Gen Y – Committed to the Cause or Committed to the Sector?

Upon returning from the GVSU Nonprofit 2020 Conference, I felt my answer to this question change over the 3 days. Instinct tells me that young professionals would be dedicated to a cause or their values deeply rooted in an issue that they care about. But the longer I listened to what other participants were saying, the longer I doubted my initial thought (perhaps it’s because I border Gen X and Y – who knows…)

There are mountains of research on the impending leadership deficit among nonprofits (see the NP2020 wiki space) as well as articles on the new generation of employees. I think it boils down to finding meaning. Time Magazine did a fantastic article “What Gen Y Really Wants” and it explains what I’m seeing every day. “To these new 20-something workers, the line between work and home doesn’t really exist. They just want to spend their time in meaningful and useful ways no matter where they are.” More and more of my friends and co-workers check their email at all hours of the night and will trade a flexible Mon-Fri for the ability to work from home, at night and on the weekends. The article also mentions that “Gen X workers are opting out of long hours – and they have high expectations for personal growth.” The conference last week reiterated this point. Younger workers want to be in a learning environment. Nothing is merely a “job” but a stepping stone to the next big thing. If it feels stagnant, workers will make a change. Another new motivator is friendship. Time Magazine also says “Gen Y workers will choose a job to be with their friends.” Working with friends makes me really excited to go into work in the morning and I know personally this leads to increased job satisfaction.

The Time Magazine article as well as Crain’s Detroit Business’ article “Attracting the Altruistic Gen Y Employee” discuss the new expectation that employers make a positive impact in the community and young professionals are looking for companies and organizations who will support their volunteer efforts. While there are many generational differences in the workplace and adjustments to new work styles, Gen Y expectations will be around for a while. Those employers who can adapt to these needs will, I believe, be the most successful at retaining employees in the long term.

I feel like I’ve been struggling to figure out what my path in life is, what issue I care most about that I could dedicate my life to addressing. I haven’t been successful in seeking that and maybe it’s because I just want meaning. I want to do good work with good people – and I can do it though environmental work, eradicating cancer, or strengthening nonprofit organizations. All of it makes a difference and I want to be a part of it.

Submitted by Allison Treppa