The Container Store pays each employee twice the national industry average, which aids enormously in very low turnover. The Container Store has maintained a growth rate of 20% each year.

And, The Container Store also has a fun factor.  On Valentine’s Day last year the company threw a nationwide, “We Love Our Employees Day”. Each store was adorned with balloons and cupcakes to promote an employee celebration.

The Container Store, is charitable too.  The organization donates 10% of all sales from each new store during the grand opening weekend to one of its twenty-plus charities. They also contribute to many nationally-recognized charities such as The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Children’s Cancer Association, and the National Go Red Day on a regular basis

The Container Store demonstrates appreciation and support for its employees and communities along with bottom-line profits. How does your company show appreciation to your employees and the community they live in?

http://standfor.containerstore.com/putting-our-employees-first/

Based on my acclaimed Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ , I’m contributing to the KEYGroup blog, a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ - Communicate: Gen Y values and thrives on communication in all directions. Open, honest, and transparent communication is essential from the onset of recruitment. This type of communication can be built into recruitment strategies in several ways. First, to successfully attract the broad array of demographics and skill sets for a competitive and sustainable organization, you can not simply take a one size fits all approach to recruitment. The recruitment strategy must be diverse. Different generations are attracted by different styles and vehicles of communication.

In recruiting Gen Y, develop a clear and concise message, and stick to it. Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Gen Y wants “Twitter” information, so sum up what you have to offer and how you see them contributing in 140 characters or less. To this point, utilize social media for recruitment: Twitter, Facebook and other venues. One of the first things Gen Y will think about when they consider joining an organization is – What’s in it for me (WIIFM)?  Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Being on the same page from day one helps assure a better cultural fit, and minimizes misunderstandings and frustrations further down the road. Additionally, treat Gen Y recruits as customers and be prepared for their desire to include peers and parents in their decision making process. Gen Y values the feedback of family and peers.

This strategy seems to be working well for one Fortune 500 global organization. Since they revamped their recruiting strategy and materials, to clearly and concisely communicate key messaging and expectations from a demographic perspective, attrition has significantly decreased and engagement has risen significantly, particularly among Gen Y.

Communication is also imperative for retention and engagement of Gen Y. Once they begin work, it is imperative to clearly communicate to the new Gen Y employee not only their roles and responsibilities and the organizations expectations, but also the organizational culture. Understanding “how works gets done, how we do things around here” is of great importance. For Gen Y to be engaged, they like to know where they fit in, and how their contributions are factored into organizational success. Again, it is important to be authentic in communicating with Gen Y; they are much attuned to incongruence.

Gen Y likes to feel connected to the organization on a personal level, so for increased engagement and retention discuss personal goals and values and how the company can help to support them. In developing communications strategies to recruit, retain and engage Gen Y be flexible, be concise, and be honest.Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach.

Scott Span, MSOD, is President of Tolero Solutions, an Organizational Development and Change Management consultancy. Tolero Solutions specializes in developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused and effective to facilitate sustainable growth. Scott successfully delivers organizational improvement solutions to staff teams, individuals and organizations in multiple areas including change management, culture change, leadership development, engagement, retention, performance and sustainability. He is an author on various topics of organizational development including cross generational communication, generational alignment, and Gen Y in the workplace and the creator of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle. His results have not only helped achieve desired goals, but have also increased personal growth and development, leading to a more efficient and effective work environment.  He may be reached at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com.

• Fun work environment with social networking

• Creative communications

• Feedback and recognition

• State-of-the-art technology

• Creative perks

• Corporate values

• Redesigned cubicle workspace

• Workspace flexibility

• Compensation and benefits

• Career development

Our “Cool” detective work discovered Genentech as one of those innovative employers of choice.

In our diminishing economy, companies have found the easiest costs to cut are employee benefits; however Genentech has shown distinctive courage by not following suit.  Genentech provides its employees with services and benefits that allow them to bring the best to the business and to their personal lives.

And if you are tired of the usual business attire, well guess what? Genentech believes that everyday is a casual Friday, and every Friday night Genentech throws a Ho-Ho party. And no, the employees don’t stuff themselves on the delicious chocolaty cake with the sweet creamy filling inside. Genentech’s Ho-Ho Fridays are social gatherings with the purpose of promoting company togetherness. These gatherings are hosted at a manager’s house or at a local restaurant.

Feel like your company isn’t rewarding you enough for your hard work? Genentech offers its employees a very generous stock option plan, enabling the employee to be included in the company’s success.

Another example of Genentech’s generosity is its outrageous parties. Usually when a company hits its 20 or 25-year milestone or lands a big account, they might throw a small party with pizza or a picnic, but Genentech goes over the top. In the past Genentech has had Elton John, Mary J. Blige, and Matchbox 20 give a private concert for the company’s 9,500 plus employees.

Genentech incorporates ingenuity into their employee programs. How is your company attracting talent by providing creative perks?

- Gen Xers are more pragmatic when it comes to problem solving. Millennials tend to approach each challenge with a strong sense of confidence.

- Self-reliance is an attribute most Gen Xers have, as many of them were part of the latchkey generation. Millennials, on the other hand, have dealt with “helicopter parents” who provide them with guidance along the way.

- While Gen Xers may distrust rules and policies, Millennials have a reputation for creatively re-thinking the rules.

- Though Gen Xers have experience with new technologies, they are much slower to adapt in comparison to Millennials who were totally immersed in the latest and greatest gadgets.

- Gen Xers are known for developing strong and lasting relationships, whereas Millennials tend to define friendships in looser terms. Yes, they do have strong bonds, but social networking online has changed the way they view “friends.”

- Generation X’s motto would be “If you want to get the job done, do it yourself.” On the other hand, the Millennial’s motto would be “If you want the job done, do it with a team!”

- Remember multitasking? It’s a technique Gen Xers started – and perfected. Millennials, however, have jumped on multitasking and taken it a step further. They are known as the hyper-multitasking generation.

Both generations bring a strong set of skills and qualities – what’s important is knowing how to use them to bring success to an organization. Have you noticed differences between Gen Xers and Millennials at work? What techniques have you used to bring out the best from these two generations?

Here are some strategies to try:

• Provide fulfilling work and challenging assignments – no matter who your employees are, make sure they understand the meaning of the work at hand and the importance of their efforts. Make them feel like they count!

• Build individual relationships – To create a true team, you need to teach your employees to appreciate one another for their individual strengths and weaknesses.

• Recognize individual accomplishments – A fundamental difference between Millennials and Gen Xers is their degree of patience with teamwork. While Millennials prefer working in a group, many Gen Xers approach it with skepticism and trepidation. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the individual accomplishments of your employees, whether in a team or working alone.

• Provide plenty of feedback – Millennials actually crave it, and Gen Xers have learned to be comfortable with it. Provide regular, constructive feedback and watch your employees soar.

Do you provide challenging work everyday to your workforce? How frequently do you provide feedback to your employees?

A new Conference Board survey recently found that 55% of all employees are unhappy with their jobs. This is the lowest level researchers have seen in 22 years. No doubt some of the dissatisfaction can be traced in part to the challenging economic conditions of the past year. But upon digging deeper the Conference Board noted that: The greatest level of dissatisfaction was found among workers under the age of 25, who are members of Generation Y. (Source: “I Can’t Get No … Job Satisfaction, That Is: America’s Unhappy Workers,” Research Report #1459-09-RR, The Conference Board, 1/5/2010. http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=3820.

The fact that Millennial employees are expressing very high levels of frustration doesn’t bode well for employers, particularly as the recession may be easing. After all, 80 million well-educated, tech-savvy Millennials represent the future of most organizations, both as prospective employees and potential customers. But a workforce riddled with frustrated Millennials could lead to a loss of productivity, resulting in workplace dissension and costly turnover. Worse, as the economy gains strength these younger employees could be the first to jump ship looking for more satisfying employment.

But as the battle to attract, hire or retain talented, promotable Millennials begins to heat up, many employers could find themselves unarmed!

It’s always important to have the right tools to do the job, and every employer’s arsenal should include tested and validated assessments to guide hiring, training and promotion decisions. Armed with these instruments, leaders will be able to:

* Hire the right person for the right job

* Build and lead effective teams

* Improve the performance of every employee

* Develop effective strategies for managing talent

These decisions and strategies can’t be left to chance, either. Only proven assessments can yield the sort of deep insights into human nature that can guide critical choices successfully. This may prove particularly valuable to supervisors with Millennial employees, who can often seem like a mystery and challenge.

Dr. Jan Ferri-Reed is President of KEYGroup, a speaking, training and assessment firm that provides guidance to leaders who want a more engaged, productive and profitable workforce. As a consultant and speaker, Jan provides support to organizations including GlaxoSmithKline, U.S. Steel Corporation, Pitney Bowes and MTV Networks. She is also co-author of the best-selling book, “Keeping the Millennials: Why Companies Are Losing Billions in Turnover to This Generation and What to Do About It.” www.KeepingTheMillennials.com.

Generation X has been sandwiched between their dominating Baby Boomer Parents and their younger counterparts, the overly confident Millennials. Both Boomers and Millennials are influential movers and shakers, leaving Generation X in their shadow.

Just as Generation X has finally come into its own in the workplace, paying their dues and working up to management positions, new levels of economic distress threatens to push them right back down. Even Generation Y (aka the Millennials) threatens to compete with them for the same opportunities in the future.

How has Generation X impacted your organization?

Joanne was an exceptional leader, speaker, peer, and friend who inspired clients and colleagues with her unwavering dedication, energy, and vision.  We were lucky and privileged to have her presence in our lives.

Although Joanne will be greatly missed by all, the KEYGroup team will carry on her vision and legacy.

As President and Chief Operating Officer, I will continue to lead the KEYGroup organization in providing state-of-the art management programs, keynote addresses and employee assessments.

During of the course of these changes, Gen Xers were introduced to technology through toys, gadgets and computers. Generation X can actually be called the very first digital generation in history, which helped them develop a familiarity and comfort with both technology and change. (Of course, Millennials took this a step further and are even more comfortable using the latest technology, while some Gen Xers are more reluctant to adapt).

In addition, Gen Xers watched world history change right before their eyes during the 1980s, (the destruction of the Berlin Wall, US Stock Market crash, Exxon Valdez, to name a few) which proved to them that institutions once thought indestructible were indeed vulnerable to ruin. This may have caused a lingering fear in Gen Xers in terms of organizational downsizing and layoffs.

Now that you understand what shaped this generation of workers, how will this help you to manage them differently? Will you be able to provide a stable workplace environment? Do you take advantage of their strengths?

Let’s start from the beginning … who exactly falls into “Generation X”? Most are the children of Baby Boomers, and they were born between 1965 and 1979, who entered the workforce in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

As you may remember, these were dynamic times! Our culture experienced an amazing age of innovation and creativity, including massive social and structural changes. That’s why Generation Xers have a much different childhood experience than their older or younger siblings.

The term “Generation X” actually was coined in the 1960s, as part of a study conducted by a British women’s magazine. A subsequent TIME Magazine cover story titled, “Proceeding with Caution,” painted a very dark picture of how Generation X differed from other generations, describing Gen Xers cynicism and pessimistic attitudes.

Terms like “Slacker” and “Grunge generation” began to crop up along with Generation X, and it was clear that this generation was wrongly stereotyped as a group that neither expected much nor that much could be expected from.

Have these labels stigmatized the generation as a whole? How do Generation X Employees compare to the younger Millennials in your organization?