According to Forrester Research, there are four generations of workers currently comprising the American marketplace: Veterans (born between 1922 and 1945), Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979), and The Millennials or Generation Y (born between 1980 and 1995).

The picture of how these generations interact and relate to one another, however, has been the source of much recent media coverage—and is at the core of our mission here at Care.com. Baby Boomers are retiring en masse and leaving huge gaps in the workforce. The Veteran generation is living well into their golden years, needing care from younger family members from both the Boomer and Gen X groups—some of whom are already struggling to support children of their own while maintaining a career. And this youngest generation, The Millennials or Generation Y, is starting to apply for and fill the jobs left behind by retirees and those who dial down their careers to juggle the care needs of their loved ones—but employers are finding it hard to relate to these youngest workers.

So, what makes Millennials different?

Unlike their predecessors, this newest generation grew up with digital technology and, by and large, were raised by more mature, better-educated parents who were very active participants in their development well into their college years. Because of these and other factors, some employers are finding it difficult to relate to and manage Millennial workers, and are finding huge philosophical gaps between Millennials and their Boomer or Gen X managers (like the one I mentioned between my friend Stacy and her babysitter).

According to numerous publications*, what typically makes the Millennials different is their:

• Confidence (often misconstrued as arrogance or naïveté)
• Can-do attitude
• Innate multi-tasking ability
• Hopefulness (an optimistic yet practical outlook)
• Globally connectedness
• Civic mindedness
• Goal- and achievement-orientation
• Inclusiveness and expectation of diversity
• Determination not to "settle" and tendency to job-hop
• Ability to become bored easily

So, how do you relate to and manage Millennials as an employer?

Scarlett Johannson's recent movie based on the popular novel, The Nanny Diaries, is a good example of the employer/employee generational gap. In some scenes, Scarlett's character was looking for something as simple as respect and equality. Millennials expect to be engaged in an ongoing dialogue about their position, and aren't afraid to leave one job in search of a better one—no matter how long they've been there.

CBS also recently covered this story in 60 Minutes, sending Morley Safer on assignment to interview a handful of experts on handling Millennial employees. What I took away from that segment, along with what I've learned employing Millennials as colleagues and as caregivers for my sons and my dogs, is that Millennials can be extremely hard-working, dedicated, and great contributors if you can learn to work with them and speak their language.

Some of their values and criteria for a position are not so different from my own values as a CEO:

• A job should be challenging, and regular performance reviews are key to high achievement
• Digital media should be embraced and not looked upon as a diversion—workflow, communication, and projects can become more efficient when used correctly
• Work-life balance should be a central mission and on-going dialogue
• Hitting stretch goals and milestones should be rewarded
• Openness to ideas from all levels of the organization should be welcomed

Since the Millennial population is very large and an important source of employment, we need to figure out how to relate to them and retain them. Some may deem them as entitled, demanding, and ungrateful of the pay-your-dues tradition, but we should look to their ideas and experience with technology, in particular. They are after all the new generation of "socially networked" individuals and they are in touch with digital media and new technologies. They are the ones constantly multi-tasking—on their cell phones while watching TV and chatting with their friends via instant messenger.

At the same time, it is important to develop a mentoring relationship with Millennials. As the mom of teenager in the Millennial generation, and having recently lived with our Millennial nanny, Amanda, I've learned to play much more of an advisory role, one that is approachable and not condescending. It has certainly helped me at work and also in managing our Millennial caregivers.

Here's some of my best advice for managing Millennials:

• Focus on defining parts of the job that will involve learning and growth for them. For example, if they are caring for your kids and they would like to eventually teach, work with them on researching ways (games, books, etc.) in which you can educate the kids together.

• Give them projects they can own and feel proud. For example, if they are helping you organize things at home, give them a project they can own such as putting your old electronic items on eBay and give them a commission on their sales. When the kids are napping they can certainly do projects for you around the house that are fun and at the same time help you out.

• Most importantly, treat them with equal respect as you would peers at work or even your age group. Seek their advice, ideas, and thoughts. They have plenty of knowledge regarding digital trends and what your kids are now interested in doing.

Have a story about managing Millennials, or tips and advice? Share them with the Care.com community by leaving a comment!

Cheers,

Sheila

*For more information on Millennials, check out these recent publications:

60 Minutes on CBS: "The Millenials Are Coming"

The New York Times: "A Generation Serves Notice: It's a Moving Target"

GenerationsAtWork.com: "Managing Millennials" by Claire Raines

Forrester Research: "Get Ready: The Millennials Are Coming!

Whether school vacation just plain snuck up on you this year or your child care plans fell through, there's still hope for finding a great solution during February break. Try these three tips for getting started and you may just find your care needs are solved!

Organize a Care Swap
Other parents at your child's school may be in the same boat. Try sending around an email to the parents of your child's friends to see if anyone would be interested in a rotating swap arrangement for the vacation week, with one parent or family taking the kids each day. Five families, five days of the vacation week, only one day of commitment per parent or family. Bingo!

Reach out to local students and off-duty teachers
With their own spring break plans (and expenses) in mind, local high school and college students may be ready and willing to pick up extra babysitting or short-term nanny duties. Check with local colleges and universities, or post a job with an online service like Care.com. Or, while you may not want to hire a teacher from your child's own school, teachers from other nearby schools who haven't made plans for the break may be happy to pick up some extra cash and part-time work by watching your kids.

Affordable local programs
Community organizations and resources, like museums, recreation centers, university child development centers, and libraries have started to offer "camps" during spring school vacations. The Office of Work/Life Resources at Harvard, for example, has compiled a sampling of programs around the Boston area that range between $150 and $300 for the week per child, with half day, full day, and extended day options. You can also check with your town librarian, family center or local YMCA for more ideas.

Have a great tip for finding last-minute child care during school vacations, especially February break? Share it with the Care.com community by posting a comment!

Cheers,
Sheila

These days, many adults make the choice to work from home part of the time: whether it's telecommuting occasionally, working from home a few days or afternoons a week when your kids are young, or even deciding to start your own business (like me. :)

Because of this increasing demand, advanced and aided by technology, employers are more willing than ever to allow their employees a flexible schedule—which can be extremely rewarding, yet also very challenging.

Here are my tips for making the most out of working from home:

Designate work hours and stay structured.
Try to make the most of the workable hours when your kids are at day care, school, and activities, or hire a babysitter or nanny to help you create dedicated work hours by engaging the kids so they won't distract you (or can even get them out of the house). If the sum of those hours doesn't add up to cover your workload, consider dedicating a full day or set period each day as your time to work, hire appropriate care coverage, or join/organize a local co-op.

Make the most of those work hours.
As Albert Camus famously said, "Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present." Multi-tasking between kids and work isn't fair to either party, and procrastinating with work just cuts into family time later on. Try your best to focus on and finish work during your designated work hours, and then engage fully with your kids, pets, and family members when you're "off the clock."

Get (and try to stay) organized.
Use free online task and time management trackers, like Backpack, Toodledo, or Remember the Milk to make the most of your time. Read Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and purchase one of his widely popular Franklin-Covey planners to stay on track. Even if your office doubles as the family study (or dining room), getting organized and hiring necessary help should allow you to be more productive. Make sure to set ground rules with your kids and their caregivers about times when mommy or daddy is working (especially for phone meetings and important calls). If you aren't able to "zone out" with the kids at home, or still find it difficult to separate work and family, consider working from a coffee shop or cafe that offers free wireless while your partner, family member, or caregiver engages the kids.

Make technology work for you.
Free chat and VOIP (voice over internet protocol, or internet phone) services like Skype, AIM, and Google Talk help to simply and affordably bridge the gap between your home office and your employer or clients, allowing for more efficient conversations and meetings. At Care.com, we use Skype company-wide and it's not only increased our productivity but also lowered our phone bills! There are tons of great, free software programs available for both the Mac and the PC that can make your work life more fulfilling.

Create "face time" with employers, clients, and colleagues.
Even if you work from home exclusively, participate in networking events, company-sponsored events, career-specific conferences, etc. Set up regular lunch dates with friends or colleagues to stay connected to the business (and adult) world. This separation will give you a renewed perspective on and increased energy for balancing work and family time. Check out my recent interview with Carol Fishman Cohen, author of Back on the Career Track for some tips on re-launching your career or keeping a foot in the game.

Tune out housekeeping and domestic distractions.
Just because you're working at home doesn't mean you're not working! Don't feel guilty about the dishes piling up or the dust collecting on the TV. Remember that you chose this arrangement to balance the time between work and family, and if necessary, it's OK to consider hiring an occasional housekeeper. I know that Ron and I have found this immensely helpful, and soon we'll be offering ways to find a housekeeper who fits your specific needs on Care.com!

For more information and advice on being a work at home parent, check out these great resources:

• Mom Corps
• Mom Central
• Mommy Track'd
• Work It, Mom!
• Work at Home Mom Magazine
• Dot Com Women
• Work-at-Home Parents Network
• StorkNet's WAHM Lifestyle Quiz: What kind of work at home parent are you?

Have a tip or a resource for parents working from home? Share it with the Care.com community by leaving a comment!

Cheers,
Sheila