Motivating Youths and Growing Your Workforce

Many employers are lamenting the large numbers of employable, but unmotivated, young people that are available to work, but are not working. Even when they are hired, their performance on the job seems to mirror a comedy of errors. Late arrivals to work, excessive use of personal cell phones, an inability to interact professionally with customers and co-workers, and the list goes on.{{more}} Before we write off a generation of talented young people, let’s take a look at some simple ways to address the issue.

Grow your employees. The Caribbean must quickly become reacquainted with growing their workers. The government bond programs are popular among those attending university, who promise to return to the islands upon successful completion of their government-sponsored education, and a modified approach must be considered for the youths currently in high school. Make the connection early. Ask local companies to sponsor internships and job shadow days and bring in business etiquette classes. Start business education clubs with the schools, so students can become familiar with the standards of behaviour and performance before there are career consequences. Those who do well can be offered a job upon graduation.

Be positive. The world is suffering from a bad attitude, but in smaller communities like St Vincent and the Grenadines, the impact seems greater. Youths feed off the energy they get from the adults around them. It’s difficult to see positive, productive youths when the majority of adults around them are having a hard time staying motivated in their own jobs. How are they to learn if the examples they see are questionable at best? Every adult has to step up to the plate and tell the young people in their lives about the good characteristics they currently possess. Even the worst person has at least one good trait. Accentuate the positive.

Make it real. If you are not a person who loves math, you might remember the days when you sat in class and wondered how on earth learning geometry or algebra would ever apply to your life when you got older. If you do hire a young person, show them how their little tasks fit into the grand scheme of things and into the subjects they take in school. Make it a point as well to show them how important their job is, even if it’s just photocopying and filing.

Tackle problems head on. Don’t let the little problems slide. As soon as a potential problem arises, be proactive and openly discuss in a positive learning manner. Do not scold, as they are not your children; but do approach the topic like a professional and listen for their ideas, even if they say “I don’t know.” They probably are not accustomed to being asked their opinion.

Stop spoiling them rotten. There is no incentive for youths to work if family members provide what they want. It could be a parent with whom they live, an extended family member or an absent parent who lives in America. These family members send them everything they want: the latest cell phones, brand name clothing and cash to spend. So, why bother to work? This creates a sense of entitlement and strips the youths of the sense of personal responsibility. It also creates lazy, spoiled monsters who act like brats when they are employed.

Karen Hinds is “The Workplace Success Expert.” For a FREE SPECIAL REPORT on Avoiding Career Killers in the Workplace, send an email to info@workplacesuccess.com
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