I remember the advice I got early in my career. It was something like, “The thing to do is get a job with a big, stable company with good benefits and a pension and stay there until your retire.” It was pretty good advice, given the business landscape in the U.S. during the early 1970’s.

I didn’t follow that advice, although I did stay at one company for 17 years. If I had followed the advice I got way back then, it is very likely that I would have been ‘downsized’ by now, leaving me with no job, no pension, and lots of missed opportunities.

Times have definitely changed. I talked with a 20-something recently and he has already had 4 jobs since graduating from college. And, except for his most recent (and short-lived) job at a start-up, these were highly paid engineering jobs at major corporations. Like many smart, ambitious, young professionals, he wants more challenge and more opportunity than these companies were able or willing to provide.

Smart employers are beginning to understand what they need to do in order to retain the best and brightest of Gen Y. These employers offer their employees ample opportunities to learn, grow, and develop through formal education, stretch assignments, community volunteer projects, training of all kinds, and formal and informal coaching.

Smarter employers insist that their employees learn, grow, and develop. What do these types of organizations get in return for the investment in their people? How about more engaged, committed, and productive employees? How about a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement? How about revenue growth and lower turnover? Dozens of studies have shown that these are the outcomes for organizations that create and sustain a learning and coaching culture.

If you are interested in learning how you can begin to create a learning and coaching culture in your organization—and your organization could be just the small team of people that you lead—contact me for a complimentary consultation.