Empowering Generation N – How Social Capital Can Retain and Cultivate the Next Generation

Abstract

The competition for new employees is expected to be fierce over the next decade as U.S. population growth continues to decline and millions of baby boomers retire. The new workforce – “Generation Net” - is different than previous generations in the way that they work, play, and think. Retaining these employees – who have grown up empowered through increasingly rapid technological advancements – will require substantial changes in organizational behavior and policy. This paper analyzes the theory of employee empowerment through policies that focus on increasing social capital investments that increase trust between the employee and the employer. Accurate measurements of employee empowerment are discussed. Organizations that are able to successfully empower the next generation workforce will see a more cohesive organization built on trust where both the employer and employee are giving more than what would normally be required or expected, yielding extraordinary results.

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