Involving Generation Y – Generation Y seems much more independent and hard to involve. How do we overcome this?

This all comes down to engaging them in ways that they find attractive. After all, aren’t we all that way? Many Millennials (or Generation Y) are stimulation junkies who have come of age hearing that what ever they do should be entertaining and stimulating. With the influence of television, video games and other electronic entertainment over the years, young people have become increasingly dependent on external stimulation to guide their lives. Is it any wonder, for instance, that a teenager who watches TV in the morning, plays video games throughout the day, texts her friends, and even completes her homework on a computer would be bored from the get-go when ask to fold a pile of sweaters, shelve books or serve endless meals to endless fast-food customers? While work environments and employees can vary widely, there are some universal strategies that can be applied to encourage involvement. 1) Teach them about the business. How does the place make money? How do you make decisions about marketing, purchasing, sales and so on? 2) Initiate some competitions. Who can fold T-shirts the fastest? Who can carry a tray of beverages the furthest? Who can build the most effective display? 3) Ask for their input. What’s a better solution? How can we increase point-of-purchase sales? How can we save money? You have to decide which ones work best in your environment. For a great example of all this, check out the January 21, 2008 post on Bob Wendover’s blog.