Gen-Y Research

Introduction:

The newest and youngest members of work forces all over the world are making their presence felt, causing businesses to re-think their working practices and adapting flexibility at workplace to this new breed of GENERATION Y ( GEN Y) employees and managers. In India, they make up the more than half of the population. Despite the large potential workforce, not all are ‘employment ready’ and so their talents are in short supply. The Generation Y in India is a remarkable group which is ambitious, optimistic, embraces change and has a clear sense of where they are headed. Most are them are ‘entrepreneurial and business savvy, as well as technologically capable and connected. With about half of India’s one billion people under the age of 25, Generation Y in India is the world’s largest compared out of total of 1,723,911,077.00 GenY population which is 25.47% of world population.

Positioned in a time of exciting and rapid economic growth in the country, they are keen to participate in the country’s future and success. GEN Y is focused seeking higher education and landing jobs in multi-national companies in different areas such as IT, back office operations, media, strategy and management positions expecting challenging work assignments, accelerated career growth, socially responsible workplaces, flexible work environments, freedom, and collaboration and innovation from their jobs and employers.

Generation Y at times, bring outsize luggage in the form of multiple digital technologies, their social networks, their tech-savvy culture, new ways of contemplating work, new managerial forms. Who is this generation of “invaders” and “transformers”? How will they or not modify our working environment? What are they expecting from their employer, their work in their workplace and their way of working? How to manage them? What HR processes will make them engaged and happy.

As organizations in India are taking new leap to the next orbit and preparing for welcoming Generation-Y employees, many questions ignite about Generation-Y’s aspirations and values, and how they are different and can be engaged at the workplaces. The key objective of the research is to explore the aspirations and values of Gen-Y employees with diverse demographics. Following are the research questions to be answered ensuring diverse and engaged Gen-Y workforce. They are

1. What are current challenges and opportunities of Generation-Y to make them engaged at workplace?
2. What factors are contributing to policies on by using real estate and facilities as strategic assets to attract and retain scarce people talent?          
3. How/what policies to be designed for practitioners who are managing Gen Y?
4. Proposed model and an action research plan.

Research Plan:

Methodology:

1. Primary literature survey and compilation of current research done in the area
2. Designing of survey instrument and get it validated by discussions with subject-matter experts (SMEs)
3. Same can be put as on-line survey
4. Interview with selected Subject Matter Experts
5. Focused group interviews for selected sector Gen-Y employees
6. Interview from HR professions for their concerns and challenges with Gen Y
7. Exploring GenY as mangers of Gen Y and GenX managing GenY- some new perspectives may come…..

Operational Definition: For Gen-Y: employees between 18-25 years… working in organization for more than 12 months, between eighteen and twenty-five, although some people include those born from 1980 onwards, putting the upper limit  say twenty-eight, earning _____, their native place, Current residing place___ since how long______

 “Born around the 80s onwards, they are a generation who has grown in opulence compared to other generations. They are the children of a generation who has greatly benefited from the industrial revolution of the 70s where their wealth and standard have dramatically increased and changed their way of life. This generation has been greatly exposed to modern environments (in their days at school and university) and within their personal life, they have a good standard of living”.

Sampling Plan :

1. Interview with subject Matter Experts ( 5-10 professionals, experts in the area)
2. Surveys of Gen Y employees- in different industries sectors like (1000 Gen-Y) employees in each of sector)
   1. IT & ITES
   2. Banking & Insurance
   3. Infrastructure
   4. Health Care and …others to be added

1. Focus groups in 20 batches to have validation of instruments questions and support by qualitative inputs/ stories (Five focused groups for each sector, 100 Gen Y employees from each sector)
2. one-on-one interviews with Gen X and GenY managers (30 employees for each category in each sector)
3. Generating robust data on the values and aspirations of Generation-Y in the formative years of their careers.
4. Results are presented in the following thematic areas:
   1. Distinguishing approaches to for different HR processes/practices like recruitment & selection,  learning and development, PMS, Compensation, Grievance Handling, Team-working etc.
   2. Emphasizing on sparking synergy between Generation-Y’ personal values & aspirations and organizational objectives.

*** Control Group: GenX vs. GenY in India

* Independent Variables to consider for GEN Y:

• Social Spaces
• Environment and Sustainability
• Workplace
• New Ways of Working
• Travel
• Location
• Level of mobility
• Work flexibly
• Creativity and Productivity
• Role of leadership
• Financial support services
• Style: Style matters and should be modern rather than contemporary
• Collaboration & team-based working
  •  
    • Any other to be added…

Dependent Variables (if need to have hypotheses other than Demographics):

·         Engagement

·         Team Effectiveness,

·         HR Process effectiveness

Comparison Groups to be identified in advance.

Probable Research Outcomes:

·         Sector specific differences for Gen Y

·         In depth understanding of aspirations and values of GEN Y for Indian Inc.

·         Inputs for leaders and HR practitioners to understand ,manage and get the best out of the GEN Y people

·         HR Processes intervention design/plan for engaged Gen Y.

·         HR Model for Managing GEN Y at workplace