Generation y – and how to win them over

The fact is: members of Generation Y are the participants of tomorrow. But how do you engage young people at events today?

Chucks and smartphones – What is Generation Y, anyway??

The “Generation Y” phenomenon is no longer the sole preserve of sociologists and journalists, but is also making its way into ever wider circles in government and society: companies are increasingly striving to meet the needs of this generation and position themselves as attractive employers. Clubs and associations are also desperately looking for young members. Fact: Members of the young target group are the participants of tomorrow. But how do you inspire young people today? In this article we will show you how surprisingly easy it is to do this!

Generation Y has grown up with digitalization and globalization

The sog. “Generation Y” refers to that generation born after 1980 to around 2000. However, this generation is not only united by a roughly similar age: The “Y” (engl. pronounced “why?” – “why?”) is emblematic of the characteristic questioning of this generation.

Generation Y does not only stand for an age cohort, but moreover for an inner attitude. (Dr. Steffi Burkhard)

Because of their age, members of Generation Y are considered to be the so-called “future generation”. Viewing digital natives. They have come of age in a globalized and interconnected world under unprecedented conditions of prosperity. They see themselves as citizens of the world and accordingly their horizon is a bit wider than that of previous generations.

Smartphone embodies status and lifestyle

A survey of 18- to 34-year-olds by brand consultancy Prophet found that high-quality PCs, laptops and smartphones are far more important to them than owning a car, which 41 percent of respondents have lost as a status symbol anyway. For many, iPhone and co. become an expression of their own lifestyle.

Employers are confronted with new demands

Generation Y’s attitude toward potential employers has also changed fundamentally: Flexible working hours count for less than company cars. The home office is often preferred to an office of one’s own. Concrete demands are derived from terms such as “work-life balance” and “opportunity for self-fulfillment”.

If you don’t move with the times, you move with the times

Digitization is in full swing, but sometimes it may feel like it’s partially bypassing clubs and associations. Young people don’t want to vote by hand on the annual outing at the club meeting – internal communication among young people already takes place via email, various smartphone apps, doodle or whatsapp. If clubs really want to attract more young members again, there is no way around positioning themselves more attractively. This can only be achieved with additional digital offerings such as online registration for events, e-tickets and online payment options.

Keeping an eye on costs and using cloud software

Cloud software is provided by a vendor called the. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers, provided. What lies in its responsibility, we have already mentioned several times. Here are a few aspects in brief:

  • The evolution of software. By developing the software centrally, the SaaS provider can spread the high development costs over many shoulders.
  • The maintenance of the software. With its IT specialists, the SaaS provider guarantees the smooth use of the software and provides free updates.
  • The security of the software. A reputable SaaS provider ensures the highest data protection standards and stores all existing data encrypted on a domestic server.

Cloud alone is enough? No!

Of course, simply offering digital applications is no guarantee of mobilizing Generation Y. User-friendliness, nowadays often called “usability”, is just as important as a modern and chic design. After all, both should embody one’s own lifestyle, and who wants to be considered “impractical and ugly”??