Published
7 months agoon
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cvannoyThere was a special announcement at the monthly Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, April 10, held at the Historic Sheridan Inn, about the collaboration on a community calendar between several organizations in Sheridan County. That story appeared on April 10 on Sheridan Media.
After that announcement, Chamber CEO Dixie Johnson said,
By 2030, Millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z are projected to make up more than half of the global workforce, and the combined influence of these two generations is significantly transforming the workplace landscape.
This means that attracting and retaining young talent in the workforce and the community is more important than ever. The program, titled “From Y to Z: The ABC’s of Attracting and Retaining Young Professionals,” consisted of a panel of local young professionals in the Sheridan Community.
Panelists include Wade Beavers, Frontier Asset Management; Jessie Dykhouse, FDL Consulting; Jaidyn Hale, Security State Bank; Ian Hamilton, Vacutech; Bri Martin, Advance Therapy; and Casey Terrell, Hirst Applegate Law Firm. Moderated by Laura Lehan of Peak Consulting, the program was interactive, with the opportunity for attendees to submit written questions for the panel at the program or in advance.
Lehan said about the generations.
There was a wide range of topics that the panel discussed; one interesting take was that some companies have five different generations working together.
She said that these young professionals now make up 42% of workforce and they are changing the face of how we work.
One take-away from the panel was that Gen Y and Gen Z wanted more of a work-life balance. Many of the women in the workforce have to balance home, family and work, they felt it was important that their employers take their needs into account. Another of the speakers felt that he did not want to be ‘micro-managed’ at work.
Also mentioned was the fact that many of the younger generation wanted a career path, and to work for a business that showed ‘long-term’ growth. They wanted to grow in the company, not be stagnate in the same position. Communication was mentioned by many of the panel members, citing that open communication was the key to a good workplace.
They also talked about the culture of the workplace and being valued and respected by their employers. One of the speakers added that it used to be the norm for a person to work for the same company for many years, then retiring from that company. Many of the younger generation felt that they could set boundaries in the workplace, as there were many other opportunities out there for them. They didn’t have to stay ‘stuck’ in a job that didn’t fulfill their needs.
One comment from the floor concerned volunteerism, and how many organizations depend on volunteers, and they have trouble finding them. The panel commented that many households have to have two incomes, and lack the time to do volunteer work. It was noted that perhaps the employers could give workers time off to volunteer. Another panelist mentioned that perhaps this spirit of volunteerism should begin in junior high school.
Senator Dave Kinskey attended the event, and had this comment,
Many of the participants on the panel felt like they could invest in themselves and many felt they had the financial savvy to take care of themselves when they reached retirement age without depending on social security.
Around 100 people attended the luncheon, and there were several questions from the floor at the close of the event.