Tailoring your recruitment strategy to attract and retain multiple generation groups
Today’s workforce is becoming increasingly varied in terms of age. With many organisations employing people from up to four unique generation groups, it’s no surprise that a one-size-fits-all approach is rapidly going out of fashion.
Even more so when it comes to recruiting new candidates.
From Baby Boomers to Generation X, Millennials and Gen Z, there are a wide range of working styles, needs, traits and ambitions for employers to now consider.
Whilst recruiting for such an age-diverse workforce is certainly not without its challenges, we look beyond some of the stereotypes to provide you with practical guidance as to how you can attract and retain top talent from the three most distinct age groups.
Baby Boomers (born 1946 – 1964): The experienced accomplishers
Despite being the oldest generation currently in the workforce, many Baby Boomers will likely be in employment for at least another decade and due to their extensive work experience, they possess some of the most valuable skills. In fact, surveys have shown that around three-quarters of UK employers are bracing themselves for skills shortages when the Baby Boomer generation retires.
With a desire to continue learning and a wealth of knowledge, many Baby Boomers are in a prime position to become great leaders, consultants and mentors.
So why not kill two birds with one stone? Consider introducing a mentoring programme as an opportunity for this age group to enhance their skills by learning from, and training, other valued and younger employees.
That said, it’s worth keeping in mind that some members of this generation may be planning an imminent retirement, with their focus being more on doing their job efficiently so that they can go home to their loved ones. Offering flexible working hours or part-time options may be ways to cater for employees wishing to gradually wind down towards their retirement.
However, regardless of personal priorities, many Baby Boomers strive for the same thing as most other generations: stability in their role, for as long as they continue to be part of the workforce.
Top tactics for attracting Baby Boomer job candidates:
- Utilise a mix of advertising platforms – whilst mobile and desktop are now widely used by this generation group to search for vacancies online, print and radio are also still trusted sources.
- Be health and wellbeing conscious – healthcare benefits are becoming increasingly valuable to this ageing group and may be a key deal-breaker during the recruitment process.
- Lay to rest concerns about job security – sell your organisation’s history and its successes, leaving no doubt in candidates’ minds as to their future longevity with the company.
Millennials (born 1981 – 1996): The multi-tasking innovators
It’s no wonder that when many organisations begin mapping out their generational recruitment and retention strategies, they think of Millennials first. That’s because, by 2025, this group is expected to make up 75% of the working population.
When Millennials first started to enter the workplace, they rather disrupted the status quo. Business strategies across the board began to shift from a customer-centric to an employee-centric experience, with priorities focused more on development, transparency and a work-life balance.
Millennials are now amongst our greatest innovators, with their work smarter, not harder mentality, and value the ability to make meaningful contributions that utilise their unique skillsets. To engage with this ambitious generation, ensure you communicate your investment in continued professional development and take time to understand their long-term career goals from day one.
Likewise, consider the personal motivations of this age group. Many Millennials are starting families as well as caring for ageing parents, which is why flexibility becomes paramount. Whether this is in the form of working from home options or more flexible working hours, offering benefits that enable employees to strike a healthy work-life balance will lead to increased loyalty and a happier workforce overall.
Top tactics for attracting Millennial job candidates:
- Tout the company culture – high on the hit-list for Millennials, culture is becoming almost as important as the role itself, particularly on the social side where they can connect with their colleagues and also get involved in charitable initiatives.
- Add value with benefits – what can you offer over the competition? Remote working options, free lunches and gym memberships, for example, appeal more to this age group.
- Provide opportunities to make a difference – give examples as to how new recruits can be of immediate value and affect long term change within the organisation.
Generation Z (born 1996 – 2010): The connected digital natives
Considered to be the most tech-savvy of all the generations, these workforce newcomers are known for being creative, flexible and highly self-reliant.
With an ambitious enthusiasm not too dissimilar to Millennials, Gen Z’s are slightly more on the cautious side and crave both regular feedback as well as job stability. Having grown up in a politically and economically tumultuous time, this group is more naturally risk-averse and so it is imperative to reinforce that hard work and dedication will lead to long term job security.
Performance management strategies can help to pave the way towards an exceptional employee experience, enabling Gen Z’s to regularly check in with their line managers, develop a transparent relationship and discuss their career advancement.
As tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, this generation also craves empowerment and autonomy in the workplace. With their proven ability to excel in the technological world, ensure to provide the necessary emerging social technologies and productivity tools to enable them to take full ownership of their projects. And if you’re not quite sure what this entails – simply ask these digital experts what they need to hit the ground running.
Top tactics for attracting Generation Z job candidates:
- Emphasise the level of support given in the role – provide assurance that help is always on hand from managers, the near team and through initiatives such as buddy systems.
- Promote flexibility and recognition – allow this generation’s renowned work ethic to shine by rewarding achievements rather than the old hat mentality of hours worked.
- Be an equal opportunities employer – this age group cares greatly about racial equality, so ensure diversity and inclusion are a high priority for your organisation.
- Offer more than just a good salary – Generation Z are among those most involved in environmental and social causes, and crave work that has a purpose beyond simply getting paid. Is your corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy aligned to this?
If you’ve never before considered tailoring your recruitment practices for different generation groups, don’t be phased. Whilst Baby Boomers, Millennials and Generation Z’s differ in some respects, they share many of the same core needs and expectations from their working lives than you might have realised.
A great starting point? Get talking to your candidates and employees to find out what really makes them tick. By knowing your target audience, you’re bound to find talented candidates that are a great fit for your organisation, no matter which generation they hail from.
Why not get in touch with our experts today to discuss your recruitment and talent acquisition needs, so that you can start attracting top talent across all generations.
