Human Resources: Attracting and Retaining Echo Boomers, Delta-Style
by go2

The economy is booming, and career choices for young people today are plenty and varied. With competition coming not only from other provinces but the rest of the world, BC hoteliers need to be creative to attract and retain the upcoming candidates, known as the Echo Boom generation. 

Kids Today
The children of Baby Boomers - known as the Echo Boom generation - have their own distinct characteristics and values shaped by the events and trends of their formative years. Born between 1980 and 2000, this group lived through world events such as the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and terrorism. Rapidly progressing technology, business scandals such as Enron, and the trend of having closer relationships with their families have all played a significant part in forming this generation’s values and work ethic. 
When it comes to trying to recruit and retain individuals in this demographic, it pays to understand their priorities and consider the things they value, such as flexibility to live life outside of work and opportunities to grow and learn. When marketing the positions you have available, start by practicing what they preach. The Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel is doing just that. 

Delta Delivers What Echo Boomers Want
Shari Avery, Director of People Resources at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel, doesn’t leave hiring to chance. She targets local educational institutes, such as Vancouver Community College and the University of Victoria. Delta’s goal is to hire targeted numbers of graduates in the Echo Boom generation. 
“The Echo Boom generation likes fixed hours with holidays,” says Avery. Tracking shifts in cultural values, Delta changed its approach. The new boomers put a well-balanced life at the top of their priorities when looking for work. So, Delta created presentations fit for their audience, including a free 5-minute CD-ROM that they hand out to the generation that grew up with them. “They take it away and plug it in,” adds Avery. 
With a formal evaluative process in place, Delta is quick to detect trends. In 2005, Avery noted a high turnover in room attendance employees. They tracked where they were recruiting from, and saw that those who remained at Delta had greater previous hotel experience. “We needed to change the expectations in the interview,” she explained. Interviewers became more forthright about what candidates should anticipate, which better prepared employees for the job.

Playing for Keeps
The Echo Boom generation values training and professional development as a part of their job, so Delta utilizes this as a retention and succession planning strategy. They have found that promoting talented employees with the hotel encourages retention, which improves the employee work experience and guest satisfaction. “We have strong succession plans in place,” Avery notes. 
Delta’s leadership development process involves recruiting candidates and rotating them through 6 months in 2 cities and 2 remote regions, in a variety of staffing positions. “At the end of 2 years,” says Avery, “they’ve been in 4 hotels and 4 roles. They’re pretty much ready for a supervisory or management position.”
One such recruit received a promotion to guest services manager. Shortly thereafter, he took a 9-month paternity leave. Avery extolled the virtues of this approach: “We need to recognize that this is a big thing. Paying your dues doesn’t fly anymore.” Old-school philosophies don’t help. Echo Boomers want a life outside of work as well as work they love.

Submitted by go2 – The resource for people in tourism. For more information on people management practices, visit www.go2hr.ca.