Employing young workers: How well are we managing them?

Employing young workers How well are we managing them?

Mary Tresize-Brown August 2004

Brotherhood of St Laurence 67 Brunswick Street Fitzroy Vic. 3065 ABN 24 603 467 024 Telephone (03) 9483 1183 Internet: www.bsl.org.au For more information about this report, contact: Brotherhood of St Laurence Transitions Unit 54�58 Wells Street Frankston 3199 Telephone (03) 9781 5724 © Brotherhood of St Laurence 2004 This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publisher

How well are we managing them?

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Contents Tables and charts ii Acknowledgments iii Executive summary iv Introduction 1 Background 1

Generational differences 2 Aim of this report 3 Stage 1: Interviews with employers and young employees 4 Themes 4 Stage 2: Surveys of employers and young employees 5 Findings 6

What employers said about induction processes 6 How do young workers rate their induction? 7 Is the quality of information affected by the presence of a formal induction process? 8 How did young people assess the information received in small and large businesses? 9 How young people rate the importance of various workplace characteristics 10 What employers said about managing young people compared with managing others 11

Next steps: What employers and their young employees want 12 What employers are saying 12 What young workers are saying 13 Conclusions 14 Other relevant programs 16 References 18 Appendix A: Employer – Youth Employment Survey 19 Appendix B: Young Person – Youth Employment Survey 22

Employing young workers

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Tables and charts

Table S1 Comparison of views on skills needed to manage young workers v Table 1 Features of each generation at a glance 2 Table 2 Survey responses, by business type and survey type 6 Table 3 Training, information or support provided to new young workers 6 Table 4 Percentage of young workers who rated the quality of information

received as poor 8

Table 5 Young workers� assessment of information received when starting work, in small businesses and large businesses

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Table 6 Formal induction programs conducted by managers in small and large businesses

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Table 7 Workplace characteristics regarded as important by young workers 10 Table 8 Employers� views about practices with greater importance when managing

young workers 11

Table 9 Comparisons between young workers� and employers� views 12 Table 10 What employers felt would be useful in the workplace for managing

young workers 13

Table 11 What young workers felt would be useful in the workplace 13 Table 12 Ranking by young workers for additional information or support 14 Table 13 Comparisons between employers and young workers about useful services 15 Chart 1 Young workers� average ratings of quality of information received 7 Chart 2 Young workers� levels of satisfaction with information as part of induction 9


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Acknowledgments The Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) together with Frankston Mornington Peninsula Local Learning and Employment Network (FMPLLEN) wish to acknowledge the contributions of local employers, young people, parents and agencies who contributed to the project. In particular, the BSL and FMPLLEN would like to thank the following individuals and organisations who shared their thoughts and experiences about managing young people in the workplace, and/or completed surveys: • Andrew James, Glenn Smith & Liam Hinkman, G&L Automotive • Brendan O�Connell, Peninsula Vocational Education and Training • Bryan Quinn, Baxter Retirement Village • Cassie Trotter & Lee-ann Wiley, Clothing Angel • Darko Popovski, Frankston City Council • Ed Cameron, C&I Engineering • Glenys Layton, Department of Education and Training • Greg Fitzgerald, STEG Engineering • Guy Joseph, Heart & Soul Cafe • Jade Stubbs, Maria Carter and other staff, Ascendence Job Network • Janelle Campbell, Day Dream Cottage Child Care Centre • Jeanette Williams and staff, AGL • Julie Martin and staff, Shell Australia P/L • Kim Wallace and staff, Holden Ltd • Lina Johnson, Spotlight Frankston • Link Group Training staff • Maria Tarrant, Business Council of Australia • Parents from the Brotherhood of St Laurence PACTS (Parents as Career Transition Support)

Project • Paul Streefkerk, Frankston Arts Centre • Peter McKenzie, Frankston Chamber of Commerce • Raelene Trimble, Faceys Nursery • Rebecca Henshall, Frankston City Council • Ron Dickason, Rosebud RSL • Shane Reinmuth and staff, Bendigo Bank • Terry Mason, Heidi Bramberger, Janet Green and staff, Commonwealth Bank

We also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Daniel Perkins and Carol Peterson from the Social Action and Research team at the Brotherhood of St Laurence in compiling research data and providing advice and guidance, Deborah Patterson for editing advice, and the support from the BSL Library staff.


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Executive summary The basis for conducting this project developed primarily from the experience of working with 1young people in the Brotherhood�s Transition Project. We learned from our observations of young people in employment that some 2employers take a fragmented approach to managing young people in the workplace. While a number of employers have implemented practices and procedures with young people in mind, others seem to have given little thought to adopting methods specific to managing young employees, particularly those in their first job. We know that employers are a valuable part of career transition for a young person, so we wanted to learn more about what happens in places that employ young people, with the aim of finding out:

1. What processes are used 2. What is working well 3. What could be improved 4. What could be developed to assist those improvements 5. How any improvements could be developed and implemented.

This report is the result of researching how various employers induct, train and manage young workers, together with the observations of young workers on the quality of their induction, training and ongoing management. We talked with employers, young workers, parents and agencies working with young people to learn more about their thoughts and beliefs on managing them in the workplace. The report discusses the responses that employers and young workers made about their workplace experiences from a survey returned by 51 employers and 88 young workers, supplemented by interviews with parents and agencies, including the local group training company. Both surveys focussed on obtaining information about induction practices, workplace characteristics, skills in managing young people and potential improvements.

Generational differences The world we work in has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, which has changed the demands of employees, particularly the way they prefer to work. When it comes to understanding young people today, we are working with a generation that has quite different communication styles and attitudes to work compared to those of other generations. This group is known as Generation Y (born 1981�1994). Research about generational differences explains that each generation is shaped by different values that define their age group, beliefs and attitudes about work. Generation Y seek challenges, meaningful rewards and career pathways. Our survey results from young workers showed that developing good rapport with the supervisor/manager, and those people�s skills in explaining things well to the young person, were ranked in the top five out of fifteen workplace features. This communication style is a Generation Y trait where they are seeking understanding and respect, and if supervisors/managers are less than transparent it will be noticed. If we know the beliefs and attitudes of Generation Y, we have more opportunity to think about how we communicate to work effectively with them:

1 For the purpose of this project, the term �young people� refers to those aged between 13 and 25 years 2 The term �employer� is used here to describe supervisors, managers, team leaders and others who manage young people at work

Communicating to Generation Y requires openness�genuine interest in those we are trying to teach and, above all else, understanding. The more relaxed the environment, and the more socially conducive to discussions, the better will be the quality of the learning. (McCrindle 2003, p.31)


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Workplace features The surveys revealed that most of the employers provide training, information or support to young workers on matters like pay, work hours, superannuation, tax and internal job training, but less than half of them provide mentoring, buddy systems, job rotation or external job training. According to the Australian Human Resource Institute, the right induction program can help to reduce anxiety, improve productivity and save money, however, nearly a third of the employers we surveyed do not provide a formal induction process. Large employers were more likely to provide information as part of a formal induction program, however, they were not as successful in delivering the information well, but on the other hand the small businesses that provide a formal induction process deliver it more than adequately. Occupational health and safety information is not provided as part of induction by some employers, which is of great concern. When questioned about managing young workers compared to managing other workers, employers were fairly evenly divided. Just over half the group said that different skills are needed to manage young workers to a medium or great extent, and just under half said that to a small extent different skills were required. In comparing this response (Table S1 below) to the response of young workers, there are similar beliefs that different skills are required to a small or medium extent, however far more employers believe that different skills are required to a great extent. Only a very small number of employers thought that no different skills were required. Table S1: Comparisons on skills to manage young workers Are different skills required in the management of young people?

Young workers Employers

No 15.9% 4.1% To a small extent 43.2% 42.9% To a medium extent 37.5% 36.7% To a great extent 3.4% 16.3% One feature in the workplace about which employers and young workers appeared to hold opposing attitudes was making mistakes at work; while young workers consider being allowed to make mistakes as least important; many employers recognise it as an important part of managing young people at work.

Conclusions We learned a great deal from this research about how employers work with young people and what methods and practices they use. Employers and young workers were keen participants in interviews, happy to talk about their beliefs, their workplaces and enthusiastic about learning new information. At a glance our research shows: • Communication at all levels in the workplace is rated as important by both employers and

young workers • Clear and regular communication is the one area that both employers and young workers

rated equally as highly important • Over 90 per cent of young workers rated good rapport with supervisors as important, yet less

than 40 per cent of employers rated building rapport as more important with young workers than with other employees

• The lack of information about occupational health and safety by some employers is alarming • Employers recognise the importance of providing opportunities for training and development

for young workers; yet external job training was the least provided component of the induction


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process, of the ones we asked about. Young workers indicated both internal and external training as important and ranked job-related training as the area they would most like additional information or support.

• Young people need to be confident enough to discuss and establish award/enterprise agreements or contracts. Some employers are not being clear about this with their young workers, with around 15% of young people saying that the quality of information that they received was poor, very poor or that they did not receive any.

The research also validates anecdotal evidence that many young workers and employers have little or no knowledge about the impact of generational differences at work. Generational differences were an area of particular interest during initial interviews. Over 50% of employers believe that workshops providing further information would be useful, and just over 40% of young workers wanted to learn about it further. The areas listed below relate to the main findings of this research and are worthy of additional exploration: 1. Induction methods 2. Management skills 3. Workplace practices 4. Education/training about generational differences for employers, young employees and other

employees 5. Information for young employees about workplace and employment practices 6. Education for new young employees on employer expectations 7. Strengthening communication between young employees and others in the workplace.


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Introduction The employing young workers project emerged within the Brotherhood�s Transitions Unit, which was established in 1997 to enhance young people�s transition from school to further education, training or employment, ensuring the decisions they make about their future are informed ones. The Transitions Unit expanded in 2003 to assist parents become effective career and transition support (through the Parents as Career Transition Support Program) for their adolescent children through educating themselves about career transition and all the options. Staff of the Transition Project became aware of differences between employers of their young clients, and noticed that young people would recommend particular employees to each other over another one and it got them thinking. If we are assisting young people to become �work ready�, can we assist employers to become �youth ready�? Research on youth employment from an employer�s perspective has focussed on what employers want young people to have. The report �Employability Skills for the Future� (ACCI 2002) identified an employer perspective and made the education sector more responsive to the needs of industry. The subsequent Employability Skills Framework was developed to identify personal attributes, skills and abilities that contribute to the overall employability of a young person. This framework is a key component of the many programs being undertaken in schools to prepare them for the workforce. The Employing Young Workers project sets out to discover the other side: what are the possibilities for developing a framework that identifies the skills, abilities and workplace practices that contribute to employer�s effectively inducting, managing and retaining young workers; to be an employer of choice of young people. The Employing Young Workers project is a strategic component in supporting young people and their transition to independence.

Background Employer groups and peak bodies recognise that young people are critical to the future of business and the economy, but also acknowledge there is a deepening problem in attracting young people into certain jobs, and/or keeping young people as employees. According to Alison Rich from Industrial Psychology Consultants, �Younger employees are less likely to speak out about dissatisfaction, and more likely to change jobs rather than go to their manager�. She also says �No longer is it purely the case of employees selling themselves to employers; the situation has flipped to an extent� (Rich 2004).

Business results depend on your people. To thrive, even to survive, businesses must meet the challenge of today�s generationally diverse workforce. (Raines, 2003)

Employers need to look closely at how they attract young employees to work in their business, particularly in light of the national skills shortages. An investigation by the Department of Education Science and Training (2002) found that despite some of the issues being generic across all or most skilled occupations, the solutions and plans for action really need to be tailored to the conditions applying in particular industries. For example, most industries believed that the skilled trades had an image problem in terms of their appeal to young people thinking about potential careers. The National Industry Skills Initiative


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(NISI) is being undertaken by government to improve the image of industry and their recruitment practices, and to engage employers in training. Our present research should assist employers to consider what they are doing to attract, recruit, manage and retain young workers.

Generational differences Research conducted by the Australian Leadership Foundation shows that the biggest divide facing our society today is the generation gap, and for those involved in engaging young people it must be remembered that the gap between us and them is constantly growing (McCrindle 2003). Each generation is shaped by different values that define their age group�s beliefs and attitudes about work. Table 1: Features of each generation at a glance

Seniors Builders Boomers Gen X Gen Y Born before 1925 Born 1926�1946 Born 1946�1964 Born 1965�1980 Born 1981�1994 5% of population 25% of population 15% of population 26% of population 28% of population

Factors � ! World War 1

Factors � ! Great Depression ! World War 2

Factors � ! general economic

prosperity ! suburbia ! colour television ! Vietnam War

Factors � ! divorce increase ! technology boom ! recession ! 1987 stock-market

crash ! dual-income families ! increased drug

abuse ! cable TV ! corporate takeovers ! personal computers

Factors � ! September 11

attacks ! mobile phones ! continued leaps in

technology ! environmental

awareness ! increased

educational opportunities

! internet Mark McCrindle (2003) says each generation is influenced by environmental, social and economic factors that determine their view of the workplace, with some key points as follows: • A generation ago our society was based on a hierarchical structure and so older people were

managers and leaders in the head office while younger people were likely to be trainees, and workers in the field. This physical structure meant that different age groups rarely mingled in the workplace, today it is different.

• Many Xers are now in their 30s and there is a new generation moving into the workplace: Generation Y. This emerging generation have been empowered from a young age to take charge of their own future � Throughout their education they were empowered to choose subjects, assessments, and outcomes � they want input over their career, their training, and their role. By understanding what today�s youth most value, we can determine how to most effectively engage them.

• The core values of the Builders and Boomers generations included a strong work ethic, respect for authority, loyalty and commitment, financial conservatism, long-term planning, and delayed gratification � The values today of Generation Y are drastically different: flexibility, variety, choice, freedom, pragmatism, and personal leadership.

Our research indicates there are obvious communication gaps between employers, young workers and other workers that suggest generational differences are at play, and no-one has realised it. In the words of one employer about managing a team of people from varying age groups, �Some of the older ones have real trouble understanding the young ones. I have to continually intervene between two specific workers to smooth out ongoing issues about how each of them wants to work�.


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According to Robert Wendover, Managing Director of the Centre for Generational Studies, being aware of generational differences is the first step in managing a multi-age workforce. What do employers know about the new generations? The way Robert Wendover puts it:

You have to look at yourself before you can figure out how other generations tick. The generations are divided into four groups, each shaped by different values and cultural icons that define their age group. There are no rights and wrongs, just generational differences based on shared experiences. (Wendover 2003, cited in Alexander 2001)

The labour market climate for this generation includes estimations that 300,000 full time jobs for young people were permanently lost over the twenty-five year period to 1991 (Youth Affairs Council of Victoria 1992). Full-time jobs for teenagers and young adults have declined by 15.2 per cent in Australia since 1995 (Dusseldorp Skills Forum, 2003) and there has been an increased casualisation of the workforce, particularly for young people. The labour market conditions and their parents� attitudes to work may have shaped Generation Y attitudes to work. Dwyer et al. (2003) argue that the people of Generation Y are balancing a range of commitments in their lives and have a tendency towards horizontal mobility (across different work settings and experiences) rather than the upward social mobility of their parents. Their study showed an overwhelming emphasis on achieving balance in life, involving space for the development of personal relationships and a downplaying of the centrality of work as a source of identity. The young people of this generation do not live to work - but rather they work to live. A job merely provides the income to do what they want to do. Once we have a foundational grasp of their characteristics, communication styles, and social attitudes, we will be well equipped to effectively reach diverse generations. In completing this report, we investigate the specific needs that young people have when first entering the workforce and how employers can effectively meet those needs. It documents the result of examining survey data collected from employers and young employees, together with an investigation into services, programs, activities or events that currently exist, and the extent to which they contribute to skilling employers in all the facets of employing a young person.

Aim of this report The overall aim of the report sets out to identify: • The needs of young people when entering the employment market, and the extent to which

employment practices examined are able to effectively meet those needs • The views that employers have of young people and what they are doing to assist young people

entering their organisation, often in their first job • Effective techniques for managing young people in the workplace • Gaps in employment practices relating to young people and critical issues for program

development in this area • A summary of youth-friendly employment practices/models in Australia or overseas • Identification of the need for any additional work/program development to be undertaken

The employer of choice for Generation Y has to be one that demonstrates values, both environmental and social. McCrindle 2003


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Stage 1: Interviews with employers and young employees The basis of commencing the project was to learn more about the specific needs of young people, and what employers currently do to effectively meet those needs. Initially, interviews were held with a number of employers in big and small business from a range of industries, the local group training company, young people in employment, the Job Network and parents, where we collected information about employing and managing young people in the workplace. The purpose of these discussions was to provide a framework for development of the research. The employers interviewed were a combination of large and small business from the following industries: • Hospitality • Community services • Engineering • Automotive • Horticulture • Music • Clothing and design. The response from all of these employers was tremendous; they were very enthusiastic to talk about their experience of employing and managing young people. Some of the employers were unsure to begin with. This they indicated was because the majority of contacts they receive by agencies were asking for job vacancies or some kind of support. They appreciated the opportunity to have their say and spend some time focusing on their role. Interviews were also held with a number of young employees. Again, the young employees were happy to share their experiences, although some were cautious about their responses, perhaps due to uncertainty about reactions from their employer. We also spoke with a group of parents to gain their views about young people in employment. Many parents are grateful for an opportunity to talk about their children and employment and this was no exception, they were enthusiastic and willing to share. One parent pointed out that having other young people in the workplace can be helpful, for example, a third-year apprentice linked to a school leaver in a structured mentor relationship. Another parent said it was important that employers respect young people and not just see them as cheap labour. The interviews centred on: • what skills and knowledge are effective in managing a young person in the workplace • the challenges for employers and their young employees • induction programs that may include a youth focus • ideas about what could be helpful for employers to develop skills and knowledge to effectively

manage young people.

Themes Themes that emerged from employers were the need to have comprehensive understanding of young people�s needs when first entering the labour force, and the characteristics they present in the workplace. Communication between employers and young people was possibly the most talked about topic during these interviews, but views on this varied greatly depending on all the factors that can influence how well this occurs. As the manager/director of a small engineering firm put it,


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�You need to spend lots of time explaining lots of things, the why, how, when and where�. Another manager in a child-care centre said, �Communicating well on a regular basis is what�s important. You need to put aside time to make yourself available�. Employers also expressed a keen interest to learn more about generational differences and their impact on workplace productivity. Anecdotal evidence from the interviews with employers suggests they would like to see young employees better prepared for the workplace, with some commenting that schools and parents need to teach young people more about the realities of starting in their first few jobs, including things like reliability, initiative and common sense. The young people we met with believe that employers need to understand and acknowledge that they are learning, so adequate time to train and teach is very important. They also talked about the need for clear expectations and boundaries, as well as employers having realistic expectations about the young person�s capacity in a new job with limited skills and knowledge. All of the young people interviewed said that communication was critical to them understanding what is expected of them, and that employers or supervisors need to give them the time they need to learn. As one young employee in a motor mechanics business said, �Managers should know how young people think, and what their capabilities and energy levels are. They shouldn�t expect too much too soon, and make sure we�re well and truly ready�. The Job Network agency highlighted the importance of communication between young people and their manager/supervisor, and said that learning about generational differences could help understand the different sets of values held by each. An example of this was pointed out by an agency staff member who had recently met an employer who made the following response when asked about their young employee, �He�s still employed here isn�t he, if he wasn�t doing a good job, he wouldn�t be�. Communication in its broadest sense was highlighted by all employers and employees as vital to the relationship with both the employer and other team members.

Stage 2: Surveys of employers and young employees Using the information collected from these interviews as the basis for questions, two surveys were developed � one for employers, one for young employees. The surveys concentrated on obtaining information about: • Induction practices • Workplace characteristics • Skills and/or practices in managing young people • Potential improvement The Frankston Chamber of Commerce and the City of Frankston supported the request to assist with distributing the surveys, focusing on the Frankston/Mornington Peninsula region. We also approached the Business Council of Australia to distribute the surveys to large employers across a wider area stretching from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula to the Gippsland region, and across the southern part of metropolitan Melbourne. As Table 2 shows, surveys were distributed to 250 businesses, made up of 245 small businesses (employing fewer than 50 people) and 5 large employers (employing more than 50). We received 139 responses, including multiple responses from some workplaces. The response rate by large businesses was very much higher than by small businesses. As a result, the findings are influenced by the experience of large workplaces.


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Table 2: Survey responses, by business type and survey type Large business Small business Total No. of businesses invited to complete surveys

5 245 250

No. of businesses which returned surveys

5 22 27

% of businesses which returned surveys

100% 9% 11%

No of responses to young employee survey

68 20 88

No. of responses to employer/manager survey

31 20 51

Findings

What employers said about induction processes3 The induction processes adopted by employers varied greatly, with less than half of the employers reporting that information given to new employees does not form part of a formal induction process. Just over a third of young workers reported they did not complete a formal induction program, so it appears that induction receives varied importance. The most common type of information provided to new employees concentrates on pay, work hours and superannuation (Table 3). Of concern is the finding that 10 of the 51 employers surveyed did not report providing OH&S training, information or support to new employees. In spite of the efforts by Work Cover to raise awareness through the media about workplace safety for both employers and employeesand the support offered to assist employers implement OH&S processes, these results clearlydemonstrate the need for employers to seriously consider the potential risks of not including this information for new young employees. Table 3: Training, information or support provided to new young workers

Type of training, information or support provided to new young workers

Percentage of employers who report providing it

Information about pay, bonuses/incentives 96.1% Information about work hours 94.1% Information about superannuation and tax 92.2% Internal job-related training 90.2% Workplace orientation 84.3% Occupational Health and Safety 80.4% A mentoring system 64.7% A �buddy� system 45.1% Job rotation system 43.1% External job-related training 37.3%

It is interesting to note that buddy systems and job rotation are not commonplace, and yet there are many organisations that have benefited from implementing these systems. For example, the Australian Public Service Guidelines for Workplace Diversity list the establishment of mentor and buddy systems as one of the methods for attracting and developing people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (APS 2001). A report from the Adult Learning Inspectorate in the UK (ALI 2004) highlights the benefit of assigning a workplace buddy or mentor to young trainees, with one of the key messages saying �If you want young trainees to succeed, provide a mentor or buddy�. The report �Successful Learning at Work�(Hatton 2003) looks at effective

3 Induction is a process that introduces a new employee to all the aspects of the organisation. Workplace orientation is one part of induction and includes information about things like organisational structure and departmental functions.


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methods of guiding people through work-based learning and finds that offering a new trainee a �buddy� (a more experienced trainee who befriends them) or mentor makes it more likely that the new learner will attain their work-based qualifications. External job training is a low priority for employers, yet in contrast, internal and external job training is a high priority for young workers, with more than a third of them indicating they would like internal and external job training (see Table 12 below) � higher than any of the other categories of �additional support and information�. Despite the low number of employers who indicated that they provide information about external job training to new employees, over half of them said they recognise that the provision of opportunities for training and development is of greater importance when managing young people.

How do young workers rate their induction? Young workers were asked to rate the quality of the information they received at induction (see Chart 1, which shows their average ratings, on a scale where the lowest score indicates the highest satisfaction), with results indicating a high degree of satisfaction with information about working conditions (hours and leave), and a moderate level of satisfaction with information about training. The information received about other areas was rated as less satisfactory. Chart 1: Young workers’ average ratings of quality of information provided

Scale 1 to 6, where 1 = very good and 6 = did not receive any

Type of information

Orie

ntat

ion

Trai

ning

Ente

rpris

e ag

reem

ent

Hou

rs a

nd le

ave

Supe

rann

uatio

n, ta

x

Pay

OH

S

Aver

age

ratin

g

3.0

2.8

2.6

2.4

2.2

2.0

1.8

1.6

The �Maximising Youth Employment� report conducted by Penrith Chamber of Commerce details the results of conducting focus groups, where highlighted as one of the common mistakes made by employers is poor induction. It was noted that very few employers admitted to having an induction procedure, yet there was almost universal agreement as to its importance (MYE Report 2002). Induction for any person in a new job is absolutely critical, for a young person it is even more so to ensure there is clear understanding about how an organisation functions and all the practices and


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systems that are particular to that business. They don�t have the benefit of previous experience in other workplaces to draw from, so their need for this information is much higher than others. Some 14% of the young employees (see Table 4) ranked the quality of information they received about the award/enterprise agreement or contract as poor or did not receive any. Employers and young workers need to become more aware of the importance of this information both now and in the future with the introduction of more contract based work. According to �The Future of Work� (Department of Education, Science and Training 2002):

The world of work has changed fundamentally in the past twenty years and is set to change even more radically. The notion of a job-for-life has been turned on its head. The workplace is now responsive to constantly changing global needs. Some of the changes that will have an impact upon traditional ideas about the labour force in Australia and worldwide are:

o The workplace will be dominated by contractors rather than permanent employees. o Working life will extend beyond the nine-to-five. o A larger percentage of the population will be in paid work.

Young people need to have confidence in discussing and establishing workplace contractual arrangements, while employers should be providing the full extent of information that young workers must know about their workplace. �Young people are set to encounter a workplace where contractual agreements are the norm, and where individuals identify with fellow workers in their profession more than the company that employs them�, says Michael Vitale, Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management (Vitale 2002). Table 4: Percentage of young workers that rated the quality of information received as poor

Type of information Percentage that rated the information they received as poor or very poor or indicated that they did not receive any

Award/ enterprise agreement or contract 14.4% Superannuation and tax 12.2% Pay arrangements, bonuses/incentives 10% Workplace orientation 8.9% Training on how to do my job 7.7% Occupational Health and Safety 5.5% Work conditions such as hours, breaks and leave 2.2%

Is the quality of information affected by the presence of a formal induction process? Over a third of employers reported that information given to new workers does not form part of a formal induction process, and yet on average young workers consistently rated information that was delivered as part of an induction process as being of a higher quality. This implies that a thorough induction process could enhance the ability of young workers to function well within the workplace. Chart 2 shows the average ratings (again, on a scale where the lowest score indicates the highest satisfaction) by young workers who received this information as part of a formal induction process, compared with ratings by young workers who received this information outside a formal induction process. Young employees who had gone through a formal induction program were substantially more satisfied with the information they were given about orientation, training and OH&S than those who had not had a formal induction program; however, both groups had similar levels of satisfaction with the information received about enterprise agreements/contracts, hours and pay. Interestingly, employees who did not receive a formal induction rated the quality of information about superannuation and tax significantly better than other employees.


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Chart 2: Young workers’ levels of satisfaction with information as part of induction Scale 1 to 6, where 1 = very good and 6 = did not receive any

Categories of information provided

Orie

ntat

ion

Trai

ning

Ente

rpris

e ag

reem

ent

Hou

rs a

nd le

ave

Tax,

sup

eran

nuat

ion

Pay

OH

S

Aver

age

ratin

g3.0

2.8

2.6

2.4

2.2

2.0

1.8

1.6

Provision method

Part of a formal

induction program

Not part of an

induction program

How did young people assess the information received in small and large businesses? Table 5 shows that young workers from small business rated information at a very good level from three of the seven areas covered. Also, a very good level of OH&S information provided in small business was rated by over double the proportion of young workers in large business. A small number of young workers in large business did not receive any information about OH&S, agreements or contracts, training or orientation. Table 5: Young workers’ assessment of information received when starting work, in small businesses and large businesses

Rating OH&S Pay (incl. bonuses, incentives)

Superannuationand tax

Hours and leave

Enterprise agreement or contract

Training (how to do job)

Orientation.

Business type

Large Small Large Small Large Small Large Small Large Small Large Small Large Small

% Very good

39.4 12.5 33.3 50.0 21.1 56.3 40.3 56.3 23.5 25.0 46.5 43.8 30.6 28.6

% Good 31.0 62.5 30.6 37.5 28.2 18.8 34.7 43.8 27.9 56.3 23.9 50.0 40.3 42.9 % Adequate 23.9 18.8 23.6 12.5 36.6 18.8 22.2 30.9 12.5 19.7 6.3 19.4 21.4 % Poor 6.3 9.7 9.9 6.3 1.4 5.9 4.2 5.6 7.1 % Very poor

2.8 1.4 2.9 1.4

% Did not receive any

5.6 2.8 1.4 8.8 6.3 4.2 4.2


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Table 6 (below) shows that managers and supervisors in large businesses were more likely than those in smaller businesses to report that information was provided as part of a formal induction program. Table 6: Formal induction programs in small and large businesses Business size Providing induction program Not providing induction program Number % Number % Large business 29 97% 1 3% Small business 7 37% 12 63% Note: More than one manager/supervisor responded from some large businesses However, further data analysis showed that where small employers did provide a formal induction program, 100% of employees rated the quality of the information highly. By contrast large employers who provided a formal induction program were not as successful in satisfactorily delivering information: of their employees, 20 individuals indicated that the quality of the information that they received was poor and 9 individuals indicated that they did not receive any. Where induction was not provided by small employers, 100% of employees still rated the information that they received about pay arrangements, bonuses and incentives, work conditions and training on how to do my job, as good. Ten per cent of employees who did not receive a formal induction rated the information that they received about occupational health and safety, superannuation, tax and orientation as poor. Again, a small number indicated that they did not receive any information about award/enterprise agreement or contract. Even where there was no formal induction process, the level of satisfaction recorded by employees of small businesses was higher than the satisfaction levels recorded by employees of large businesses.

How young people rate the importance of various workplace characteristics The young workers we surveyed consistently rated workplace characteristics that involved their employers, supervisors and managers possessing effective communication skills more highly than other workplace characteristics, as illustrated in Table 7. Table 7: Workplace characteristics regarded as important by young workers

Workplace characteristics Percentage of young employees who considered this important or

very important Having things well explained 98.4% Clear and regular communication 93.3% Adequate information and support 92.3% Good rapport with supervisors 92.2% Patient and tolerant supervisors 92.2% Clear explanations from my supervisors 92.2% Being encouraged to ask questions 91.2% Having clear responsibilities 91.1% Opportunities for training and development 90.8% Having scope to use initiative 90.0% A well structured job role 89.2% Reasonable expectations of my work 88.9% Understanding where my job fits 87.8% Regular feedback from supervisors 85.6% Being allowed to make mistakes 71.1%

The two workplace characteristics that young workers rated as the most important were having things well explained and clear and regular communication. These results support anecdotal


11

evidence that effective communication skills in the workplace are a feature that young employees consider to be very important. The flip side of this is that young workers rated being allowed to make mistakes as considerably less important than other workplace characteristics. This is a point where employers and young workers held divergent attitudes. Forty-one per cent of employers indicated that allowing young people to make mistakes was a more important skill/practice when managing young people, which meant that it was the eleventh most important workplace characteristic for employers out of 16 characteristics. Work undertaken by a US firm specialising in customer loyalty and customer retention makes a significant argument about employees making mistakes:

Let employees make mistakes. Give new employees more than adequate training, assign them a mentor, and then know and accept that they will make mistakes. If the mistakes are significant, discuss what could be done in the future to prevent them from occurring again. With the rapid pace of change in the working world, we all are constantly learning. Most workplaces have an environment where employees are fearful of making a mistake. The result is that employees work more slowly, overanalyse situations, are reluctant to take a stance, and do not offer new and innovative solutions. Mistakes are the stepping stones to great solutions (Thomas, 1999)

What employers said about managing young people compared with managing others Over 50% of employers indicated that they considered the first five characteristics in Table 8 as being of greater importance in the management of young people. It is important to observe that the employers were not asked �Are these workplace characteristics important?�, they were asked to indicate whether these characteristics are �more important when managing young people�; therefore these statistics provide an indication of what employers believe are more important when managing young people. In this light it is interesting to compare what employers identified as being more important when managing young people, with the characteristics that young people indicated they thought were most important. Clear and regular communication is ranked second highest by both employers and young workers, and is further verification that communication at all levels is one of the key factors for both groups. Table 8: Employers’ views about practices with greater importance when managing young workers

Skills/practices Percentage of employers who believe that these are of greater importance when managing young people.

Encouraging to ask questions 68.6% Clear and regular communication 54.9% Having clear expectations 53.1% Opportunities for training and development 52.9% Making responsibilities clear 51.0% Being patient and tolerant 49.0% Being aware of differences in behaviour and attitudes 49.0% Spending time explaining things 47.1% Providing scope to use initiative 45.1% Encouraging feedback 43.1% Allow them to make mistakes 41.2% Providing structure in the job role 41.2% Developing rapport 39.2% Taking time to explain processes 39.2% Encouraging good time management 37.3% Adequate information and support systems 35.3%


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Over 55% of employers indicated that they felt that the following characteristics are of no greater importance in the management of young people: • Developing rapport • Taking time to explain processes • Encouraging good time management • Adequate information and support systems. If these results are compared with the values of young workers some quite significant differences are revealed (see Table 9). Over 90 per cent of young workers indicated that having good rapport with supervisors was either important or very important, and yet more than half the employers indicated they did not consider this workplace characteristic as being of greater importance when managing young people. Additionally, young people said they need clear instructions, yet employers do not believe that time to explain processes is more important in managing young people. It is possible that these results come from employers who believe these characteristics to be important in dealing with all employees, rather than of greater importance for young workers. However a general lack of recognition of the importance of good rapport and of explaining processes could severely affect a young person�s capabilities to meet employer expectations. With an increasingly diverse workforce, managers of every age are encouraged to be a teacher and a learner at the same time. Table 9: Comparisons between young workers’ and employers’ views of workplace characteristics for young people

Young workers’ views of importance of workplace characteristics

1. Having things well explained 2. Clear and regular communication 3. Adequate information and support 4. Good rapport with supervisors 5. Being encouraged to ask questions

Employers’ views of workplace characteristics which are more important when managing young workers 1. Encouraging to ask questions 2. Clear and regular communication 3. Having clear expectations 4. Opportunities for training and development 5. Making responsibilities clear

Next steps: What employers and their young employees want We gave employers and their young employees a list of supports that might assist workplace relations, and asked what would be useful.

What employers are saying It is enormously encouraging that employers are most interested in services that help facilitate communication about expectations after starting a new job and education about different attitudes and expectations across generations (see Table 10). On the other hand, they also said that they would not be interested in these options being provided by an external agency. This could be related to the cost of engaging an external agency but it also raises the question about employers and their perceptions of external providers, which was also indicated in their response to seeking external job-related training for young workers. This ranked lowest in the types of information that employers give to new employees, yet most young workers indicated they valued all opportunities for training and development. We might also presume from this that employers prefer to provide the training themselves, nevertheless, they also require the skills, knowledge and ability to be able to do so.


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Table 10: What employers thought would be useful in the workplace for managing young workers

Service Percentage of employers who consider that service would be useful in supporting their management of young people to a medium or a great extent.

Workshops for young people about employer expectations after starting a new job

54.9%

Education about the different attitudes and expectations between generations

50.9%

Workshops for young people about workplace and employment practices

47.0%

Facilitating communication between young employees and others in the workplace

39.2%

Network meetings with likeminded employers 27.4%

What young workers are saying Young workers were most interested in workshops that helped them communicate with others in the workplace; Generation Y value personal relationships and their development (see Table 11). Both employers and young workers rated workshops for young people about workplace and employment practices as useful. Table 11: What young workers thought would be useful in the workplace

Service Percentage of young workers who considered this service would be useful in their workplace to a medium or a great extent


50.0%

Workshops for young employees about workplace and employment practices

46.6%

Workshops for young people about employer expectations after starting a new job

42.2%

Supervisor/manager training about the different attitudes and expectations between generations

41.1% Communication between young workers and others was rated by half the respondents as a useful service, further confirmation of the pattern emerging around enhancing communication in the workplace. This is not surprising when you consider the experience of an Apprenticeship Liaison Officer with the Department of Education and Training who meets with employers and young people every day, mostly to resolve issues in the workplace, especially ones that involve training for young apprentices and trainees. This person commented in relation to communication in the workplace:

Schools are now more open to discussion, workplaces are still hierarchical. Young people have to learn that they will go from being self-directed to directed. They get to their first job where the boss has been taught as an apprentice in a directed style, and he goes on to do the same. Their approach can be illustrated with statements like �Do what you�re told, I�m the boss, don�t ask questions�. This is one of the major problems with communication between employers and young people.

The two types of additional information and support that really stand out relate to job training, which indicates that young people have a strong desire to learn and develop in their jobs (see Table 12). On the basis of this result we can conclude that young people are likely to be enthusiastic and


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committed participants in any opportunities (to develop or enhance their job-related skills) that employer and outside agencies may be able to offer them. Table 12: Ranking by young workers for additional information or support

Additional information and support Percentage of young workers who indicated that they would like more information or support in relation to these areas.

External job-related training 35.6% Internal job-related training 36.7% Information about pay, bonuses/incentives 21.1% Information about superannuation and tax 22.2% Occupational health and safety 11.1% Information about work hours, breaks etc. 8.9% Job rotation 14.4% Workplace orientation (people departments etc.) 10.0% A mentor system 12.2% A buddy system 4.4%

These responses are supported by a survey conducted by recruitment agency Kelly Services who canvassed more than 1500 working youth in Australia about their attitudes to the workplace. Kelly Services Managing Director, Dianne Ward says:

Young people are attracted to a sociable work environment where they have the opportunity for growth and learning. A stimulating workplace environment where they have the chance to grow and learn amongst their peers is more attractive than a job with a high salary but none of the developmental benefits. (HR Manager 2004)

Conclusions The categorical message from employers and young workers about working together is communication, with three key areas to focus on: induction, generational differences and management skills. Induction processes varied greatly between the employers responding to surveys; the following highlights key areas from the findings about induction: • Young people rate the quality of training, orientation and occupational health and safety

information as significantly better when it is provided as part of a formal induction program. • Large employers are more likely to provide formal induction programs. • Some employers do not provide a formal induction program. • The lack of information about occupational health and safety by some employers is alarming. • Employers recognise the importance of providing opportunities for training and development

for young employees; yet external job training is a low priority for them. Young employees indicated both internal and external training as important.

• Young people need to be confident enough to discuss and establish award/enterprise agreements or contracts. Some employers are not being clear about this with their young employees.

Management skills in their broadest sense are critical to the workplace, and the following key areas are highlighted in the findings about management skills:


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• Communication at all levels in the workplace is rated as important by both employers and young employees.

• Clear and regular communication is the one area that both employers and young employees rated equally as highly important.

• Over 90 per cent of young employees rated good rapport with supervisors as important, yet less than 40 per cent of employers rated building rapport with young employees as more important than with other employees.

• Job-related training was ranked as the most important workplace characteristic by young employees.

Employers and young workers are most interested in services that focus on increasing knowledge to bridge communication between employers, young workers and others in the workplace. More than half the employers surveyed said workshops for young people about employer expectations would be helpful, while half of the young workers said facilitating communication between young workers and others in the workplace would be useful � both recognise that understanding about other groups in the workplace is essential to being effective. Research into generational differences concludes that to engage effectively with young people, employers must work at understanding them. In this study, young workers also expressed some interest in understanding the generational differences between employers and young employees however they ranked this below other options suggested. Employers were more positive about training about generational differences, which they ranked second to workshops for young employees about employer expectations. Table 13: Comparisons between employers and young workers about useful services

Service % of employers % of young workers Workshops for young people about employer expectations after starting a new job

54.9% 42.2%

Education about different attitudes and expectations between generations

50.9% 41.1%

Workshops for young people about workplace and employment practices

47.0% 46.6%


39.2% 50.0% Further investigation into induction, generational differences and management skills is vital to continuing support for young people making the transition to employment, whilst simultaneously assisting employers to maximise the potential of engaging young people in the workplace. Employers have a level of responsibility equivalent to schools and parents in providing adequate management skills and workplace practices for young people. Additionally, they need to be responsive to the values and beliefs of Generation Y as the future of business. Productivity and well-being in the workplace should be important to employers; they should consider research conducted by Diener and Seligman who found that:

Job satisfaction and positive mood at work both contribute to the productivity of organisations. Happy employees are better organisational citizens than unhappy employees � The costs of unhappy workers to economic productivity are enormous. Policies aimed at producing a happier workforce make sense both because they can enhance well-being in an important realm of life and because they can increase economic productivity and profitability � Furthermore, studies reveal that experiencing more positive emotions on the job is associated with both better performance and higher levels of organisational citizenship. (Diener & Seligman 2004, pp.10�11)


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Other relevant programs We discovered four initiatives that were developed to support employers and young people in the workplace that may be helpful as part of further investigation. The following provides a brief overview about each. Make It! The Make it! Campaign is an initiative of Manufacturing Learning Australia on behalf of seven manufacturing industry training bodies, to increase the profile of the manufacturing industry in order to recruit young people. The manufacturing industry has consistently identified the need to improve its image with young people and the general population, and the Make It! campaign is intended to do just that. Many manufacturing employers are also actively seeking to improve their track record with recruiting and retaining young workers, and a series of information sheets has been developed for manufacturing employers. These information sheets apply social research about Generation Y to recruitment of young workers in manufacturing, and provide practical suggestions about developing more youth-friendly workplaces. Information is available via the website <www.makeit.net.au>. Building relationships between employers and youth through electronic mentoring Connecting to success is an electronic mentoring program that began in 1999, designed to promote successful transition of youth with disabilities into adult life. Electronic mentoring, also called E-mentoring, uses a combination of e-mail and face-to-face meetings to facilitate mentoring relationships between young people and caring adults who are employers. Connecting to Success developed a model to help schools, community organisations, and businesses make valuable connections to youths with disabilities through e-mentoring. Features of the model include: • Schools connect with employers to form a mentoring partnership, where they commit to spend

time each week corresponding with students through e-mail. • Teachers guide and monitor the process, integrating the mentoring experience into class

activities. • Occasionally during the school year, mentors and students meet face-to-face at structured,

school-sponsored events. • Community members provide leadership and support for the project, and agency service

providers lend their expertise when needed. Details of the program are available at <www.ncset.org/institutes/proceedings/2002_03.asp>. The Employers Guide The Employers Guide was developed as the result of a research project titled Maximising Youth Employment that was conducted in the Penrith area by several Chambers of Commerce, Sydney�s Area Consultative Committee and others, to help business owner/managers maximise results with young employees, especially school leavers. The initial research was mostly conducted by surveying local businesses and focus groups, where they learned that what employers needed was a set of best practice procedures for employing young people. The Employers Guide is available in print and via a website and essentially shares the success secrets, tips and wisdom from managers experienced with taking school leavers; as well as ways to coach and manage them into loyal and profitable young employees with a real future. The Project Officer from Penrith Chamber of Commerce advised us they are about to review and update the guide now that it has been available for six months, and consider how they can effectively promote the guide to more employers. One of the ways this is already happening is through the distribution


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of a video and CD developed specifically for employers of young people in work placement by the NSW Department of Education and Training. In addition, a journal for students has been developed to provide more structure to the work placement. A practice undertaken by the Chamber of Commerce is a survey of employers on an annual basis about their experiences and views on employing young people, which is an ideal way of obtaining collective data. Further information is available at <www.employersguide.com.au>. Pocket Guide, Youth Rules! An initiative in the USA intended to support employers with information in brochure form about employment practices like OH&S and training. Further information is at <www.ahma.com-pdf-youthrulesbrochure.pdf>.


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References Adult Learning Inspectorate UK 2003, Buddies work best, viewed 9 August 2004 <http://docs.ali.gov.uk/press-releases/0903SUCCESSFULLEARNINGATWORKPN.doc>.

Alexander, C 2001, Understanding generational differences helps you manage a multi-age workforce,

The Digital Edge, viewed 9 August 2004, <www.digitaledge.org/monthly/2001_07/gengap1.html>.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia 2002, Employability skills for the future, Department of Education Science and Training, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://www.dest.gov.au/ty/publications/employability_skills/index.htm>.

Australian Public Service, 2001, Guidelines on workplace diversity, Appendix C � ideas for workplace diversity strategies, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications01/diversityguidelines8.htm>.

Capacity Building Institute 2002, Building relationships between employers and youth through technology: Electronic mentoring: National Centre on Secondary Education and Transition, Minneapolis.

Curtain, R, & Gook, G, 2003, How young people are faring, key indicators, Dusseldorp Skills Forum,

Department of Education, Science and Training, 2003, The future of work, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://www.dest.gov.au>.

Department of Education, Science and Training 2002, Nature and causes of skill shortages, prepared by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, viewed 9 August, <www.skillsinitiative.gov.au/documents/Nature_&_Causes_of_Skill_Shortages_Nov2002.rtf>.

Diener, E & Seligman, M E P 2004, �Beyond money: toward an economy of well-being�, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol.5, no.1, pp.1�31.

Dwyer, P, Smith, G, Tyler, D & Wyn, J 2003, Life-patterns, career outcomes and adult choices, Research report 23, Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne.

Hatton, P 2003, Successful learning at work, Adult Learning Inspectorate UK, viewed 9 August 2004, <www.ali.gov.uk>.

McCrindle, M 2003, �Understanding Generation Y�, Principal Matters, no.55, pp.28�31.

Palmer, I, Bickerstaff, P & Hanbury, R 2002, Maximising youth employment research report 2002, Penrith Chamber of Commerce, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://employersguide.com.au/_private/Part%201%20Research%20Report.pdf>.

Penrith Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2000, Job Readiness Project, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://employersguide.com.au> [via About Us link].

Rich, A 2004, HR Manager, Young and ambitious, viewed 9 August 2004, <http://www.hrmanager.com.au/index>.

State Youth Affairs Council and Network 1992, A living income: income support for young people, Youth Action and Policy Association of NSW, Sydney.

Thomas, L 1999, � �Wow!�ing employees, the foundation to high profits�, The Rough Notes Magazine viewed 9 August 2004 <http://www.roughnotes.com/rnmag/june99/06p84.htm>.

Vitale, M 2002, �Brave New World of Contract Staff�, Australian Financial Review, p. 52.

Wendover, R 2003, Centre for Generational Studies, viewed 9August 2004, <http://www.gentrends.com>.


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Appendix A: Employer � Youth Employment Survey

ORGANISATION DETAILS 1. Your Name ____________________________________________________________________

2. Business Name ________________________________________________________________

3. What is the primary line of business at this location? _____________________________________________________________

4. Does your organisation operate at more than one location? □ No ►go to question 5 □ Yes a What is the total number of employees across all sites of this organisation? _________________ b Is this location the head office? □ Yes □ No 5. What is the total number of employees at this location? ______________________

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

6. Are new employees provided with training, information or support in any of the following ways? (tick all applicable)

□ Occupational health and safety training □ External job-related training □ Information about pay, bonuses/incentives □ Internal job-related training □ Information about superannuation & tax □ Information about work hours, breaks, leave etc □ A Buddy system □ Workplace orientation □ Job rotation system □ A mentoring system

7. Is this part of a formal induction program for new employees? □ Yes □ No ►go to question 8


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a What is the total amount of time employees spend on this program?

□ ½ a day or less □ 1-2 days □ 3-5 days □ 1-2 weeks □ 2 or more weeks

b Is this program different for young employees?

□ No

□ Yes (please describe)___________________________________________________________________________

8.

Do you provide any other support/training systems specifically for young employees?

□ No □ Yes (please describe) _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

YOUNG PEOPLE 9. What proportion of employees in this organisation would be 25 years old or

younger_______________% 10. Do you believe that different skills are required in the management of young people? □ No □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent 11. Do you believe that any of the following skills/practices are of GREATER importance in the

management of young people than with other workers? □ Clear and regular communication □ Making responsibilities clear □ Developing rapport □ Having clear expectations □ Being patient and tolerant □ Allow them to make mistakes □ Spending time explaining things □ Taking time to explain processes □ Encouraging to ask questions □ Being aware of different behaviours / attitudes □ Providing structure in the job role □ Encouraging feedback □ Adequate information and support systems □ Encouraging good time management □ Opportunities for training and development □ Providing scope to use initiative 12. How useful would the following services be in supporting your management of young people? Workshops for young people about employer expectations after starting a new job □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

Workshops for young people about workplace and employment practices □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent


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Network meetings with like minded employers □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

Facilitating communication between young employees and others in the workplace □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

Education about the different attitudes and expectations between generations □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

13. Would you be interested in these options being organised and provided by an external

agency? □ Yes □ No


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Appendix B: Young Person � Youth Employment Survey

YOUR DETAILS

14. Your name ____________________________________________________________________

15. Your age ____________

16. Your sex Male □ Female □

17. What organisation do you work for ________________________________________________

18. What is the primary industry or line of business of this organisation? _____________________________________________________________

19. What is your job role? ____________________________________________________________

20. On what basis are you employed

□ Full-time □ Part-time □ Casual

21. Are you completing an apprenticeship or traineeship?

□ Yes □ No

22. How long have you been with this organisation? □ less then 3 months □ 4-12 months □ 1-2 years □ over 2 years EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

23. Did you complete an induction program when you started with this organisation? □ Yes □ No ►go to question 11

a What was the total amount of time you spent on this program?

□ ½ a day or less □ 1-2 days □ 3-5 days □ 1-2 weeks □ 2 or more weeks

b How effective was this program in providing the information you needed about organisational practices and systems?

□ Very good □ Good □ Adequate □ Poor □ Very poor 24. Please rate the quality of information you have received in the following areas


23

Very Good

Good Adequate Poor Very Poor

Did not receive

any Occupational health and safety □ □ □ □ □ □ Pay arrangements, bonuses/incentives □ □ □ □ □ □ Superannuation and tax □ □ □ □ □ □

Work conditions such as hours, breaks and leave

□ □ □ □ □ □

Award/enterprise agreement or contract □ □ □ □ □ □ Training on how to do my job □ □ □ □ □ □ Workplace orientation (people,

departments etc) □ □ □ □ □ □

25. What proportion of employees in your workplace are 25 years old or

younger_______________%

26. Do you believe that different skills are required in the management of young people? □ No □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent 27. On a scale of 1 to 5 please rate how important you feel that the following characteristics are in a

workplace? Not at all

important Very

important 1 2 3 4 5 Clear and regular communication □ □ □ □ □ Good rapport with supervisors □ □ □ □ □ Patient and tolerant supervisors □ □ □ □ □ Having things well explained □ □ □ □ □ Being encouraged to ask questions □ □ □ □ □ A well structured job role □ □ □ □ □ Adequate information and support systems □ □ □ □ □ Opportunities for training and development □ □ □ □ □ Having clear responsibilities □ □ □ □ □ Clear expectations from my supervisor □ □ □ □ □ Reasonable expectations of my work □ □ □ □ □ Being allowed to make mistakes □ □ □ □ □ Regular feedback from supervisors □ □ □ □ □ Having scope to use initiative □ □ □ □ □ Understanding where my job fits in □ □ □ □ □

Would you like to receive additional information or support in any of the following ways? □ External job-related training □ Information about Superannuation and tax □ Internal job-related training □ A buddy system □ Occupational health and safety training □ A mentor system □ Information about pay, bonuses/incentives □ Job rotation □ Information about work hours, breaks etc □ Workplace orientation (people, departments

etc)


24

28. Would you find any of the following useful in your workplace? Workshops for young people about employer expectations after starting a new job □ Not at all □ To a small extent □To a medium extent □ To a great extent

Workshops for young employees about workplace and employment practices □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □To a great extent

Facilitating communication between young employees and others in the workplace □Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

Supervisor / manager training about the different attitudes and expectations between generations □ Not at all □ To a small extent □ To a medium extent □ To a great extent

29. What suggestions do you have for your boss/supervisor that would help him/her be a more effective manager?

Employing young workers: How well are we managing them?

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