Flexible, enthusiastic and keen to learn, hiring young workers can inject a dynamic energy into your workplace, while offering you the opportunity to train, hone and mentor employees to specifically suit your company. But often they’re overlooked as employers tick the box of experience and skills.
By employing young workers you not only create a strong future pool of talent but are part of the solution that engages a generation with a very real unemployment problem.
Here are six tips to attract and engage young workers.
Focus on strengths
As new entrants to the workforce, young workers are unlikely to boast résumés jam-packed with skills and experience. But what they do offer is strengths, and it’s in your interest as an employer to seek these out.
Instead of years in a similar job, you’re looking for challenges they’ve overcome, areas that harness their enthusiasm and their general approach to learning and commitment.
Explain the position
By clearly explaining a position when advertising a vacancy you set guidelines for what’s expected in the job. You may even state “experience not required but must have good communication skills, a team focus and the ability to learn”.
Then, when offering a young employee a role, be sure that position and its expectations are explained clearly in writing, including their rights and responsibilities.
Provide training
A good induction program and on the job training go a long way to creating not only skilled but confident employees. And the right young worker will respond well to your investment.
You are setting them up for a career in the workplace so arm them with the attributes, expectations and skills you require and chances are you will be rewarded with a team member who knows how to do their job well and takes pride in doing it.
Give feedback
Feedback should be an integral element of any employment but is particularly pertinent for young workers who have few previous roles to gauge their progress against. Schedule regular feedback sessions, either via informal or formal performance reviews.
Clear policy and procedure
Great businesses have clear policies and procedures which allow staff to know what’s expected particularly if something goes wrong. Policies and procedures indicate the chain of command in a company and outline who is responsible for what tasks and how they should be done.
Making your staff aware of these documents helps them understand their role within a company and who they need to talk to should a situation arise.
Have incentives
Give your young team incentives to meet to enhance their enthusiasm and keep them motivated. This sense of achievement when they meet a goal or target lets them know what’s expected, how they are performing and celebrates success.
The final word
Young workers offer employees a host of benefits, and while they may require a little extra investment of time and energy at the outset, what employers stand to reap often outweighs that initial cost.
The Father James Grant Foundation provides training, mentoring and support for young people seeking employment. To learn more about the how we can assist your business find suitable young, motivated workers, see here.
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