Ys will even ask the question ‘Why do we even do this at all?’” she said.

“Answering their questions without patronising them and treating them with respect goes a long way.”

Gen Y workers are most of a flight risk because they’re not as motivated by job or financial security as older workers, she said.

“A Gen Y will leave a job they’re not happy in without another job to go to,” she said.

“The number one and number two motivation for Baby Boomers and older workers is job security and financial security, so they don’t change jobs unless they’ve got another job to go to and they’ve already signed the employment contract.”

The survey found employees aged 55-64 are more satisfied with the type of work they do and are less likely to leave, but feel they are being overlooked for career opportunities.

Employers “unintentionally discriminate” against older workers and don’t tend to invest in people late in their career, said Catriona Byrne, creative director of aging workforce experts SageCo.

“Our advice is that they should, you know why couldn’t you at 50 or 55 be considering a slight change in your career, or developing a new skill, or taking your knowledge and working in a different industry?” she said.

Baby Boomers tend to be more loyal than younger workers, Ms Byrne said.

“You’d be better off employing someone who’s 50, who might stay for 15 years, rather than employ someone young who might stay for two,” she said.

The Mercer What’s Working survey questioned 1000 working Australians.