Retaining your 'bright young things'

Bright Young Things, also known as Generation X, are between 25 and 34 years of age. They're beginning to gain access to positions and forums of influence inside organisations. The challenge is that they have a differing value system and consequently approach life and work differently to the Baby Boomers (born 1950s and 60s), who have gone before them. In a work environment, problems arise because there are members of each of these generations in the company and opportunities for misunderstanding are rife. Add to this the millennial generation (born 1990s to present), who are on their way bringing yet another set of values into the mix.

Codrington adds that each generation has a unique perspective on the world, and has inimitable preferences for acquiring, digesting, organising, and applying information and skills. Dealing with this diversity of ages, values and worldviews can be a difficult job. To understand and successfully interact with people from different generations, it's important to be familiar with what makes them tick.

These issues (and more) will be unpacked at the TomorrowToday.biz one-day executive seminar entitled Bright Young Things to be staged in August in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. This interactive conference will explore the broader changes in society that have influenced the value system and world view of the Bright Young Things. It will address how companies will need to adapt their approach in order to create a value proposition that will ensure success in attracting, recruiting, retaining, motivating and getting the best from their Bright Young Things.

"Regardless of industry, the single greatest challenge facing a company's future success today, is bridging the gap between the up & coming Bright Young Things and the retiring Baby boomers," says Codrington.

Companies need to be asking significant questions, including: 'Do we have a strategy to attract, recruit, retain, reward, motivate, nurture and get the best from your Bright Young Things? And is it working? Do we have a strategy to replace retiring Baby Boomers, whose numbers are far greater than our Generation X replacements?'

TomorrowToday.biz's Bright Young Things Conference can best be described as a one-day interactive learning experience that will help organisations understand some of the new dynamics of the workplace. "It will convince you of the critical importance of retaining talent, help you formulate the questions you should be asking, and assist you to start a process of finding answers, thus ensuring your company's success into the future.

"Using research conducted by TomorrowToday.biz and our partners, we will work through the outcomes of the value system adopted by your Bright Young Things. We'll help you to understand what they want and hold it up against what their Baby Boomer bosses want. You'll have a clear picture as to why some of what has worked with your older set is brushed off, ignored and ineffective with your younger set," concludes Codrington.

The one-day conference is scheduled for:
CAPE TOWN: 5 Aug 2004, UCT Sports Science Institute, Newlands. 
DURBAN: 10 Aug 2004, Kwa-Shukela Venue, Mount Edgecombe. 
JOHANNESBURG: 31 Aug 2004, DiData Campus, Sandton.

Visit www.tomorrowtoday.biz to complete an on-line application form.