The 3 Things Employees Really Want: Career, Community, Cause
How can you determine if your employer is a good fit? Understand what is important to you. Seek employers willing to align with your values.
| Worldview: | ||
| Baby Boomers | Generation X | Millennials |
| Achievement comes after paying dues; sacrifice for success | Favor diversity, quick to move on if their employer fails to meet their needs, resistant to change at work if it affects their personal lives | Seeking challenge, growth and development; a fun work life and work-life balance; likely to leave an organization if they don’t like change |
| Employers Should: | ||
| Baby Boomers | Generation X | Millennials |
| Provide them with specific goals and deadlines; put them in mentor roles; offer coaching-style feedback | Give them immediate feedback; provide flexible work arrangements and work-life balance; extend opportunities for personal development | Get to know them personally; manage by results; be flexible on their schedule and work assignments; provide immediate feedback |
Career is about work
Having a job that provides autonomy, allows you to use your strengths, and promotes your learning and development. It’s at the heart of intrinsic motivation. Productivity, success, recognition. Tied to salary, FMV compensation and benefits. Rewarded for hard work and opportunities for advancement.
The “What” – Autonomy & Advancement
Community is about people
Feeling respected, cared about and recognized by others. It drives our sense of connection and belongingness. Equality in distribution of “conversational turn-taking” results in “Collective Intelligence” of the team as a whole. High “average social sensitivity” = empathy & respect. Results in Psychological Safety, a “shared belief held by a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking”. Vital to success.
The “Who” – Respect & Recognition
Cause is about purpose
Feeling that you make a meaningful impact. Identifying with the organization’s mission and vision. Believing that your work, and the collective work of the team, does some good in the world. It’s a source of pride. Employee engagement through clearly stated mission, values and goals. Source of energizing and motivating employees.
The “Why” – Positive Impact & Pride
Read the full Harvard Business Review article by Lori Goler, Janelle Gale, and Adam Grant here.
