What is driving this Gen Y trend? 

What does seem to be the trend is for people to be moving towards having more than one career, with some people having a second or even third career. The key is that people have transferable skills and are prepared to transfer them! 

They feel they have more choice and put that into practice, taking more responsibility for shaping their own careers and being mobile rather than setting out to stay with one employer. They may stick in one industry, but they may not. They see more opportunities for themselves.

Is Gen Y viewed with suspicion by employers?

I think suspicion would be the wrong word. There is a recognition that this group are clearer about what they want and they are more likely to go for it and take action to ensure they get it. For example they are more concerned about work/life balance – it's important to them and employers have to respect that. There is no way employees can cut them out – they are their new pool of potential employees.

What do you make of these divas who want it all?

That’s making a huge assumption! It comes back to the previous answer. Gen Y know what they want, and that includes work/life balance.  They are happy to work very hard, and also want to have time outside work. Balance is important to them. They also have more sense of their own worth and are more prepared to move to get what satisfies them. Employers need to adjust to this as they have made many adjustments to changes in the workforce composition before. 

Is Gen Y more demanding, lazier and greedier than their predecessors?

No, not at all. What they are is clearer about the work/life balance and the purpose of work. They may be less likely to “live to work” and more likely to “work to live.”

Do you think employers are set up to cope with the demands of Gen Y?

Some are and some aren’t. It really rather depends on the culture of any particular company or organisation. Some will have very flexible systems in place, be honed in talent management and be happy to respond to changes in the marketplace. One could argue Gen Y will most likely be very good workers because they understand the need for balance and are less likely to burn out. 

How important is it for employers to get their talent management strategy right

Very important. They have to understand Gen Y behaviours, but also to understand behaviours more generally as this is just the latest trend.  It's crucial for any thriving organisation to look at all current trends, keep up-to-date and respond accordingly. This time it is Gen Y but groups and trends change. 

Previous examples where employers have needed to rethink their talent management strategies to ensure they recruit/retain to have the best workforce possible include women returners, people with disabilities, adopting flexible working patterns etc. Adaptability has been, and is, important!

How should employers prepare themselves now to cope with Gen Y?

Employers need to be flexible so they can respond appropriately to the prevalent patterns of the time. Evolution is crucial for any company and their recruitment, retention and staff development practices are as much part of that as anything else.

How does Gen Y's influence impact on Gen X and Baby boomers?

While many of the Gen X workers will still be around the 50s and 60s baby boomers are either retired, retiring or will retire soon and so employers will have to turn to Gen Y. Accommodating their younger staff within a more diverse workforce is not a new phenomenon. 

There have always been such challenges and this is just the latest group of people and categorisation we have given to them. Of course there are differences and some employers respond positively to dealing with changing demands, evolving workforces, and working with varied talents.