Forget the four day week: What do the next generation of Workers really want?

With the recent news headlines about Australia adopting a four day week as the future of work/life balance and flexibility, we investigate what the millennial generation are really looking for, as their numbers are set to dominate the workforce.

There has been mixed feedback across the world when it comes to shorter working weeks or working hours, Sweden has been trailing six hour days with mixed results and France has had 35 hour weeks for over 17 years, with organisations complaining it has lead to increased labour costs.

Hours and days aside, what are some of the more realistic options your organisation could adopt to keep ahead of the pack and be warned, trust is the over arching ingredient.

China Gorman, a HR executive with over 20 years’ experience explains, “No matter where in the world, no matter what industry, no matter the size of the company – trust is the foundation for creating a great workplace culture,” she says.

However while this is perfect for millennials, Gorman explains how some will struggle with the future rules; “For some in the baby boomer generation knowledge is power, they operate on a need-to-know basis and ‘I’ll tell you what you need to know’.”

Balancing Act

The demand for flexibility and work life balance is huge and this writer can attest to how much I personally view it as my number one benefit.

Turns out I am not alone, 1 in 3 Australians surveyed by Seek last year said Work life Balance was the most important consideration when choosing a company to work for, compared to 1 in 5 seeking a sweet salary.

• Flexible hours – it shouldn’t just be something that is only considered for those with children, if you haven’t promoted it as an option for everyone yet, get involved! Consider opportunities for staff to work outside core business hours and even fitting five days into a four day week. Check out our guide for why embracing flexibility is so important for your organisation.
• Remote workers- not all employees need to be tied to a physical location in order to be successful at their job. Companies who have (and are able) to embrace this, have said the opportunity of having staff choose when they are present in the office and when they work remotely has seen an increase in their workplace culture and retaining staff. For more information, read our overview on how to get the most from a remote workforce.
• Consider hiring a freelancer to connect with flexible talent on demand. With thirty percent of Australians are now undertaking some form of flexible freelance work, keeping a talented freelancer connected into your organisation, as and when appropriate projects arise, could be a win-win situation for both parties.

Develop me!

We all know staying with the same employer in the same job is not the norm nowadays, so organisations are increasingly turning to development opportunities to keep their staff engaged and on board for longer.

• Mentoring is on the rise as being an important development tool, providing both parties with growth and up skilling opportunities. If it’s an internal mentoring arrangement, it can also lead to new ideas for organisation improvement and open up new networks that weren’t previously as accessible.
• Training workshops – short, practical sessions which enable participants to quickly adopt and apply the concepts, tools and techniques they have been learning into the workplace immediately. Consider opening up the workshops to all staff and feature a variety of topics such as leadership, presentation, and coaching skills.
• Internships- perfect for the new wave of skilled graduates to consider working for your organisation as their first dip into the workforce. Internships can mutually benefit both parties, by bringing in new skills and techniques to teach existing employees.

A word of warning before you commence, Zrinka Lovrencic, managing director of Great Place to Work Australia says, “Let’s face it…Nothing is going to make (work) better if you’re really unhappy with your manager and you don’t feel you have any direction in your job.”

If you would like to know more about the changing dynamics of your workforce and how to keep up with the rules, contact GB to see how we can we can assist.