As a forward-thinking employer, hiring manager or human resource professional, creating workplace systems and culture that can successfully attract youth will greatly expand your pool of talent.
Good communication is the foundation of any comfortable, safe, and productive working relationship, and this is especially true when it comes to navigating a multi-generational workplace.
Creating a youth-friendly working environment doesn’t just happen on a whim. It requires consultation, collaboration, communication and informed strategic-planning.
But those efforts will pay off, bringing you closer to the rewarding, fulfilling, and high-functioning workplace that all Canadians in the labour force strive for.
As a forward-thinking employer, hiring manager or human resource professional, creating workplace systems and culture that can successfully attract youth will greatly expand your pool of talent, allowing you to bring in fresh perspectives and a wider range of skills, both increasing your organizational capacity and your ability to serve your audience.
With a more generationally diverse workforce than ever before, a holistic approach to youth engagement will allow for a generational knowledge transfer, assisting you with your succession planning.
No matter your industry, sector or size, hiring and retaining youth employees is investing in the future of your organization.
Through conversations with stakeholders across sectors, we have observed that one of the largest gaps in youth engagement and retention comes down to communication.
In order to become a youth-friendly workplace that can attract, hire and retain young employees, you need to be able to effectively communicate with youth and ensure that they feel (and that they are!) valued and heard.
Youth-friendly communication is more than just how we speak with each other in the workplace. It begins long before you’ve even hired a young person to join your team.
The first thing potential youth hires will see is your job posting, and this is their first impression of your business or organization's culture and environment.
First impressions are important, so take time to ensure your job posting speaks to your audience — youth.
Below are some youth-friendly job posting dos and don’ts:
✅ DO use clear and concise language
❌ DON’T use industry-specific or complex jargon
✅ DO Keep is simple in design- remember that young people are more likely to be viewing this job posting on their smartphones
❌ DON’T forget to specify whether the job is full-time, part-time, contract, or permanent
✅ DO make sure the skills and qualifications you ask for are relevant and directly related to the job you are hiring for
✅ DO Share the offered salary and whether or not benefits are included
✅ DO State the location, and whether remote or hybrid work is possible
We want to help employers and hiring managers feel confident in the effectiveness of job postings.
Get in touch with us with your job postings. We are happy to provide consults and guidance based on CCYP’s youth-centric approach. Send your drafted job postings to ywc@ccyp-ccpj.org.