Top 5 Drivers of High Potential Engagement

The science of Human Resource Management was literally developed in the 1920s and 1930s during a time when the generational ethos was one of self-sufficiency, organization, and productivity. HR practices today remain tethered to these tenets, and it is striking to see how ill-suited most companies are for the Millennial generation’s values of creativity, community and equality.

Millennials will set the tone for employee engagement and the changing employer contract for the foreseeable future. The pure size and influence of this generational cohort will affect the perceptions and attitudes of Generation X and Baby Boomer employees as well. To determine the best high potential engagement strategies for companies, we must look to the Millennial generation for insight.

Using Millennials as the norm, here are the top five drivers of engagement for high potential employees.

1. Transparency of Information - Millennials require companies to be transparent with information and to provide access to data, so they can perform effectively in their jobs and make decisions about their careers.
2. Connection to the Corporate Strategy - Millennials need line of sight to the business strategy to perform in their jobs well, and to understand that their work has a purpose.
3. Visibility - Millennials stay engaged when they get exposure to the senior executives who are driving the strategy and who have their own experiences to share.
4. Opportunity - Millennials are driven by opportunities to advance in their careers and to develop professionally.
5. Personalized Recognition - Millennials expect to participate in programs and receive rewards that are personalized and that recognize them for their time and efforts. 

Companies face unprecedented challenges brought on by demographic shifts, economic uncertainty, new technology, and constant, disruptive changes to their organizations. The Millennial leaders of the future will require new competencies and expertise to drive business performance. In return, these new leaders will expect their employers to engage them in drastically different ways than their predecessors.

Is your organization ready to make the change?

Amy Hirsh Robinson, Principal, Interchange Group

Workforce Strategies for the New Economy

Amy will be presenting on High Potential Engagement and Succession Planning for the 21st Century at the annual SHRM conference, June 22-23, 2014.