Voices

Gen Y accountants pump up the volume

Young accountants are confident,have a clear vision of their career progression, demand job security and aremotivated by money, according to research recently released by the Associationof Chartered Certified Accountants and Mercer, a human resource consultantfirm.

The research – called GenerationY: Realizing the potential – shows a generation of young finance professionalsseeking aspirational and dynamic career paths, both inside and outsidetraditional mainstream finance careers.

It’s a wake up call to manyemployers – offer dynamic career routes that capitalize on finance skills orrisk losing future talent.

More than 3,200 individualsresponded to the research from 122 countries around the world. While the surveyreports that most Gen Y finance professionals suggest they are satisfied withtheir current role – their concerns are regarding their future – with halfsuggesting their organization is not able to offer them sufficient careerdevelopment opportunities.

“Gen Y finance professionals aresmart operators,” said Jamie Lyon, co-author of the report. “Our surveysuggests they are hard-working, but they want quick and transparent rewards.”

Other key findings from thereport are:

·Money matters– They want a good package that includes money, work-life balance and they wantto work for an attractive brand that reflects their own values.

·Experientiallearning is essential – Face-to-face interaction is not dead to this generation and theyare less reliant on e-learning than may have been previously thought.Organizations need to develop a wide range of learning opportunities to engagethis generation successfully.

·Beattractive, be different – Employers need to put career development at the heartof their proposition to make them attractive to Gen Y. The survey shows thisgeneration values job security but are prepared to leave if career promises arenot fulfilled.

Read a copy of the report here: http://www.accaglobal.com/pubs/accountants_business/research_opinion/human_capital/generation_y_report.pdf

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