Are Organizations Future Ready for the Youth?

Businesses are not rigid about qualifications on paper when hiring anymore. Yes, experience and degrees carry weight, but companies today find it more important to look for skill and a desire for learning, slowly undermining age as a criterion for employment. With youngsters fresh out of college and even those still studying starting to explore employment options at a very young age, the global workforce is getting younger.

A decade ago, a young workforce was considered a challenge and a liability. It had to be constantly trained, mentored, and supervised, and only then would it become congruent with the business's vision and goals.

Things, however, are very different today. Thanks to advanced technology, youngsters have easy access to information from a very young age. As a result, they begin consuming knowledge and acquiring desirable skills well before starting their careers. Organizations are also becoming more flexible when defining culture and goals allowing employees to shape the organization.

A young workforce is an asset today. It begins its career with ingrained skills, is tech-savvy, determined to learn and grow, and proves to be a breath of fresh air that revitalizes the workplace. This article explores why businesses should start hiring youngsters and how to retain these youngsters once hired.

Why Hire a Young Workforce?

1. They are innately tech-savvy

Businesses today are taking a digital-first approach to keep in stride with consumers who are all tech-inclined. Marketing, for example, is almost wholly run digitally today. In addition, millennials and the Gen-Z population, having been introduced to technology from a young age, are all tech-savvy, making them skilled workers in today's tech landscape even if they are just out of college.

2. They bring in a novel perspective

Youngsters are eager to learn, grow, and advance their careers. They enter the workplace with a natural enthusiasm for development and growth. They give the business a new perspective and an alternate way of thinking. This fresh energy is also great for boosting workplace morale and attracting more talent into the company.

3. They are eager to learn

Youngsters enter the workplace with a mindset to learn. As a result, they are willing to take on multiple responsibilities and acquire skills while navigating into a role they want to make their career. This makes it easy to mould a young workforce and build a team that aligns with your organization's needs and culture.

4. They offer affordable talent

Wages increase with experience and a younger workforce, with all their benefits, is an affordable resource to spend on. In addition, internship models can be used by companies with a lower hiring budget to hire talented, young resources.

5. They adapt to changes fluidly

The world is changing at a fast pace today, and information is moving even faster. A workforce that is quick in adopting change and adapting to the moving landscape in tech and the world, in general, is conducive to growth. Having grown up in a world with constantly advancing technology, the youth quickly accepts and adjusts to change.

How to Nurture a Young Workforce?'

1. Introduce the startup culture

Youngsters crave the startup culture. They have grown up in the age of Facebook, Google, and Apple, and there is a sense of adventure and freedom that a startup has, which they desire. However, embracing this culture does not mean working out of a garage. Instead, it means creating an atmosphere of innovation and freedom to think outside the box while accepting all ideas.

2. Value relationships and the human touch

Younger generations are more sensitive to relationships and peer bonding. As a result, they can be fiercely loyal to an organization that values humanity over results. Introducing a culture that allows employees to speak their minds and values their sentiments will go a long way in building a young, vital, and productive workforce.

3. Give frequent feedback

Youngsters will take on a headstrong approach - they will grab opportunities and be proactive with work, but they will always look towards knowledgeable individuals for mentorship and feedback. Giving feedback and guidance is the right way to nurture and retain young talent.

4. Embrace remote working

Whether a hybrid of work from the office and work from home will become the norm post-Covid or not, it is good to introduce flexible working modes because youngsters do not like to be tied to their desks. Allowing the freedom to work from anywhere also instils trust and fosters responsibility.

5. Provide opportunities for growth

Knowledge and growth stagnation is one of the reasons why youngsters jump ship. However, they recognize the need for constant learning and growth at the start of their careers, and they look towards the organization to provide opportunities for learning and development.

How Market Xcel Nurtures a Young Workforce

A young workforce can be a blessing if nurtured correctly, and we at Market Xcel know what that feels like. For example, 80 percent of the crew at Market Xcel is below 40 years, and 40 percent team is below 30 years. We have experienced, first-hand, the benefits of a young workforce and its impact on everyday business and long-term growth.

Introducing modern trends and technology into everyday processes has helped us keep our youngsters enthusiastic about work and given us a low attrition rate with them. In addition, our efforts with younger employees have been instrumental in making us an excellent brand in the eyes of the youth today