It has been long said that the new generations have different needs yet I can safely say as a leading organization development professional, that most employees I’ve met over the past few years, no matter what age, have very similar personal desires and needs.
Most importantly, employees want to have some flexibility to balance their life and work. Older employees for instance are often dealing with elder parent issues, others are dealing with teenager and university student issues, while younger workers simply want more flexibility to live, work and play.
They want switched on senior leaders who want to acquire, grow and improve the organization. They want to know how their work contributes to the overall goals of their organization and they want to be part of the success.
Employees want a organizational culture where there is open communication, trust, transparency and fairness demonstrated by managers at all levels of the organization. They want more of a role in decision making, they want to be able to innovate as well as take and be rewarded for calculated risks.
Even more importantly, these employees want to become continuous learners with opportunities to gain new skills, stretch their capabilities and try out new roles and responsibilities. They aren’t worried about titles yet they certainly want to be provided with fair market compensation and benefit package. Organizations will also have to keep up with the latest technology because these folks are computer savvy and want the latest tools in order to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness.
Bob Ebers, Founder
Workplace Stars
