Generation Y or Gen Y employees are born between 1981 and 1995. This segment of the employee population includes entry level workers that are new university grads as well as employees that have been in the work force 15 years or more. To design training for entry level workers, middle managers or young executives, it is important to consider the values of this generation and how they impact learning and professional development choices.
Characteristics of Gen Y
Gen Y is considered the nurtured generation. Gen Y employees have a high tolerance for diversity, are optimistic, collaborative, open-minded and driven. They have a sense of entitlement and indispensability. Gen Y’s attention span is short due to the advent of technology and instant gratification. They are interested in technology and its applications. Gen Y wants to understand the big corporate picture – strategy, goals, and values. Gen Y strives for success and takes time to define their career path.
Values of Gen Y
Gen Y chooses a company or organization based on a correlation between corporate and personal values. Gen Y prefers a flat organization where they will be heard and open doors give them the freedom to talk to upper management. Gen Y enjoys clear goals and direction and prefers a management style that respects their knowledge but at the same time guides their career development. Gen Y have a strong desire to work in teams and will form teams at will.
Implications on Training Design
Gen Y is tech savvy and their love of technology allows them to adapt to technological advances of training design. Gen Y is responsible for the serge in online training. Discussion forums, instant messaging, blogging and emailing are not only expected in training design it is becoming an integral part of the design. These communication tools allow for collaboration.
If the course or workshop is to be taught face to face, then create a mixed mode of delivery by storing supplemental exercises, assignments or information on a web site. The design can include pre or post work such as an email writing assignment, online quiz or internet research project.
Keep lessons and messages short. Repeat key messages. Create modules and sub-modules to ensure that the information is delivered in bites. Allow for review and for modules to be taken out of sequence for best results.
Discussions and group projects will appeal to Gen Y. Be careful to design the training so that each group member has an equal role to play. To ensure that the projects are realistic in scope, review the topic description or outline with participants before they begin working on the project. Assigning a senior manager as a mentor and a project guide will also appeal to Gen Y.
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