Entitled Younger Workers Could Be Advantage For Small Firms

No surprise, but it seems Generation Y workers expect more workplace perks than their more mature colleagues. Actually, though, that opens an opportunity for smaller firms with more flexible HR policies.According to a new survey from CareerBuilder.com and Harris Interactive published on CNN.com, employees under 29 want better pay, a flexible work schedule, and company-provided BlackBerrys and cell phones. Hey doesn't everybody.

But try holding your nose and looking at it this way. Big companies with thousands and thousands of employees may not be willing to rip up their HR handbook to supply everyone (not just the 20-somethings) with all these benefits. But smaller outfits typically have less red-tape to contend with, fewer employees to appease, and more flexibility to give workers what they really want.

Handled correctly, what 87% of hiring managers and HR professionals dismissed as "a sense of entitlement" could open the door to snatching top young talent away from large enterprises -- perhaps for little more than the cost of a fancy smartphone. After all, only 15%of employers reported modifying their policies to satisfy younger workers. That's a lot of companies not showing any love for Gen Y workers, and a lot of companies that may employees you can poach.