What Do Younger Employees Want?

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They want to socialize -- with the boss. A new Hudson survey suggests Gen Y (born after 1980) and Gen X (born 1965-1979) workers want more direct access to senior management more than their older counterparts: Traditionalists (born 1928-1945) and Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964). Twenty-six percent of Gen Y surveyed would like to socialize with the boss at least once a month; twenty-one percent of Gen X surveyed said the same. Baby Boomers and Traditionalists wanted less social time, with 16 percent and 17 percent saying they desired it, respectively.

One thing all groups agreed on was the fact that in-person time with the boss is very important, with 55 percent of Gen Y and 48 percent of Gen X employees saying it was very important to work in the same office as the boss. Baby Boomers and Traditionalists responded similarly, at 44 percent and 41 percent, respectively.

While this survey suggests that face time with the boss can help motivate employees, family-friendly policies and opportunities for learning also rate high, especially with female Gen X workers, when it comes keeping workers happy. What do you do to keep your talent? Do you socialize with them on a regular basis or offer any interesting perks or benefits?