HispanicBusiness

Freeman, 32, now is employed at Office Dynamics, a business training and development company in Las Vegas. She said she'd built a close relationship with her boss and co-workers there, and felt like she was making a difference helping others.

"I've always felt loyal to companies I've worked for before, but I knew something was missing," she said. "I knew that when I finally found that right fit, that sticking around and being totally committed wouldn't be a problem."

Younger workers -- often lacking the experience and seniority of older workers -- have been battered by the recession and were often the target of layoffs, leaving them with less loyalty to a particular employer and more willing to change jobs or careers.

Thirty-five-year-old Christina Zila, director of communications at Textbroker, has been laid off five times over the past several years. She said the turmoil changed the way she views her relationship with her employers.

"I can't see my job as punch-in, punch-out anymore. I know I can get fired at any time, even if I'm doing a great job," she said.

After starting with Textbroker, an article writing service, early in its history in 2009 and being given an opportunity to grow with the company, Zila says she feels more committed and more passionate about her job.

She says she thinks if young workers are engaged and made to feel a part of the company, they will bring an unmatched level of passion to their jobs.

"The majority of our workforce in our office is under 30, and I see that they're very engaged," Zila said. "And if you keep them engaged, they'll go to the ends of the Earth for you. They'll happily work from home on a Saturday. They'll come into the office on strange days. They'll use social media for your company's advantage."

Spanning the generations

Young workers bring creativity and fresh energy to an office, but differences in the ways they communicate, view authority and prefer to work can cause friction, said Anne Hanson, president of Las Vegas-based business consulting firm CamCris Consulting.

To prevent conflicts and maximize the contribution of Generation Y workers, Hanson said businesses should be proactive, investing in training and giving regular feedback to ensure their young workers know what is expected of them.

"When (young workers) go into a workplace, they question what's going on. They want to know 'Why I should I care?' 'Why should I buy in?' so they can understand and be more committed," she said. "To some, that's seen as disrespectful, but it's important to understand those different perspectives and communication styles."

Millenials often prefer working in teams and want to have input on decisions that affect their company, Vernon said. Businesses can take advantage of that by using younger workers to help brainstorm and generate new ideas, even if they don't end up using them.

Although they tend to prefer working autonomously, managers should still find ways to provide regular, informal feedback to younger employees, she said.

"It's different than micromanaging. If they're feeling stuck, find out how you can support them and how you can help," Vernon said. "You want them to feel like you're an ally versus a parent."

At Textbrokers, where the majority of the two dozen employees are under 30, Zila says the company spontaneously recognizes employees with awards and gifts, and that its bonus system provides specific incentives for generating new ideas for the company.

The company also provides training that allows workers to advance and move between departments, she said, and gives them flexibility in where and when they work.

"It's not just hours on a timesheet," Zila said. "It's taking a person's likes, personality and attitudes into consideration and putting them in a spot where they're happiest and therefore most useful to us."

A fear of being replaced may keep older generations from sharing their institutional knowledge with younger workers, Freeman said.

"We see that battle every day at major corporations," she said. "We talk with them about setting up succession plans and mentoring relationships to address that."

Hanson said it was important for employers to be patient with their younger workers and not be afraid to try new approaches to reach their employees.

"Today, most of our workers are what you would call knowledge workers or service workers. They're not production workers, so traditional management styles that we grew up with just won't maximize the ability for those people to be creative and to make decisions on the fly," she said. "It's about going into it with an awareness, stepping back and realizing that although the person may not be a good fit right away, there is value in training."