On Tuesday 3 June, GTA, in partnership with Walkers, hosted a packed-out breakfast session with UK inter-generational workplace expert Henry Rose Lee, exploring how to engage and retain Millennials and Generation Z.
Why this matters:
Millennials and Gen Z now represent 50% of the global workforce. In Guernsey, they are more likely to stay with an employer than their global peers, but more than a third say their workloads are unmanageable, and half are struggling to pay their bills.
Henry spoke about the impact of hyper-individualisation. This is a mindset shaped by social media, where young professionals focus heavily on personal wants and needs, often at the expense of team connection and shared purpose. It contributes to feelings of isolation, unrealistic comparisons, and disengagement at work.
She urged leaders to focus not just on retention but on engagement, and introduced her practical "Five Cs" framework:
➡️ Cause (Purpose)
➡️ Community (Belonging)
➡️ Career (Progress)
➡️ Contribution (Feeling valued)
➡️ Collaboration (Connection)
A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of learning and development. Younger professionals are not only motivated by financial reward, but by access to growth, coaching, and progression. Offering these pathways is critical to attracting and keeping top talent.
The event, moderated by Simon Le Tocq, CEO of GTA, featured a panel of local leaders:
Sarah Ash – Group Partner and leads the CI Employment Law Group, Walkers (Based in Guernsey)
Boley Smillie – Chief Executive and Head of the Public Service
Sophie Bonakdar – President of YBG and Account Manager, Orchard PR
A strong theme emerged around the importance of skilled, empathetic management. Great managers make the biggest difference to engagement, wellbeing and performance. However, many still lack the support or training to lead effectively across generations. As panellists pointed out, investing in people managers is one of the most important steps businesses can take.
We thank everyone who joined us, and especially our panel and sponsor Walkers.