1 | P a g e

What Employers want in young people

Researched and Compiled By:

Sharon Klue

Executive HR & Training Director

2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter I: Impact of Technology

• The Five-Generation Workforce

• "Linksters" A digital generation

• Gap through Technology

• Changes Technology has brought to the classroom

Chapter II: What Employers want

• The National Career Service

• CIPD

• The Learning Curve

Chapter III: The Solution

• What is the DISCflex Program

• Features & Benefits

• Learning Outcomes

• Who is using DISCflex

• Testimonials

• Sample Syllabus

Chapter IV: References

3 | P a g e

Introduction

There are various areas Employers feel that applicants who have left school, college or university

lack; it is the "soft skills" they need to make a successful transition into the workplace.

Recent surveys and studies released by the National Career Service, CBI and UK Commission for

Employment and Skills (UKCES), have revealed that "soft skills" need urgent attention.

These skills are transferrable and can be used in many different types of jobs. They are personal

qualities, behaviours and attitudes that help an employee to work well with others and make a

positive contribution to organisations.

The ability to flex behaviours and adapt behaviour is the key to success. Knowing how to read

any situation and understand how and when to 'dial up' or 'dial down' leads to enhanced

persuasion abilities, the capacity to interact and communicate more effectively and greater

confidence when working with others.

This is such an important part of preparing young people for the workplace that there is a strong

case for methods to address the problem to be incorporated into the school curriculum as early

as 6th form or the first year of college/university.

Baker's experience is the norm, according to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills

(UKCES), a body launched last year by the government to "help the UK achieve world-class

standing in employment, skills and productivity".

One of the first missions it has set itself is to address once and for all the age-old gripe from

employers that young people emerge from the education system ill-prepared for work.

"Our members consistently say that new recruits do not have the skills they need to enter the

world of work," says Richard Lambert, director-general of the employers' body, the CBI. "Firms

are having to spend time and money they can ill afford teaching new starters basic 'work

etiquette'." The Guardian 2009

The real breakthrough comes when young people can combine digital nous with the "soft skills"

that modern employers are looking for – problem-solving, inquisitive thinking, collaborative

problem-solving, and the like. The Guardian 2013

KAPital HR, in partnership with Indaba Global's eLearning methodology of blended learning

addresses these concerns, empowering young people and better preparing them for the world of

work.

4 | P a g e

Chapter I: Impact of Technology

The Five-Generation Workforce

The generations can be broken down like so:

• "TRADITIONALS" (The Depression Babies) Born between 1922 - 1945, influenced

by the Great Depression, World War II

General Traits:

• Loyal

• Respectful of authority

• Stubbornly independent

• Excellent work ethic

• Dependable

• Have advanced

• Communication & interpersonal skills

Engaged by:

• Retirement & appropriate

incentives

• Option of flexible & mobile work

environment

• Respect & recognition (earned

through experience)

• "BABY BOOMERS" (The Woodstock Generation) Born 1946 - 1964, influenced by

the Vietnam War, the 1960s, postwar social change. Drivers of the economy

General Traits:

• Well-educated

• Question authority

• Excellent teamwork skills

• Thrive on adrenaline charged

assignments

Engaged by:

• Promotions & job titles

• Future stability

• Retirement, pension & stock option

plans

• Respect & recognition (earned by

tenure)

• "GENERATION X" (The Latchkey Generation) Born 1965 - 1980 of whom many are

products of divorced parents

General Traits:

• Independent

• Family-focused

• Intolerant of bureaucracy

• Critical of others

• Hardworking

• Socially responsible

Engaged by:

• Better work/life balance

• Flexible mobility

• Charitability, eco-consciousness,

and volunteer opportunities

• Training opportunities

• Monetary recognition (earned by

individual performance)

5 | P a g e

• "GENERATION Y" (The Millennials) Born 1981 - 1995, influenced by technology,

doting parents

General Traits:

• Highly socialised

• Loyal

• Technologically savvy

• Socially responsible

Engaged by:

• Lifestyle fit

• Corporate & social responsibility

• Constant communication &

feedback

• Training opportunities

• "LINKSTERS" Born after 1995, influenced by a media - saturated world

General Traits:

• Technologically dependent

• Closely tied to parents

• Tolerant of alternative lifestyles

• Involved in green causes & social

activism

Engaged by:

• Only time will tell for sure in this

area.

Corey Seemiller, Director of Leadership

Programs at the University of Arizona, said

“Generations continue to get shorter and

shorter. As they progress, technologically

and socially, they are beginning to change

more rapidly. So you can’t generalise

generational characteristics over a 30-year

period like we once did.” There are

estimates that Baby Boomers will cede the

majority of the workforce by 2015 to the

Millennials (due to their smaller size, Gen X

will never have the majority spot in the

workplace — and essentially an entire

generation will have been skipped by 2015).

Employee engagement differences exist

across generations, and these gaps have a

distinct impact on engagement. In this day

and age, employers especially need to focus

on and prepare to engage the younger

generations (X, Y, and Z) in consideration of

future employee engagement strategies.

6 | P a g e

"Linksters" or Generation "Z"

A Digital Generation

Less is known, of course, about this

generation because of its youth and small

size. Much like Millennials, the Linksters

share a pervasive use of technology, and

are largely concerned with socio-political

issues. Because of the power of social

networking and the Internet, they are

incredibly aware of what is going on around

them in the world. They are incredibly

connected in that sense, and are more

aware of social justice issues and other

deep-seated problems, even more so than

the preceding generation. They have to

have an emotional connection to a problem,

and feel like they are addressing the

problem, not the symptoms. This is a

generational shift. They want their activity

to count for something, and delve much

deeper into the problem.

Like Generation Y, Generation Z will rely on

technology and their personal network to

facilitate their own professional learning and

development, and help them navigate

through the corporate world. Employers

need to understand that this upcoming

generation will be used to Googling

anything, and learn by sharing among

themselves. For example, why would a

Linkster attend a workshop when they can

simply Google its subject matter? This does

not necessarily mean that Generation Z will

be disengaged, but that they will need to be

engaged in different ways.

Hyperconnected. Always on. These terms

have been invented to describe the

environment created when people are linked

continuously through tech devices to other

humans and to global intelligence. Teens

and young adults have been at the forefront

of the rapid adoption of the mobile internet

and the always-on lifestyle it has made

possible.

The most recent nationally representative

surveys of the Pew Internet Project show

how immersed teens and young adults are

in the tech environment and how tied they

are to the mobile and social sides of it.

Some 95% of teens ages 12-17 are online,

76% use social networking sites, and 77%

have mobile phones. Moreover, 96% of

those aged 18-29 are internet users, 84%

use social networking sites, and 97% have

mobile phones. Well over half of those in

that age cohort have smartphones and 23%

own tablet computers like iPads.

People are tuning into communications

technologies at an ever-expanding level.

Some recent indicators:

� Nearly 20 million of the 225 million Twitter

users follow 60 or more Twitter accounts

and nearly 2 million follow more than 500

accounts.

� There are more than 800 million people now

signed up for the social network Facebook;

they spend 700 billion minutes using

Facebook each month, and they install more

than 20 million apps every day. Facebook

users had uploaded more than 100 billion

photos by mid-2011.

� YouTube users upload 60 hours of video per

minute and they triggered more than 1

trillion playbacks in 2011 – roughly 140

video views per person on earth.

7 | P a g e

The GAP through Technology

The rapid revolution in technology affected

our lifestyle drastically and led us to believe

that our lives have changed for the better.

Now communication with our distant friends

or relatives, buying branded products or

goods on-the-go and conducting business

meetings is possible with just a single click.

We believe that all these changes have

made our lives more comfortable than

before. However, there is a critical concern

that is eating up most parents from inside,

i.e., whether technology is affecting their

children for the good or bad? What are

some of the side effects of technology?

What are we to do about the tech overload

happening right now to students and

everyone else?

The minds of children are like blank pages.

As we know that the generation of this era

has a high level of dexterity. Their elevated

cleverness allows them to fill those pages

very fast with the provided information.

Such information can be extracted not only

from books and other educational materials

but also from games, TV shows and texting.

A limited use of gadgets can be quite useful

for children as it will allow them to be up to

date with the current technology. However,

the overuse of these advancements can

really hamper or even damage their

development in the personal growth,

communication and educational department.

Though we can’t deny the endowments that

the current era of advancement has

provided us with, but like any other thing,

we cannot deny the fact that there is always

two sides to everything: Good and Bad.

Let’s take a look at the top 4 ways that

overuse of technology has influenced our

children in an adverse manner:

1. Elevated Exasperation

These days, children indulge themselves in

internet, games or texting. These activities

have affected their psyche negatively,

consequently leading to increased

frustration. Now they get frustrated

whenever they are asked to do anything

while playing games or using the internet.

For instance, when their parents ask them

to take the trash out, they get furious

instantly. This behavior has shattered many

parent-children relationships.

2. Deteriorated Patience

Patience is a very precious virtue and its

scarcity could deteriorate a person’s Will.

Determination is a necessity that comes with

patience and without it no individual can

survive the hardships of life. According to

studies, tolerance in children is vanishing

quite increasingly due to the improper use

of technology. For example, children get

frustrated quickly when they surf the

internet and the page they want to view

takes time to load.

8 | P a g e

3. Declining Writing Skills

Due to the excessive usage of online

chatting and shortcuts, the writing skills of

today’s young generation have declined

quite tremendously. These days, children

are relying more and more on digital

communication that they have totally

forgotten about improving their writing

skills. They don’t know the spelling of

different words, how to use grammar

properly or how to do cursive writing.

4. Lack of Physical Interactivity

No one can deny the fact that the

advancement of technology has produced a

completely unique method of interaction and

communication. Now, more and more

people are interacting with others through

different platforms like apps, role-playing

online games, social networks, etc. This

advancement has hampered the physical

interaction skills of many children. Due to

that they don’t know how to interact with

others when they meet them in-person or

what gesture they should carry.

The bottom line is that while technology is a

necessity to survive and flourish in this age

of advancement, it has created a GAP in

interpersonal skills which are vital skills to

succeed in the workplace.

Changes Technology has brought to the classroom

When we talk about what changes

technology has brought to classrooms

across the globe, the answers could

basically be never ending. Teachers could

talk about things like bringing ease to

researching all types of topics, bringing

organisation (and a lack of physical papers to lose) to the classroom, and making

connections for professional development.

There could be a lot of discussion about the

millions of nuances of amelioration brought

to classrooms – both physical and virtual.

That said, the handy info-graphic below

takes a look at 4 ways technology is

changing how people learn. The things that

I find striking - and important - about this

particular graphic is how simple the concept

is. These four general concepts can be

applied across the board: to learners of all

ages, in all subjects, in any area of the

world or for any type of learner. Take a look

and see what you think: are there any other

very general principles of how technology is

changing learning that can be widely

applied?

4 Ways Technology is Changing How People Learn

• We’re moving away from individual learning towards more blended learning

methodologies

• We’re moving away from more passive learning to active learning

• Differentiated instruction and personalised learning are becoming more popular

• We’re becoming multi-taskers more than ever before

9 | P a g e

Chapter II: What Employers want

We often read news stories about how

employers feel that applicants who’ve left

school, college or university lack the ‘soft

skills’ they want. Below we take a look at

some of the most common soft skills, and

how you can sell them to employers.

These skills are transferable skills, so they

can be used in many different types of jobs.

They are personal qualities and attitudes

that can help you to work well with others

and make a positive contribution to

organisations you work for.

However, this isn’t to say that technical skills

and knowledge aren’t also important,

particularly computer skills. But remember

that technical skills can be taught more

easily than soft skills, which tend to be

either personal characteristics or skills that

have been fine-tuned over a period of time.

Communicating

This is perhaps the most common entry on

person specifications for job vacancies, and

for good reason. Skilled communicators get

along well with colleagues, listen and

understand instructions, and put their point

across without being aggressive. They can

change their style of communication to suit

the task in hand – this can be invaluable in

many different situations, from handling

conflict to trying to persuade a customer of

the benefits of buying your product. If

you’ve got good communication skills you

should be able develop constructive working

relationships with colleagues and be able to

learn from constructive criticism.

Making decisions

There are different styles of decision

making, but the important thing is to be,

you guessed it, decisive. Gathering all the

important facts, seeking advice, looking at

the big picture, considering alternatives,

being aware of repercussions – these are all

things that go into making a good decision.

Things to be wary of are indecision and

making snap decisions.

Showing commitment

Employers want people who are

dependable, reliable, enthusiastic, and enjoy

hard work. Employees that are committed

need very little supervision or motivation to

do their best and get the job done.

Flexibility

We live in rapidly changing times in the

workplace, so if you’re adaptable and

flexible, you’ll be able to change with the

times. It’s a great asset if you are able to

step outside your comfort zone and try your

hand at something you haven’t done before.

Employers like people who are positive,

upbeat and have a ‘can-do’ attitude.

Time management

When deadlines are looming, good time

management is about prioritising the most

important tasks, and then deciding which

actions will produce the maximum output

with the minimum effort. Are you a good

juggler - can you work on several different

projects at once?

10 | P a g e

Leadership skills

Even if you’re not managing staff yet,

leadership qualities are valued by

employers. They look for people who lead

by example, constantly look to improve,

motivate themselves, are positive, and know

when to follow instructions and when to

show initiative.

Creativity and problem-solving skills

The ability to apply both logic and creativity

to solve problems is highly valued by

employers. If you are the kind of person

who tries to see the solution as well as the

problem, this will stand you in good stead.

Being a team player

A good team player has the team goals clear

in their mind and works with others to

achieve them. They are open and honest,

and offer constructive suggestions and listen

to others.

Accepting responsibility

Employers are on the lookout for people

who take pride in their work, and are

confident enough to put their name to it.

They also respect people who can hold their

hands up when things go wrong, and don’t

pass the buck. Everyone makes mistakes -

it’s how you react and learn from them that

counts.

Ability to work under pressure

Whether you’re trying to hit a challenging

deadline or an urgent job has just landed in

your lap, employers want to know you can

put the stress to one side and focus on the

job in hand. Can you decide quickly which

approach will achieve the maximum results

in a short period of time, and then get the

job done?

Survey by: National Career Service UK

11 | P a g e

Press Release

25 Apr 2013

CIPD research reveals a gulf in expectations between young people and employers that is

contributing to high levels of youth unemployment

There is a clear mismatch between

employers’ expectations of young people

during the recruitment process and young

people’s understanding of what is expected

of them. This is hindering young people’s

access to the labour market, contributing to

the high rates of youth unemployment

(currently almost one in five 16-24 year olds

are unemployed*) and fuelling a ticking time

bomb of skills shortages for UK businesses,

who may be unwittingly limiting their access

to this important and diverse pool of talent.

These are the findings of the latest research

from the Chartered Institute of Personnel

and Development (CIPD), being launched

today at a joint event with Business in the

Community (BITC).

CIPD Research Report: Employers are from Mars, Young people are from Venus (April 2013)

12 | P a g e

Education Institutes need to assess their Curriculums

This year’s “The Learning Curve” report from Pearson takes a look at education across the

globe. What I find even more interesting is the focus on what skills current students need to

meet the ever changing needs of the global market, and some potential ways to address

shortcomings in our collective educational systems.

So what are the things that are becoming just as important as the ever-traditional ‘Reading,

Writing, and Math’? Take a look below. Do you already incorporate these ideas into all of your

classes? Which do you find hardest?

Necessary Skills For The Future

1. Leadership

2. Digital Literacy

3. Communication

4. Emotional Intelligence

5. Entrepreneurship

6. Global Citizenship

7. Problem Solving

8. Team-Working

13 | P a g e

What is the DISCflex™ Program

• The DISCflex Assessment

• The DISCflex Report

• Targeted Learning

1. Videos

2. Quizzes

3. Tests

Chapter III: The Solution

What is the DISCflex™ Program

The DISCflex Assessment

The DISCflex Report

14 | P a g e

DISCflex™ teaches individuals how to build a conscious awareness of their behavioral tendencies

and other’s behaviors to build better relationships, work better in teams, and is a key tool to use

in management classes.

DISCflex™ Key Benefits:

– Students understand their general behavioral tendencies so that they can form

successful business teams and learn proper interaction amongst team members

– Learn why being “a chameleon on a rainbow” can give students the skills they

need to dial up, or dial down certain characteristics about themselves to adapt in

any situation.

– Students recognize the behavior tendencies of others, and learn how to work

together in a cohesive environment.

– Recognise why behavioral flexibility is the key to their success!

15 | P a g e

Features & Benefits

1. An upcoming student, getting prepared to enter the business world, will gain an

understanding of their general behavioral tendencies - whether they are dominant,

influential, steady, or compliant.

2. DISCflex™ makes each student aware of their general behavioral tendencies, then

teaches them how to work with other students who have opposing traits, which creates

cohesiveness within group / company setting.

3. Students begin to understand that when entering the corporate world, they may have to

staff an organisation, and they cannot afford to make hiring mistakes. Therefore,

students need to be made aware that DISC assessments are an excellent way to assess a

person BEFORE they are hired into their workforce, to see if they are a good fit for their

organisation.

4. Students and professors can create a balance of team members for optimal performance.

Making use of the DISC Assessment assures that the team has the proper balance of

dominant individuals, influential individuals, steady individuals, and compliant individuals.

Learning Outcomes

Develops an understanding of the difference between self-perception and other people’s

perceptions of your behavioral tendencies. Students need to have this skill set to determine their

perception of themselves, versus how others perceive them.

Develops essential stills that students need, such as communication, teambuilding, and decision

making based on their personal DISCflex™ pattern.

Develops an understanding of how to become a “chameleon on a rainbow” and realise how to

adapt to other people’s personality styles and behavioral approaches to maximise effective

communication skills and create cohesiveness within an organisation.

Learn effective ways to give positive and constructive feedback to others.

Discover techniques used to minimise conflict and build group commitment.

16 | P a g e

Who is using the Program

Testimonials ―Now, when I‘m in a meeting, whether it be with employees or clients, I am well-armed to deal

with sabotage, perfectly equipped to handle objections, and able to think faster on my feet. Most

important – I actually communicate better at home, too! Has it made a difference? You better

believe it!‖

Harry Salko, Top 50 Producer

Nationwide Financial Services Group

―We are analyzing problems and finding team solutions quickly with a LOT less politicking and a lot more pro-activeness. We can joke and get the message across about expectations and appropriate actions and behaviour. Being able to revisit the lessons you explained has been invaluable to my success as a team leader and executive.

James Cohen, Vice President – Europe & Far East Operations ANAT Marketing

--"With over 25 years in the field of behaviour change, the DISCflex™ is the most dynamic tool that I have seen in years. The comprehensive nature of the Business Behaviours Report will help individuals be more aware of strengths and weaknesses and companies better manage their talent. The additional piece of 20+ hours of video training to guide the behaviour change knocks the DISCflex™ out of the park.

Jon D. McKanna MS, LPC, LSW

17 | P a g e

Sample Syllabus

Flexibility for Professors

is a complete solution for

its own or used as supplementary material

Week(s):

1-2 DISCflex™ Business Behaviours Report/Receive 3rd party input

3-4 DISCflex™ Part 1

(focus on Goal Setting Chart &

activities) and turn in

5-6 Life Skills Part 1

Pick 3 Sub-factors that are most relevant to you

7-8 Life Skills Part 2

DISCflex™ Part 1

turn in

9-10 Complete Sessions on the 3 Sub

Life Skills Part 2

11-12 Life Skills - Part 1

Life Skills Part 2

13-14 Secrets to Land your first "Real" Job

Professors

is a complete solution for any department or classroom

its own or used as supplementary material.

DISCflex™ Business Behaviours Report/Receive 3rd party input

DISCflex™ Part 1 - Session 1-4 - Complete Sessions/Activities in Sessions 2 & 4

(focus on Goal Setting Chart & The Escalation of Sub-factor involvement

activities) and turn in

Life Skills Part 1 - Sessions 6 & 9 - Complete Sessions/Activities

factors that are most relevant to you

Life Skills Part 2 - Sessions 3 & 4 - Complete Sessions/Activities and turn in

DISCflex™ Part 1 - Session 2 - Complete DISCflex™ SWOT Analysis

Complete Sessions on the 3 Sub-factors most relevant to your personality

Life Skills Part 2 - Session 6 Self Talk - Complete Session/Activities and turn in

Part 1 - Session 10-11 - Complete Sessions/Activities and turn in

Life Skills Part 2 - Session 5 - Complete Session/Activities and turn in

Secrets to Land your first "Real" Job - Complete Sessions/Activities

any department or classroom whether used on

DISCflex™ Business Behaviours Report/Receive 3rd party input

Complete Sessions/Activities in Sessions 2 & 4

factor involvement

Complete Sessions/Activities and turn in

Complete Sessions/Activities and turn in

SWOT Analysis Activity and

factors most relevant to your personality

Complete Session/Activities and turn in

Complete Sessions/Activities and turn in

Complete Session/Activities and turn in

Complete Sessions/Activities

18 | P a g e

Chapter IV: References

• Research by Praxis "from tomorrow's people" January 2013 report, Future Digital Journeys

• Research report by CBI "the voice of business" CBI/PEARSON Education & Skills Survey 2014,

Gateway to Growth

• Research by Profiles International, 2014 Employee Engagement in the Modern Workforce

• CIPD in Association with Business in the Community, April 2013, Learning to work

• Institute of Education (IOE) & Education Endowment Foundation "Cabinet Office", November 2013,

The impact of non-cognitive skills on outcomes for young people, Literature Review

• National Career Service UK

• UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)

• DISCflex Indaba Global Validation

• Research Report "Aberdeen Group" The missing skills 2013