Maybe you recently started a company, or maybe your business has been around for years and years. It’s not likely that you’re a stranger to the hiring process, but what happens after the hire is made and your employee begins work? Things may be fine for awhile, but maintaining that fire – otherwise known as employee engagement – is the key to consistent productivity, happy employees, and happy bosses.
It may sound like a simple task – there are plenty of resources out there on employee engagement! But consider the wide range of applicants that will be flooding your inbox – each one comes with a diverse background, personality, and generational difference. Each one will also be seeking different things from their experience with your business.
Do you know how to engage a 25 year-old employee? How about the 55 year-old employee that has been in the same job position for the past 20 years? While both of these applicants have their strengths, they certainly have their challenges as well.
We’ve been taught that employee engagement fits into a one-size-fits-all box, but that’s not always the case. What works for the younger generation is not likely to fly with the Baby Boomers.
In a recent article from the Alberta Venture, a picture is painted of three employee demographics you need to understand, and engage, to be successful. This article explains the strengths, weaknesses, and incentives for each employee, and truly helps businesses to understand how to best engage employees on an individual basis.
Let’s take a look at the 3 distinct categories and employee age groups:
- The Junior Employee (aka The Millennial): These are your under 30 employees; they’re social media savvy and seek a sense of purpose above all else. It can be hard to retain this type of employee, as they are looking for that ideal workplace culture. Junior Employees thrive on change and growth, and their current knowledge can really help your company flourish. Be careful though; those qualities of change and growth that we love may also cause them to switch jobs with substantial frequency.
- The Mid-Career Manager (aka Generation X): These 30-49 year old employees are often the foundation of a business. They work very hard and never pass up a chance to refresh their skills within a company. On the downside, mid-career employees can face burnout, and they often want flexibility. To keep this employee engaged, utilize their unique skills while offering them tailored programs and plans that work best for their individual personality.
- The Senior Executive (aka Baby Boomers): This category includes all employees that are 50+ and may be close to retirement. This employee wants to be heard, so your best bet is to be sure to document their knowledge and pass it down to the younger generations. It’s important to take stock of your senior employees and create a strong plan as they plan to leave the company.
As you can see, not all employees will do well with the same environment or management techniques. Take the time to learn how your employees thrive, and you will reap the benefits of much happier and more engaged workers.
For more details on making an ideal workplace for employees from any generation, visit the article, “Three employee demographics you need to understand, and engage, to be successful,” from the Alberta Venture – Canada’s top source for Alberta’s business news:
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