YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – They crave work-life balance, autonomy, community involvement and an employer that trusts them.
Four board members of the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals say what they want from an employer has changed since they graduated college.
“When I first graduated college, I think the job title was the most important thing,” says Steven Weeden, banking center manager at WesBanco Bank Inc. He’s the MVYP president.
He started in retail before moving into banking five years ago. As he’s gotten older, salary and work-life balance have become higher priorities.
Brandon Sklenar, a senior IT sales consultant at Packer Thomas, also lists work-life balance as a priority. If he’s given an assignment that’s due by Friday for example, he likes the freedom to be able to work on it when it fits his schedule. That may mean he works from home at midnight rather than sitting in an office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
“I’ve noticed most employers are starting to help out with that,” Sklenar says. “But it is something that the younger generation, and even our generation, is looking at. We want that flexibility.”
Different Workplaces
For some, that may include the flexibility to work from home some days. And it’s a departure from the workplaces older generations are accustomed to.
Haley Beachler is a real estate agent at Burgan Real Estate.
“That was a huge draw to me for the real estate industry, was to have some autonomy, to be able to create my own schedule and to work at my own pace,” she says.
She previously worked in an administrative role at a different company where she punched a time clock.
“I remember sitting there at the desk at four o’clock and I had to work until five,” Beachler says. “I was done with my work and just sitting there and feeling resentment that the employer cared more about me being there physically than about the work that’s getting done.”
It seemed counterintuitive and she believes that type of culture leads to burnout, resentment and the loss of passion for a job.
Technology also enables more flexibility not afforded in workplaces 20 years ago.
Katie Burdette, communications manager at Ultium Cells, says she is often at home answering emails or completing other work tasks on her phone.
She was drawn to her employer, which makes the batteries for General Motors electric vehicles, because it’s part of a new industry.
“And so, I thought that was appealing, a brand-new company making these batteries for the future,” Burdette explains. “And then you get benefits on day one and they’re company paid.”
Being valued is important too.
“I also think something that people look for when they work for a company is someone that values them as a person,” Burdette says. “I’ve had jobs where my boss doesn’t even know my name. And then at my next job, my boss knows my sister-in-law is pregnant.”
She cites transparency in salary and career growth opportunities as something younger people look for from an employer, particularly for those in entry-level jobs.
Each of the four MVYP members say their employers provide the support and autonomy that’s important to them. They also credit MVYP as a benefit to their careers, offering opportunities for networking and community involvement.
Sklenar says he appreciates that he’s trusted to complete his work and doesn’t have a manager breathing down his neck. He started at Packer Thomas as a college intern and stayed with the company. The culture was one of the things that attracted him to the firm.
“And I think it actually gives you a sense of empowerment, too,” he says. “At its lower level, days coming in as an associate or an entry level job, you always feel like you’re at the bottom of the food chain, but a lot of supervisors and managers want to empower it. They want to give you a little bit more responsibility.”
Community
Making an impact on the community is important to them too. Each of the four grew up and lives in the Mahoning Valley. It’s where they plan to stay. Beachler graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and Weeden, Sklenar and Burdette each graduated from Youngstown State University.
They appreciate that they work for companies that allow them to be involved in the community and that support community organizations and causes.
“My boss now is phenomenal,” Weeden says. She’s all about growth. She’s all about the work life balance.”
And she supports employees being involved in the community.
“Before work, I had a meeting this morning with the American Heart Association,” Weeden says. “She likes to see us in the community, serving on boards. I know everyone here. I think all of our bosses are very supportive of us being out in the community.”
Beachler says it’s important for a company’s leadership to set an example with community involvement and giving back.
As people who grew up and live in the community, the MVYP members want to see more people stay in the Valley.
“It’s important for me to know that my employers aren’t just worried about making money, but that they’re also worried about bettering the community,” she says, adding that Burgan Real Estate is.
A lot of young people are willing to leave a position if they’re unhappy, Beachler says.
“They’re not tolerating treatment that doesn’t align with their goals and with their lifestyle,” she adds. “There are so many opportunities now that they’re willing to look for something that is a better fit.”
Mentoring
The MVYP members place priority on mentoring as well.
Sklenar relies on mentors to discuss ideas and get advice. Weeden has had three mentors at the bank as he’s moved to different positions.
“Each year there’s been a higher step and more of a concentration of two specialized areas,” he says. “It’s been very helpful.”
Her position as an independent contractor makes the situation a little different for Beachler. It’s not difficult to get your real estate license, but it’s very difficult to succeed in the industry, she says.
“So, we rely very heavily on our brokers and our colleagues to help train and mentor us, and that really shapes how we build our business and structure our business and how we do business in general,” Beachler says. “That’s why I chose Burgan as a brokerage because I felt like the experienced agents and the brokers there were able to mentor me and guide me in a way that I aligned with.”
Each says the work-life balance will become more important when they have families. Beachler is married but Sklenar, Weeden and Burdette are single. None has children.
“If I have kids, I want to go to all their baseball games or whatever else,” Sklenar said. “I want to make sure I can be in every part of their life growing up but also still have that good salary and good career path.”
Pictured: Katie Burdette of Ultium Cells, Steven Weeden of WesBanco, Haley Beachler of Burgan Real Estate and Brandon Sklenar of Packer Thomas pose in downtown Youngstown.