The Best Companies for Generation Y

Generation Y (people born between 1981 and 2000) is the first generation to grow up with email, texting, YouTube, and reality TV. As babies they rode in securely fastened car seats with bumper stickers in the back that read "baby on board" and participated in team sports where there were no losers. This demographic (also referred to as the Millenials or Echo Boomers), grew up accustomed to receiving regular feedback and praise and learned to tolerate people with alternative lifestyles. They watched their parents struggle with the demands of work and family and they saw their parents get downsized from companies where they had worked for decades.

So how has the Gen Y experience shaped what they value in the workplace? Research on Generation Y suggests that this group embraces companies that provide:

• a management style that expresses sincere interest in the individual
• a communication style that offers frequent feedback
• a culture that is egalitarian rather than hierarchical
• a training philosophy that links the learning to the job
• a recognition program that celebrates the employee's successes publicly
• a work/life policy that respects balance

According to Brazen Careerist's Top 50 Gen Y Companies list, the companies leading the pack for Gen Ys include:

Are you a Gen Y searching for a company that best reflects what is important to you? Check out the full list of Best Companies for Gen Y to learn more about each of these organizations.

Barbara Safani is the owner of Career Solvers, www.careersolvers.com, and author of Happy About My Resume: 50 Tips For Building a Better Document to Secure a Brighter Future and #JOBSEARCHtweet.