Finding, motivating, and retaining great employees are some of the most important tasks managers in service industries – including pet care – tackle every day. We know that the success of our business depends upon the quality of our workforce.

Many of us are baffled by what to do with the new generation of workers who view the world through a different lens. Our initial exploration of these young workers, which appeared in the last issue of Pet Boarding & Daycare magazine (September/October 2012), took a look at the environment that made Gen Yers who they are. In this article, we’ll explore their strengths and weaknesses and how we can leverage them to create a great new workforce.

Debunking the Myths
There has been so much negative written about this generation. They are criticized for the way they dress, their love of piercings and tattoos, their need to be plugged into iPods and iPhones, their disrespect of authority, and their “slacker” attitude. Sadly, much of what has been said about Gen Y is incorrect, so let’s begin by setting the record straight and correcting some of the myths.

Myth 1: Millennials believe they are “entitled.”
This isn’t true. They feel empowered because of their upbringing, and they want to share their ideas and opinions. This can be terrifically beneficial, because they make employees who are confident, optimistic, and courageous.

Myth 2: Millennials have no loyalty.
Actually, Millennials can be very loyal, but they are realistic and won’t turn a blind eye. Their realism and honesty can be assets: they assume very little, they expect mistakes from their employer, and they won’t waste your time if they are unhappy.

Myth 3: They don’t pay attention.
It only looks like they aren’t paying attention. Just because that iPod or smartphone is distracting to us doesn’t mean it distracts them. Having grown up with technology, they are wired to receive and process information at enormous rates of speed. They multi-task with ease – a benefit in our busy world – and have a surprising amount of knowledge.

Myth 4: They disrespect authority.
Rather, they question authority. Think about all the abuses of authority they have witnessed in their short lifetimes: from Bernie Madoff to the BP Deepwater Horizon to John Edwards. It’s no surprise that they approach the powerful with skepticism.

Myth 5: They are independent.
While Millennials are confident and strong, they need support. Remember that this generation grew up with lots of parental hand-holding and adult over-supervision. They are not accustomed to doing things entirely on their own.

Working with This Generation
What does all of this mean to us as employers? How do we put this knowledge to work? The first step is to let go of our old ideas about what constitutes a good employee. The world has changed, and we must adapt; this generation isn’t going to go back to what we view as the “good old days.”

We need to shift our paradigm and stop assuming that appearance is a valid measure of employability. The simple fact is that 40% of this generation has at least one tattoo, and 60% don’t believe attire is indicative of performance. Tattoos, piercings, and unusual attire are ways that this generation expresses its individuality. It’s not so very different from the Baby Boomers’ adoption of long hair and bell-bottoms, is it? Of course, we still can expect employees to dress in uniform and cover up full-sleeve tattoos when they are on the job, but we need to be careful not to disqualify a prospective employee just because she shows up in flip-flops.

In addition to looking past those flip-flops and nose rings, companies that are successful in recruiting Gen Y employees do so by promising respect and flexibility – both key motivators for this generation.

Doing the Right Things Day-to-Day
Once we have these young employees in the door, we need to treat them differently. Here are some guidelines for successfully motivating and retaining Millennials in your workplace:

• Offer praise and acknowledgement – and do it daily. Tell them how much you liked the way they responded to a new customer’s questions or what a great job they did rearranging the kitchen supplies. And don’t assume that yesterday’s feedback is enough to keep them going. They need your attention; giving it will add to their desire to accomplish tasks and earn your respect.
• Be respectful. Take the time to explain policies and procedures objectively when asked. Yes/no answers aren’t enough for this generation; they want to understand why things are the way they are. The good news is that when they know more, they do more; when they do more, they become invested… and loyal. Be sure to avoid phrases like “because I said so” at all costs.
• Be flexible about scheduling and job assignments. Accept the fact that 73% of Gen Yers don’t share your work philosophy – and you aren’t going to change them. Rather than demanding that they come in for every holiday, work with them to give them time off. Give them the opportunity to try different jobs. Perhaps the kennel assistant would be great in daycare or would like to work as a groom tech. If you attend community events, engage this group to be a part of them – they’ll get friends and family to come to lend support.  Be creative in your scheduling and job assignments, and you will earn their appreciation.
• Give clear directions. Back in the day, people loved to prove themselves to their bosses and figure it all out themselves. This generation needs to know exactly what is expected of them and may not assume responsibility for something if it isn’t written down. They love chores with checklists – like doing food prep and charting the pets’ activities. We’ve found they were great with pet report cards, using the charts to give important facts about the pet’s stay in a fun and engaging way that clients love.
• Adopt their technology. This generation communicates via text message, not by phone or even by email. Policies against texting as a means of communication need to be changed. Wouldn’t you rather get a text message tonight alerting you that an employee can’t be at work tomorrow or have to deal with a no-show situation in the morning? And it can work both ways: YOU can text employees who are scheduled to be off to let them know you need them!

And while we’re on the subject of technology: instead of over-regulating online activities, use Millennials’ passion for it to the company’s benefit. This generation has been using social media since they were in middle school – and they are good at it. If you have a Facebook page, they can help you create great material for it – like taking and posting photos and videos. If you aren’t on Facebook yet, they can help set it up! They’ll appreciate the opportunity.

One caveat: Be sure you establish clear guidelines for your employees about what type of information is – and what is not – appropriate to include in your social media pages. Millennials are so open in their personal social media posts; they may not be savvy about how to represent your company without guidance.

The New Workplace
Kelly Services, the employment company, conducted a recent study involving more than 100,000 Gen Y respondents, which revealed some interesting information about what motivates them. It found that this generation is less interested in the size of their paycheck than in personal fulfillment in a supportive and encouraging work environment.

That’s actually good news! We know that working with pets can be a very rewarding experience, and we have the ability to create a workplace that provides support and encouragement.

But don’t wait too long to make your work place Millennial-friendly. As Time magazine noted in an article published earlier this year, “approximately 10,000 Millennials turn 21 every day in America.”

The workforce of the future already is here.

Joan Nieman, Vice President of Operations for Best Friends Pet Care, has more than 30 years of experience in the pet care industry. Prior to joining Best Friends in 1994, she owned and operated The Pet Resort in Oklahoma for a decade. Over the years, Nieman has been active in pet care industry associations, with a special interest in helping to define and establish industry-wide standards.

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