Positive (?) comments include Great if you can keep them.

Why so negative about the young? It seems to be a combination of:

1. Not understanding their major difference to previous generations: they will walk from bad jobs much faster than Boomers.

2. Easy excuse for employers to cover up their mismanagement; and for recruiters to cover their mistakes with Well, you know what Gen Y is like. They just won't stick with a job!

3. And just because every generation in history has done it (And why not? They have youth. They deserve it!)

Does it matter that we demonise them? Well, yes.

1. Employers are less keen to hire them, contributing to the (perceived) skills shortage

2. It excuses employers from addressing the real issues of why they leave

Now, modern society is great at creating a ?syndrome? and then sticking a catchy label on it. A consulting industry grows up to fix that syndrome. So now we have Gen Y experts who will come and sort you out - for a nice fee naturally!

What a waste of money. With managing Gen Y, knowing just one thing is critical: they want the same things from a job as everybody else. It took some public humiliation for me to understand this.

Last year in a hotel down on the Yarra I was on my feet in front of 45 HR Managers imparting wisdom about recruitment. I get to the module ?Creating jobs Gen Y want? and deliver my first pearl of wisdom.

A grizzled old HR manager interjected But I want that in my work, so what's different? I made my 2nd point and he did it again.

It took 3 interjections for the penny to drop. Age doesn't matter, we all want the same things from a job.

What may vary is how much of each ?bit? we want - the relative weighting we put on it. For example, the young seek more fun at work than Boomers as they don't separate their work and social life as much. Also, what each see as fun differs a little, but fun remains key to both groups.

So, they essentially want the same things from a job as the oldies - however, there is one BIG difference that really damages employers, that leads to the demonisation.

They won't put up with being badly treated at work. Unlike boomers, they are out the door, fast.

The flip side of this is one of the great things about Gen Y: manage them well and they are amazing. The forces that shaped them when they grew up means they only know change and it doesn't scare them; and of course, new technology is second nature. Two major hurdles for the rest of us in today's world.

In the professional world, our first, and most expensive, exposure to the Ys is when they graduate and start work. This is where your money hits the road ? our next Rant is about why Graduate recruitment is such a mess.

What's the best way to learn how to manage young graduates and get them to stay? Hire them while they are still at Uni and give them real jobs that help to make your company money. Jobs where they learn what you do, and build relationships with your people. Jobs that are boring sometimes, but not compared to burgers or other menial jobs. Give them the same work when they are graduates (costing your company about $100,000 a year) and watch them get bored and walk.

At Abacus we have specialised in the area of part-time undergraduate recruitment in professional jobs. It is a better, lower risk way of hiring graduates. And a low cost, productive resource for your team. We call them SMARTS.

To learn more: http://www.abacusrecruit.com.au/smarts.pdf

So what do Gen Y want? Well, what we all want from jobs, but they actually expect it and walk without it.

Accused by Boomers with being demanding and fragile, it's more that they value feedback and input. It's not that they are slackers or easily distracted as much as they want to enjoy work, and they value lifestyle and balance. Also, they are on-line a lot. There is a real blur between their social and work lives, both online and offline.

Now, you can't give them everything that we discuss below: some of these are privileges to be earned, they are not a right. A critical part of managing the young is about controlling their expectations. And managing them well and keeping them with you and productive is rarely about the money.

The specifics:

* They want a workplace where they can belong, which is stress-free and social. One which values the triple bottom line - not just profits, but also the environment and people (socio-economic concerns).

* Make the workplace fun: perhaps a relaxed dress code, fun photo boards/noticeboards, regular celebrations (birthdays, achievements, new clients), supporting their favourite charities etc.

* They don't respond well to a lot of rules, managers who say because I said so or that's how we do it here, who don't say thank you enough, or sterile, lifeless offices.

* Training that helps their career not just the work they are doing for you; meetings where they can participate, interact - and have some food.

* They value feedback: from handwritten notes or cards (unusual, so it stands out), non-cash rewards (movie tickets, itunes vouchers etc) to formal recognition (certificates, references). Negative feedback? Absolutely; but always constructive, ask permission to give it and do it immediately so it's relevant.

The reality: There will always be lower retention rates for this generation but it can be improved.

Some tips for improving retention and keeping them for the long haul:

Accessibility: take the mystery out of how you make decisions the young grew up in smaller families where they were involved in family decisions. They expect it.

Variety: give junior staff greater responsibility and more variety in their work. For example, let them manage a project such introducing a new piece of software; give presentations; and organise staff events (they'll do stuff they enjoy get used to it!).

Understand the revolving door: if they leave for a new job, or further study: keep in touch - they may want to return. They rejoin you with new experience plus both sides know each other great for your productivity. Always allow for the big overseas trip: applies to Australians as well as most European countries: let them go, welcome them back with a gift. The ones that travel are often the very best.

A final comment: young people now travel in packs, with highly developed networks and a strong sense of individual and group identity. They have a strong personal brand. Your employer brand must recognize, accept and embrace this.