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72 Retaining Top Employees

Gen X top performer, the
Hot-desking The practice
of two or more employees organization must relax
sharing the same desk,cubi- dress codes, decorative
cle,or other workspace. Not strictly style, and standardized
telecommuting,this practice was working environments.
developed for core employees who
spend much of their time out of the Work Content
office (visiting customers,clients,or Gen-Xers not only cope
other company sites) and who conse- better than Boomers with
quently don’t need a desk full-time.
short-burst, ambiguous,
unclear assignments—they
actually thrive on them. They’re called the “MTV generation”—a
label that may be unfair and sweeping, but expresses an under-
lying truth: Gen-Xers are much more able to work on a series of
fast, unstructured tasks—even tasks without any apparent strate-
gic sense of direction—
without getting frustrated
Flex from the Start
or suffering a loss of moti-
Show flexibility in the work-
vation.
ing environment with your first
interaction with Gen X top employ- What’s important to
ees—the job interview.Very few Gen- Gen X employees is that
Xers will be impressed with a formal the tasks be challenging
interview environment—the inter- and use their skills to the
viewer(s),the candidate,and a desk maximum possible. Give a
between them like a moat defending
Gen-Xer an unrewarding,
the interviewer’s position.At the very
mundane task and he or
least,interview Gen-Xers in a confer-
she will typically stay
ence room,seated at a round table.
It’s even better if you can have the around for a lot shorter
interview in a real working environ- time than will the Boomer,
ment,maybe with flip charts and who has a stronger under-
markers available. lying sense of loyalty to
the organization.
For the Gen-Xer, the project is all—often to the exclusion of
the organization. Give a Gen-Xer the choice between working
for well-known Company A on a boring assignment or unknown
Company B on a cutting-edge project and he or she is much
more likely to choose the latter.