Recent articles in the media have noted how employers are disappointed in young hires. They talk about lack of preparation and low motivation. It might be true (although I want to see the data) that young workers these days are not doing as well as earlier cohorts, but we should not assume that it is because of a lack of motivation. I am hearing that the transition from school to work has become more difficult as young people struggle to adapt to the workplace. This suggests to me that employers need to do more to assist new hires to adapt to the working world. What employers are seeing today might have a lot more to do with inexperience and mental health than lack of motivation.
Young People Struggle to Adapt to the Workplace
There has been a trend over the past 30 years for fewer and fewer high school and college students to be employed. Today only about one-fifth of high school and about 44% of college students have jobs. There are likely several reasons for this trend. In part the lower labor force participation by high school students who are college bound is likely due to the need to do extracurricular activities to be competitive for admission. Many colleges want to see volunteer activities that consume time that in the past would have been spent in employment. For the majority of college students, the lack of employment experience is not being remedied during their college years. This means that for many, that first job out of college is their first taste of employment. Employers should not be surprised that such graduates are slower to adapt to working.
At the same time, there has been an increase in mental health problems, mainly anxiety and depression, in young people. Such mental health challenges will make it more difficult for young hires to adapt to the workplace. The transition from school to work is a challenge for anyone. For those who have limited work experience and are coping with mental health issues the transition can be quite difficult. It is easy to see how an employer might misread the reasons that their young hires are not doing as well as expected.
Beware the Ecological Fallacy
The ecological fallacy is when people make assumptions about individuals based on their group membership. Although fewer young people have job experience today, many still do. Although more young people have mental health challenges today, most do not. Thus it would be a mistake to avoid hiring young people under the assumption that they won’t be good employees. Although it might be true (again, I want to see the data), that a young new hire is less likely to work out today than in the past, most will turn out to be good hires.
Organizations Need To Help New Hires Adapt
Hiring organizations are limited to the labor pools available, and the most successful companies are those who make the most of their human resources. This begins with sound selection practices that enable you to identify the best talent. Training is needed to help new hires adapt to the job and develop their knowledge and skill. Additional programs meet other needs of employees so that they can thrive at work. Several approaches can be helpful for organizations to deal with the hiring of young people.
- Internships. One of the best tools for aiding students in adjusting to work is the internship. Many companies partner with schools to provide these experiences that introduce students to employment and to the particular company. This is done in a relatively low stress environment because the company does not expect the intern to be at the level of an employee, and the student still has supports from school. A bonus is that the internship is a relatively low commitment and cost opportunity to give students a test run, hiring those who do the best.
- Extended Orientation. It might be necessary to extend the orientation activities for young hires with limited work experience. Many companies only provide a day or two of orientation, but for an inexperienced new hire, more time might be needed. One approach would be to allow a new hire to shadow an experienced employee for a period of time so they can provide instruction and support.
- Train Managers. Managers might need some training in how to best support their young new hires. This includes not only helping them adapt to the expectations and norms of the workplace, but in providing emotional support if needed. I attended a session at Southern Management Association last month where managers talked about the major challenges their organizations are facing. Workplace mental health was at the top of the list. There is a need for managers to be trained in mental health awareness, and how they can best support struggling employees, regardless of age.
- Mental Health Resources. Most companies today provide Employee Assistance Programs for those employees who are seeking mental health treatment. An even bigger need is to help employees learn to cope with the stress of the job, and many companies offer such resources. Health and wellness programs might include mindfulness meditation and other non-clinical options to help individuals learn to deal with difficult situations at work and in life.
Organizational success comes from focusing on what you can do rather than what you cannot. There is much that organizations can do to help their young hires adjust to work. It should be kept in mind that most young hires will take to the job just fine. Some will struggle, and with some extra effort and a little patience, more of them can be successful.
Image generated by DALL-E 3. Prompt “image of 5 young people working. Wide aspect. No beards on the men.”
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