Why you should invest in the next generation

As an employer, you might sometimes have to make the decision between hiring a young and promising graduate or an older, more experienced candidate.

Some managers may have reservations about hiring younger employees, being concerned that they bring less experience and knowledge to the table and are still unproven in the industry.

This may be a valid point, particularly in highly technical or creative roles. But it’s also worthwhile looking at the many benefits fresh graduates can bring to your business.

Here are some of the advantages of taking a chance on less experienced candidates and investing in the next generation.

Tech savvy workers

One of the clearest advantages of hiring fresh graduates is their aptitude for technology. Most millennials have grown up on the internet, using smartphones, mobile devices and social media on a daily basis.

While older generations may feel hesitant and even change-resistant towards new technologies, younger employees are likely to embrace and adopt the latest gadgets and tech tools. They’ve grown up with technology as a part of everyday life and will have no trouble picking up and using new technologies in the workplace. They’ll also be more up-to-date with technology trends, offering valuable information and tremendous insight into your market.

In this way, bringing younger employees on board can have a very positive impact on the way your organisation moves forward with new technologies in the future.

A learning mindset

It’s also likely that candidates who have just graduated from school, university or college will still be in a strong learning mindset. They’ll be used to studying and retaining information on a regular basis, helping them to remain ‘switched on’ and ready to learn.

It can be a lot easier to get graduate employees excited about participating in training and development programs, whereas more experienced workers may think they don’t need any further training.

Amit Chauhan, CEO and cofounder of Recroup, believes young employees can bring fresh perspective and a different way of thinking to your business.

“Most young workers are eager to learn, build their experience and apply their skills in the workforce. This enthusiasm is great for team building, productivity and workplace morale,” Chauhan says.

What’s more, graduates will often possess the most up-to-date knowledge in their field. Just because someone has been around for a long time in the industry doesn’t mean that their way of doing things is the best.

Innovative and agile employees

Younger generations are also considered to be very innovative and agile in the workplace, adapting well to changes and not being afraid to take risks.

As Chauhan says, “with less prior experience and likely no mortgage or children to take care of, new professionals have a lot less on the line.”

While more experienced workers might hesitate to make quick decisions or take risks at work, younger employees are showing that they are better equipped to respond to sudden change. In fast-paced, changeable work environments and industries, this agility and adaptability can bring a lot of value and reward to your business.

Foster your work culture

Another great benefit of hiring graduate staff is that they are more easily moulded to the kind of work culture you want for your organisation.

Employees who are fresh and new to the industry will be coming in without any pre-conceived ideas of the workplace. They can more easily adapt to the habits and processes of your company, rather than older workers who may have been doing things their own way for a long time.

Without previous work experience, younger employees can be considered a blank slate, ready to be developed and mentored in line with your organisational goals.

Lower costs for employers

Last, but not least, there’s no doubt that you can reduce costs by hiring less experienced candidates.

When you take on a graduate who is just entering the workforce, or a younger worker with less experience, it’s generally expected that their salary will be lower than those with a higher level of experience. Considering that salaries are the greatest expense for most companies, you could be saving your organisation a considerable amount of money.

Before you dismiss the idea of hiring younger candidates, you might like to take some of these benefits into consideration. Young graduate employees could be just what your organisation needs, bringing fresh insights, technical knowledge, innovation and energy to the business. And after all, everyone needs to start somewhere, right?