by Pamela Scott Crace

Tell me what you really think. This is the ultimate conversation gambit, because the truth can hurt.

But we learn from reality checks, and that's the value of employee-based survey research like our annual Best Places to Work. Organizations that show up on this list appreciate and value feedback, using it to fine-tune their people practices, build on strengths, and shore up weaknesses. Employees like it because they can tell it like it is.

I recently did a reality check survey of my own. To prep for a discussion panel at East Coast Connected's Atlantic Summit in Toronto, I was asked to think about the next generation, specifically with respect to harnessing its talent, its values, and how it will shape workplaces and the economy of the future. I didn't get to share half of what I learned from the Generation Yers and recent graduates that I polled, so here it is.

Employers, recruiters, and policy-makers, take heed. There are some generation gaps in play. Here are some "ish" that we need to work on.

The workplace gap: young employees feel that baby boomer employers don't relate to their work ethic or understand what motivates them. This will take some relationship building and trust that the work will always get done, but not the same way that we are used to doing it. Consider outcome-based project work versus traditional task-oriented approaches. And feedback loops will have to be more continuous. Technology will be a big help in this regard. Get used to it.

The opportunity gap: young talent feels they are not given a chance to take on enough responsibility fresh out of post-secondary school. Employers are missing the boat here. Asking for three to five years of experience guarantees our kids will have to get it somewhere else. Then they are less likely to want to come back to live and work in this part of the world. Experience is an asset, but so is energy and enthusiasm.

The meaning gap: For our kids, work is self-expression. Employers need to provide a continuum of meaningful experiences to engage and motivate younger employees. Consider why the world needs your product or service and sell it to employees the way you would sell it to your best customers. You need both to survive.

Generation Next values good design, smart technology, lifelong learning, low carbon footprints, global competitiveness with community values, integrity, creativity, and work-life balance. Conservative attitudes toward work are passŽ.

The Best Places to Work share these values too. Does yours?