Gen Y--They're Here, Get Used to It
There has been a lot of discussion about how the workforce has changed especially as Generation Y (83 million strong) has entered the workforce. As the biggest generation since the Baby Boomers, they are a force to be reckoned with…there’s no getting around that.
So, instead of complaining about their attitudes, expectations, and addiction to technology, let’s focus on getting the job done (e.g., increasing sales, improving customer service, lowering overhead costs). And, in today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to leverage everyone’s skills and abilities to their fullest in order to stay in business.
To Baby Boomers, these “kids” appear needy, entitled, and unwilling to “pay their dues.” Gen Y employees describe themselves as goal oriented, socially responsible, focused on work-life balance and stellar multi-taskers. Rather than name-calling, managers and business owners need to spend more time capitalizing on the strengths of all employees and finding ways to bridge the gap between the generational styles.
That means giving Gen Y more of what they’re looking for (even when you don’t agree with them wanting it --- within reason). Just because you don’t understand it, or didn’t need it when you were starting out, doesn’t nullify the fact that it can help you improve your productivity, morale, and retention.
In a strange way, the tough economy provides a great opportunity to bring all team members together-- to fight a common enemy instead of each other. There are simple ways to create win-win situations for all parties, including offering more:
- Long-term career development
- Constructive feedback
- Mentoring
- Collaboration – working on teams
If you’d like to learn more about specific strategies for dealing more effectively with Gen Y or other employees, contact Kammy Haynes.
Suspecting Test Cheats
While the data is pretty clear that people do not cheat any more or less when taking unproctored tests on the internet, it does happen. Of course, it happens in proctored situations, too. Preventing cheating in both environments requires the same steps: Warnings of consequences, using multiple versions of the same test, password/identity confirmation, looking for changes in average scores, etc. But, what if you suspect someone of cheating?
The most straight forward thing you can do is to ask the person to take the test in a proctored environment. If you are using a reliable test and the person did not cheat, his or her test score should be pretty much the same at the second administration
The cost benefits of unproctored internet testing far outweigh their potential negatives. At the same time, it’s important that you have good policies in place for preventing cheating and addressing situations where you think it might have occurred.
For more information on validating and using pre-employment and promotional tests on the internet, contact Warren Bobrow.