Literature Review

Generation Y

Known also as Generation Y, Nexters, and Echo Boomers, members of the latest generation in the workforce were born between 1981 and 2000, witnessed formative events such as the birth of the internet, Columbine, and 9/11, and are characterised by a notion that they are destined to accomplish great things and to make a difference in the world (Martin and Tulgan, 2001). The parents of Millennials, reacting to their own latch-key childhood, reassumed an authoritative role, coddling their children, and instilling a conventional and civic-minded value system (Strauss and Howe, 1991; Zemke et al., 2000).

Millennials regard jobs as primarily a means to build a career resume´ (Howe and Strauss, 2000) and lack long-term attachment or commitment to the organisation. This challenges managers to motivate workers beyond the bare minimum task requirements, leading to the possibility of using workplace fun to motivate this group (Karl et al., 2008). Millennials exhibit citizenship behaviour in their lives, but not necessarily in the organisation (Zemke et al., 2000). As they regard their organisations as a means to an end, and not the end in itself (Zemke et al., 2000), workplace fun may help strengthen Millennials’ perspectives toward the organisation as well as toward individuals within it. Millennials are flexible, fun, and team-oriented (Hill, 2004; Howe and Strauss, 2000). They loathe cynicism, sarcasm, unfairness, condescension, and boredom (Raines, 2003). Unlike Boomers, who may oppose workplace fun, and Xers who may be indifferent to workplace fun, Millennials are likely to regard fun in the workplace not as a benefit, but a requirement.

Gen Yers do want clear directions and managerial support, but they also demand the freedom and flexibility to get the task done in their own way, at their own pace. Yers love to be given the results you want and the freedom to figure out the process to achieve them. However, there’s another, seemingly contradictory, dimension to Gen Yers’ independent streak: a desire for collaboration. They work well alone, but they work better together. Since Yers–much more so than Xers– are accustomed to team play, you may also hear things like: ‘‘Can I get some assistance with this project from Bill in accounting.’’ ‘‘Who else has experience doing this task so I can shorten the learning curve?’’ ‘‘Who can I get to help me?’’

Graduate Employability

Harvey and Contributors (2003) suggest that a more complex picture is emerging, both with respect to new and emerging graduate occupations and also graduate expectations. In a recent study from HESA (2006) it was noted that less than 60 per cent of graduates enter full time work, whilst others may opt for further study to enhance their prospects and that increasingly graduates put off the search for a graduate level job and choose to engage in voluntary work or travel instead. Additionally, according to Browning (2005), of those that do enter full-time graduate level employment many are looking for their next role or considering the next career step before their basic induction is completed. As reported in the Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Survey (CIPD, 2005), the main reasons why people leave employment are a desire for promotion and lack of career development; pay being relatively less important, although graduates may now be in a different position as a result of their debt burden. Browning (2005) also highlights that 70 per cent of employees are looking for more meaning at work and a more positive working culture.

Employers Views

From the employers views, the issues are graduate remuneration, skills and competences. Widespread changes in the environment, for example, an increasing need for flexibility and customer responsiveness may ultimately mean that employers have reduced resources available to devote to the general development of employees, including new graduates. This problem may be exacerbated in SMEs given their fundamentally different management practices, processes and attitudes to training and development in comparison to larger organisations (Storey, 1994; Thomas, 1998). The SME sector may find it increasingly difficult to match graduate expectations, particularly in relation to pay and pensions.

Skills and Knowledge

Employers must pay attention to the fit between graduates’ expectations of the work place and what they actually experience in order to ensure they remain satisfied (Westerman and Yamamura, 2007). In terms of training and development this means giving Millennials the kind of development experience they want and need to feel secure – even in an insecure economy – thereby harnessing training and development as a retention tool (Dolezalek, 2007) as well as one that enhances their CV (Hira, 2007). It also means giving them the kinds of development activities which reinforce the culture described above so that they become and stay engaged with the organisation. Failure to do so could have serious implications for organisational effectiveness as more and more Generation Y graduates enter the workplace and lever their position through sheer numbers and skills.