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Generations of American children sat in dark classrooms and absorbed wisdom in the form of 16mm educational and social guidance films. Through the flicker of dim projector bulbs and the warble of optical soundtracks a blueprint for better living in the Atomic Age was spelled out in no uncertain terms.In the 1940’s and 50’s America faced a menace even more frightening than the Bomb: teenagers with cars. Discover how we dealt with this new and terrible threat. Films include: The Last Prom, Joyride, The Bottle and the Throttle, Safety Belt For Susie, Tomorrow’s Drivers (narrated by Jimmy Stewart), and The Talking Car.
Today's Ypulse Interview is with Eric Chester who recently launched "the Bring Your A Game to Work" initiative, a work ethic training and certification program for teens that he describes as "the Driver's Ed for the workplace." Curious to find out more about what that meant, I sent Eric a few follow up questions over email.
Eric is also the author of nine books for and about youth and the president and founder of Generation Why, Inc., a training and consulting firm for Gen Y companies and organizations.
Ypulse: How did you develop the 'A Game' initiative? Can you describe your research and what you learned about teens at work from the process?
Eric Chester: I’ve been in the school-to-work transition space for 30 years, first as a high school career tech-ed teacher and coach, then a motivational speaker for teens. The past 12 years, I’ve been working with major employers that rely on teens to staff their front lines. This is where I’ve heard the rumbles of discontented managers lamenting that today’s teens had no work ethic. So I wanted to do something about it.
Over the past eight years, I’ve interviewed 1,500 business owners, executives and managers and asked them what they really were looking for in young talent. What they repeatedly cited weren’t skills, but rather seven fundamental workplace values, like showing up for work on time, taking initiative, and being honest. I realized that teens are no longer being taught these critical values at home or at school.
YP: Out of those "7 fundamental workplace values," is there one that teens might find particularly challenging to adopt?
EC: Honesty (or in A Game speak, Accountability) is the value that’s most difficult to instill. Today’s teens aren’t deterred from calling in sick when they’re not, or lying to a boss to get things to go their way, because they watch their parents do it. They’re not worried about going to jail for stealing, because they’ve seen so many wrongdoers simply get a slap on the wrist. So you’ve got to hit them on another level. The A Game puts the teen on the receiving end of dishonesty so they understand how hooking a friend up with a free soft drink ultimately impacts more than just their boss.
YP: Are there any that might come as a surprise?
EC: Appreciation (our “A” term for customer service) is the most misunderstood. Everyone complains about the poor customer service they receive from young employees, but no one knows why. Today’s teens are used to point-and-click transactions and the service that comes from a vending machine; not the kind you get at Nordstrom’s or the Ritz. So if they’ve never been on the receiving end of great service and don’t know what it looks like, how can they be expected to deliver it? The A Game provides the solution by showing how and why giving service impacts them, their company, and the customer.
YP: What particular challenges do managers face when it comes to managing young workers today?
EC: Most struggle because they assume that today’s teens are just a younger version of themselves, so they try to manage them the way they were managed in their first jobs. But as you know, Gen Y youth are radically different from teens of the past, rendering yesterday’s management strategies obsolete.
YP: How can they overcome these challenges?
EC: When a teen with a developed sense of work ethic enters the workplace—one who knows how to "win at work"—the entire scenario changes. But unless the kid grows up on a farm, odds are they haven’t been taught how to work, what the boss expects from them, and how to keep their job.
YP: Are there any companies right now who really get it right when it comes to recruiting and managing teen employees? Which one(s) and why?
EC: Wegmans, the supermarket chain on the east coast that, for the past five years, has been listed among Fortune Magazine's top 5 of the "100 Best Companies in America to Work For" is the first that comes to mind. They take time to get to know each and every young employee and who they are when they are not at work. They train, train, train to keep teens learning, growing, and totally engaged. They offer numerous scholarship opportunities to teens who work for them and they have created a strong bridge for their young associates to cross over into management. They are totally committed to the development of their young employees, and the teens they hire respond in an incredible way. Wegmans is a client of mine and I've interviewed the teens that work for them and I can tell you, the level of commitment they have toward their company is remarkable.
YP: How are you getting the word out about the initiative and certification program to employers, educators and teens? Could you describe your marketing plan?
EC: Because there is no other program that teaches kids how to work and certifies them with the values employers demand, we’re counting on the positive viral buzz we’re getting to expose us in new markets. I’m also fortunate to have a pretty robust client list of schools, trade associations, and major brands in retail, restaurant, and service sectors who are jumping on board. Our marketing plan is to continue to perfect our product and let the good word continue to spread like wildfire.
YP: Who should check out your site and the A Game initiative?
EC: Parents, educators, employers of youth, and anyone and everyone connected to teens. This is the Drivers Ed for the workplace, and a credential that every teen will want and need, every school will soon have to teach, and every employer will demand as their first step in training. This is going to be the next big thing for youth and Ypulse readers will want to be on the leading edge.
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