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390: Why Gen Z Staff Leave — And How to Keep Them with Marie Young · ChildCare Conversations

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Childcare Conversations, a growing community of early childhood leaders asking better questions and finding real solutions together.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: The conversations shaping early childhood happen here.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: This episode is presented by North Star School Supply, the one-stop shop for all things school furniture, dramatic play, steam, changing tables, playgrounds, and more.
• 0:28
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• 0:30
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• 0:35
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• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Now let's get into today's conversation.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: One we think you're really going to enjoy.
• 0:46
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, we know you guys just absolutely loved the last Mother Daughter episode.
• 0:51
  Kate Woodward Young: So we're going to do another Mother Daughter episode.
• 0:53
  Kate Woodward Young: And honestly, it was recorded literally five minutes after the last one.
• 0:57
  Kate Woodward Young: However, uh, you know, you don't often get to have a real open and honest conversation with a Gen Z employee about what might have kept them, what might we need to know and think about.
• 1:10
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, I could absolutely tell you some things to do in different generations on how to attract them, how to keep them, maybe even what to put in your job descriptions.
• 1:21
  Kate Woodward Young: So today's episode, we are going to focus on with Marie Young, who is absolutely no question asked, a Gen Z.
• 1:30
  Kate Woodward Young: So, Marie, um, for those who maybe didn't hear your previous episode, tell us a really short how long you've been in um youth programming and early learning, and then wherever you want to start.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, how short I can make this because I am your daughter.
• 1:49
  Kate Woodward Young: And okay, well, the whole episode has to be under 30 minutes.
• 1:54
  Kate Woodward Young: So you have to start keep that in mind.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: It could be a little over.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I have been working, uh being paid to work for children for eight years now.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: It was my first job, and I've loved it ever since.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: I I think being a podcast producer for a childcare-themed podcast is one of the first jobs that I've had not working with children directly, but has some very similarities to it and still in that.
• 2:25
  Kate Woodward Young: Are you trying to say I'm just a big kid?
• 2:26
  Kate Woodward Young: Is that just a big kid?
• 2:29
  Kate Woodward Young: Just I just wanted to verify.
• 2:30
  Kate Woodward Young: Okay.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: But that I've really worked and enjoyed and I've had a lot of different kinds of bosses, and I've worked in a lot of different fields from just summer jobs to full uh full-time work to part-time, and have worked at childcare centers, worked with where they primarily target children in movement, ones where they target children and adults, and there's definitely differences there.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: And overall, just a very fun time uh working where I have.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I've had not fun times working at certain places, and I think a lot of what's in our your leadership structure and how you train and how you onboard and how you retain is what keeps those staff.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: And so we're gonna talk more about one I don't think we need to address.
• 3:33
  Kate Woodward Young: So um, because I think it's different than perhaps maybe how other folks or generations generally handle, and that's gonna be conflict.
• 3:43
  Kate Woodward Young: Now, I like to think that managers and owners will always have the back of the employee and will always do investigation or research.
• 3:54
  Kate Woodward Young: But as I go back and think through some of your early um jobs, early experiences, uh you had a couple of different situations where there wasn't really investigation, you weren't really brought into a conversation, um, a decision was made.
• 4:12
  Kate Woodward Young: I recently had also a similar situation where um somebody said I said something, even though it was years ago.
• 4:21
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, and there was never really an investigation done, right?
• 4:24
  Kate Woodward Young: So it was never whether or not it was me.
• 4:26
  Kate Woodward Young: And for those of you who know me, you know, uh a lot of people, we Kate, my my cousin Carrie, a lot of times we get introduced as Kate and Carrie, as if we are one person.
• 4:36
  Kate Woodward Young: Even if only one of us is there, they will go, hi, and this is Kate and Carrie.
• 4:39
  Kate Woodward Young: And I'm like, hi, my Kate and Aunt Carrie is not my last name.
• 4:43
  Kate Woodward Young: And Carrie is my cousin.
• 4:45
  Kate Woodward Young: And so we have to remember that sometimes it is worth taking the pause as an administrator.
• 4:51
  Kate Woodward Young: So before you make a hundred percent decision on whether or not something was done maliciously, actually, or whether or not perhaps maybe there was a false claim, um, or maybe a misunderstanding.
• 5:05
  Kate Woodward Young: Because sometimes maybe the claim isn't false, maybe it's just a total misunderstanding or totally taken out of context.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: Can I bring this rant back to our main topic?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: I think where Kate is trying to get to is that conflict is something that happens naturally and all forms of life.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: I have my bachelor's in communication, human communication, where I took whole semester classes on conflict and communication.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: And it is something that uh conflict avoidance is something that I think is very common in my generation.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: I feel that way too.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to start a conversation that might end badly.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I think I've had conversations and positions with jobs where a boss like saying made a decision before knowing all the facts, and that decision was not in the employee's favor.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I did leave soon after that incident because you never want to be treated that way.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: And in the last episode, I talked about uh how I was blamed for something that I felt like I was not fully prepared for as an employee and I didn't go back to work there after that summer.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's one of those things that if you treat your younger employees like children, and they uh some of them, these are their first job experience.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe there are times that they still act like a teenager, and maybe they are still teenagers, responding back in a way that is also either childish or similarly to being a teen or a young adult, or parenting them, neither of those two ends of the spectrum will make your employee want to respect you and keep going.
• 7:10
  Kate Woodward Young: And so, what would be so based on your educational professional experience and your real life experience, what might be some suggestions that you might give to somebody who is, I'm gonna go with around my age, with an employee around your age, and there is a the there's something, a difficult conversation that needs to be had.
• 7:33
  Kate Woodward Young: And I have met a lot of directors um or teachers who have um co-teachers or assistants who they just avoid the difficult conversation, which doesn't necessarily help it.
• 7:47
  Kate Woodward Young: So what might be a good tip, do you think?
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna give more than a tip.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna give like a little bit of a breakdown because I've seen so many different ways, but usually what happens is when that conversation gets to a point, like a boiling point that it needs to happen, the usually the the boss or the supervisor goes to the employee and says, We need to have a conversation.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: And like that's that's how they say that.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe they're gonna be able to do it.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: They called in the principal's office.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, maybe they plan it ahead of time, maybe they do it right then and there.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: And then they have a conversation.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: One, the employee feels ambushed.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: If they didn't realize that there was a problem and it's gotten to this boiling point where emotion has interfered with the facts, then there is no healthy way that that conversation can continue.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: How I would recommend it is at the start.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: If something is starting to look like it could go in a direction that is not good, or as soon as you notice, you either send written or have a conversation of hello, employee, hello, Kate, you're the younger one here.
• 9:00
  unknown: Okay.
• 9:02
  Kate Woodward Young: We have noticed to channel my inner 20-year-old because you know that might be scary.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: We have noticed that something is happening, whether that be you are doing something outside of like policy or that you are saying things to other parents or staff that are concerning.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: Give a like a small verbiage of what you want to discuss and then ask to plan it in the future.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: When is the time that is available for you?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: Don't just be like, we need to talk, when are you available?
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: Because then that person will overthink.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: They will get anxious.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: Anxiety is something that is rising, especially after COVID.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: And we don't need more, we don't need to do that in some middle of someone's work day when they're about to go work with children again.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: That is not acceptable.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe do it at the end of the day before the weekend, have them have the weekend to think it over.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: Or they skip to overthink for a whole weekend.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: I would say just the opposite.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's why you don't overthink.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's why you lay it out of this is what we're going to talk about.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe they talk during the weekend or during another time that works for them, because you don't want to ambush them.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: You also don't want them to st like stir with it too much.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: That is why you give them the reason.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: Because even if it's the breakdown of it, maybe a little more of, hey, this is what we've been hearing.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_01: I wanted to come to you about it.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_01: Because that is the most important thing, is like I want to listen to you.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: That is how this conversation starts.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Because if you just start telling them, and unless you know for sure this is what they've been doing, you should let them talk first.
• 10:44
  Kate Woodward Young: You know, you brought up a great point because I think even in this day, where so so many child care centers are having cameras.
• 10:52
  Kate Woodward Young: And I've still seen directors still do the finger pointing.
• 10:56
  Kate Woodward Young: But one of the things that I did with a director who had a camera, but it didn't have audio.
• 11:02
  Kate Woodward Young: For whatever reason, the audio wasn't working.
• 11:04
  Kate Woodward Young: And so I said, instead of making an assumption about what you're seeing going on, always turn the volume off and then ask the employee, hey, can you tell me what's happening here?
• 11:16
  Kate Woodward Young: I am making my own assumption.
• 11:18
  Kate Woodward Young: Why don't you tell me?
• 11:20
  Kate Woodward Young: And I think that allows for the observation technology to still be an integral part of what had happened.
• 11:29
  Kate Woodward Young: But you then get the employee to narrate for you what was going on because a lot of times those cameras only got one angle.
• 11:37
  Kate Woodward Young: So if there's two instructors and the two teachers in the classroom, you don't they only have one in the screen.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't tell them you had an assumption, though.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_01: Don't go in with that, because in my opinion, that's negative.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: Be like, I would like to hear in your words what this experience was, and then just keep it at that.
• 11:55
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, you know, that's the hardest part, isn't it?
• 11:57
  Kate Woodward Young: As directors, we gotta go to commercial.
• 12:00
  Kate Woodward Young: We don't do them very well.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: You know, yeah.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: That can also be an age difference, an age problem.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's just you when someone is new at their job, and I've had this as a Gen Z to other Gen Z people who might be less experienced at the job, where I try to teach them every opportunity I can.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes we just need to listen.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: Being a leader is listening to what they need, what happened, and then asking them what they need, because you don't always have all the answers.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: I know it might seem like you do, but if you have all the answers for everyone, that's how you get burnt out, and that's how your staff doesn't want to stay with you anymore.
• 12:40
  Kate Woodward Young: Now so so asking the questions, listening to the answers, and to me, the third part of that is reflecting and again, maybe saying, Okay, this is what I hear, and try to use their words.
• 12:54
  Kate Woodward Young: Don't summarize it in your own words, because if if they hear their words said back to them, then it sounds like you actually listened.
• 13:02
  Kate Woodward Young: Now, for some of us, we might need to take notes.
• 13:06
  Kate Woodward Young: If you're a note taker, before you start taking notes, tell the person, hey, do you mind if I I jot some notes just as we're talking so I get the right words and the right descriptions?
• 13:17
  Kate Woodward Young: Because then it sounds like, again, you're being respectful.
• 13:20
  Kate Woodward Young: And I think that's really, really helpful.
• 13:23
  Kate Woodward Young: And if you summarize, so you've asked a question, you've listened to the answer, you've responded with a reflection component.
• 13:31
  Kate Woodward Young: What's next?
• 13:32
  Kate Woodward Young: Because a lot of times I see folks leave it there.
• 13:36
  Kate Woodward Young: So in other words, I'll say, well, this is what I this is what I see.
• 13:39
  Kate Woodward Young: And if you said yeah, then I might just end it.
• 13:42
  Kate Woodward Young: I may not necessarily get us to the next one.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: I think it depends.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: If it is something that they were doing wrong, uh that you felt like they were doing wrong, you got their point of view and you realized they're actually okay, then you can move on from that.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: But if it is a problem or a repeated behavior and they told you what has happened, and you still believe it is a problem, and you need to talk to them and ask them, be respectful.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: That is the biggest thing, no matter their age, be respectful.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: And ask them like, do you see what's wrong?
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, do you think this is a problem?
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: Do you think this is something that should continue?
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: Or do we think we can work together to s come up with a different solution to what a differ a new solution that solves whatever is going on here?
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: Because something's not going right for this conversation to happen.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: And if it is a misunderstanding, move on.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_01: You don't want to keep bringing that misunderstanding up.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: And if it's a miscommunication, especially, you move on.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: And as a director, maybe you figure out how that miscommunication arrived.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: That is not the employee's responsibility unless you change the policy for everybody.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: But if it is a continuous problem that your employee is doing something that is not correct, even if it's not wrong, but it's not correct, help them get to there and ask them how you can help them.
• 15:12
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, you know, that brings me up.
• 15:14
  Kate Woodward Young: So I'm gonna just share one really quick story about a very similar situation.
• 15:18
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, the employee is a little older than Marie was.
• 15:21
  Kate Woodward Young: And again, she wasn't really doing something wrong.
• 15:24
  Kate Woodward Young: She just wasn't actually doing something right.
• 15:26
  Kate Woodward Young: And in this particular scenario, it was about what time she arrived to work.
• 15:30
  Kate Woodward Young: And, you know, it was a really clear this is what time work started, but she just couldn't seem to ever get there on time.
• 15:38
  Kate Woodward Young: And again, before firing her, I did.
• 15:41
  Kate Woodward Young: I stopped, I had a conversation, and we discovered that she had just never really gonna go with mapped out what time she had to leave the house to get to someplace at the right time.
• 15:51
  Kate Woodward Young: And so um, I think that that is something that's really important to kind of pause and consider.
• 15:58
  Kate Woodward Young: Now, we are in a compliance-based industry, so there are gonna be some things that minimum standards says you have to do it this way.
• 16:06
  Kate Woodward Young: Um now, if they are doing the curriculum slightly different, or maybe they're playing with the block center differently than you think they need to play with the block center because they're letting the kids take the blocks from blocks over to dramatic play.
• 16:19
  Kate Woodward Young: And I have seen directors like absolutely lose it over the fact that the kids are taking toys from one center to another center.
• 16:26
  Kate Woodward Young: But, you know, again, it's having those conversations.
• 16:30
  Kate Woodward Young: And although we could we started this episode talking about it being like how to work with a Gen Z, I think we should re-chain title the episode because I think it's really how to have a difficult conversation, period.
• 16:42
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, I was gonna have us move on.
• 16:46
  Kate Woodward Young: The whole kit and caboodle.
• 16:47
  Kate Woodward Young: What were you gonna say?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I said we could move on.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: We could we could continue on this, but I was like, well, we've talked about a lot of the negative aspects.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: I was hoping.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: So what do you want to do?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: Do we want to go into the positive aspects and keep it as staff retention, or do we just want to do conflict resolution?
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: A child care owner came to me with a$35,000 tax bill.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: She left with a plan that brought it down to$4,800.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: The same income, same business,$30,000 back in her pocket.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: She was not doing anything wrong.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: She was paying what she owed because nobody showed her the strategies available specifically for child care business owners.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: Her CPA was filing, but nobody was planning.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: We applied three strategies hiring your kids, the Augusta rule, and income shifting to an escort.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Total deductions applied,$65,000.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: So with the same income, exactly the same business, completely different outcome.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: Not a loophole, the tax code used correctly.
• 17:50
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• 17:53
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• 17:54
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• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, let's let's make it positive.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about staff retention.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, because I think this is a very important part of staff retention that is not often brought up in like I've listened to y'all's staff episodes before.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_01: I don't always think this is one of the main topics.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm glad we've talked over half the podcast about this.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's important.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: But I also think there's some very positive elements of having Gen Z on your staff, and there's some positive ways that you can keep them as your staff.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I got a positive, especially if they're doing everything right.
• 18:31
  Kate Woodward Young: I got a positive, especially for those of us who are not in that age bracket.
• 18:37
  Kate Woodward Young: What's nice about is that they're young and they usually have a lot of energy.
• 18:41
  Kate Woodward Young: And so usually you can get them to do more of the um energetic activities.
• 18:46
  Kate Woodward Young: So if you are really into um motion games and motion songs and doing a lot of gross motor skills, this is a great place to include your Gen Z.
• 18:58
  Kate Woodward Young: If you've got some very active three-year-olds, very active toddlers, or even maybe you've got a school age program.
• 19:06
  Kate Woodward Young: The best thing ever is a school age program, and then find them a Gen Z who has a theater or music background who wants to teach them all kinds of theater and singing and dancing.
• 19:17
  Kate Woodward Young: Because you know what?
• 19:18
  Kate Woodward Young: Anybody who took dancing even in high school can teach those elementary school kids how to dance.
• 19:24
  Kate Woodward Young: They aren't gonna know the difference.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: I think keeping staff around, and I think what you've brought up is really good.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_01: The energy, the the knowing the differences of your staff.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: When you are onboarding and you are pairing up a lead teacher with maybe an assistant teacher or a co-teacher who is younger, know what their strengths are.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: I think that should be a part of every center's onboarding.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_01: Is what special skills do you have?
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_01: Do you know how to hula hoop really good?
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: Do you know how to dance?
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: Do you are you an incredible artist?
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: Can you draw?
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: So your episode photo is gonna be you with a hula hoop?
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_01: Do you like is fashion your thing?
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_01: You're really into clothes.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: Like, whatever your passion is, kids love passions.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: I've noticed that.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: Like kids have their own, but they also love hearing and learning about other people's passions.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you have a staff member, whether it be maybe it's movement, maybe it's activity, but don't always make that assumption.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: Because sometimes if you see a Gen C and like, oh, you'll want to do the the the movement and play game.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: And it's that teenager who'd much rather be at home like drawing or watching TV right now.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Or reading a book, or playing video games.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: They're all yeah.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: They don't want to sing to the children right now.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: And if you just kind of spur that on them.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: So as part of their onboarding, as part of hiring, figure out what they like, what their passions are, and then figure out what aspects of the curriculum you already have, or maybe have them in a way of be like, hey, maybe write some of your own curriculum.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: We will compensate for you.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: We will figure out a way to pay for that extra time if you're spending extra time doing it, because that is incredible to have kids have new experiences from their teachers.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: You're not paying an outside person to give you more curriculum.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: You are acting, you're you're asking from your teachers, the people who already know your kids.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: The kids know them, they'll want to learn from them.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: And uh yeah, my Kate was doing like sword fighting.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really into like historical reenactment, which history is always a cool thing that kids can learn about.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: Different astrology stories.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: These are all things that you can empower your Gen Z staff.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: I know Gen Z and younger people like I love feeling empowered by my supervisors.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like we talked about in Conflict, the reason why Gen Z.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Seed leave is because they don't feel respected.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: But if you can empower them, they are going to be more likely to stick around because they feel respected.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: They feel like everyone just wants to feel like they belong.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: Everyone wants that community, whether that be at their workplace, that be where their hobby is, that be with their family.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: And if you can create that in your workspace, then your staff are way more likely to stick around.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_01: And we talk about staff appreciation all the time and gifts and things like there, I will link some of those episodes in the show notes because we have a lot of them.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: But having them feel appreciated for their knowledge, what they know.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: What are they going to college for?
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_01: Are they also in school?
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like what did they do in high school?
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_01: What special interests?
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: Were they in 4-H?
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: Were they in like doing things like I did archery?
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's another fun thing.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what can you teach the kids based off their special interests?
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: And then have them help you develop curriculum, maybe have a themed week in the summer for that thing, like a medieval historical week, and have them help other teachers with that.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: There's so many ways that you can make your staff leaders at different points during the school year, and that can retain staff of all ages.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: But in my opinion, being a Gen Z, and I'm not going to speak for my whole generation here.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: I know we are doing it that way, but I like to feel empowered and supported and respected.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: And if we can do that through this way of encouraging people with their special interests to keep teaching and to teach those specific things, you're going to have happier kids, happier teachers, and hopefully less work for you because you're delegating and less work for maybe the lead teacher because they're delegating.
• 23:54
  Kate Woodward Young: All right.
• 23:54
  Kate Woodward Young: So I have I have a couple more thoughts real quick.
• 23:56
  Kate Woodward Young: I want to just run by you because they're things that I've heard.
• 24:00
  Kate Woodward Young: So I'm just curious.
• 24:02
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, I feel like the younger generation is also very aware of um the flexible schedules.
• 24:08
  Kate Woodward Young: So, first of all, and then second, I kind of want to touch a little bit about, you know, where are you as far as an organization and your community and your social impact?
• 24:17
  Kate Woodward Young: So how important really is this maybe even non-traditional schedules?
• 24:24
  Kate Woodward Young: Because, you know, I hear that the younger generation right now is kind of into that the phrase I hear is things like gig economy.
• 24:33
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, and so how important do you think that that schedule flexibility is?
• 24:38
  Kate Woodward Young: In other words, being able to work, you know, Monday through Thursday, 10-hour shifts, or um, those kinds of things.
• 24:44
  Kate Woodward Young: How important really is that?
• 24:46
  Kate Woodward Young: Or mornings or afternoons because they have other jobs, or um, as well as um as a child care center, is there a community mission or something that you are um passionate about that you guys get behind?
• 25:00
  Kate Woodward Young: And is that something that you include the staff in?
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna ask answer the first one first because I feel like I have a good answer to that.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: The second one I might need you to re-ask it, so keep it in your brain.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um when it comes to scheduling, that's this isn't gonna be a perfect answer because every center is open different hours.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_01: But when you are hiring, I would put our expectations in your description so that people know what they're going for.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: Flexible schedules, I'm gonna say this right now.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: It might be something that we're seeing on social media or hearing from Gen Z staff, but those are the privileged ones.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna put that out there because not everyone has the privilege to have a flexible schedule.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: I am very fortunate to be in a position where I can have a flexible schedule.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um I know there are people my age who are struggling who absolutely cannot have that flexible schedule.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: They need multiple jobs.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe they need a flexible schedule because they have another job.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_01: And so just knowing what their other job's hours is and maybe being willing to do that, but also not overworking them.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because in my opinion, and I think people who work with children should get paid more overall, because I've worked with kids.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's really hard to work two jobs while working with kids, they take a lot of energy.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_01: And you do not want teachers who are checked out, who are zoning out, who have less energy.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: That is not safe for the children or the teacher or your center.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're able to have the hour and flexibility and pay for them, then you're gonna have staff that stay.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: But not every center can afford that.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: And so that is understandable.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_01: So in my opinion, yes, it is important.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_01: Talk about that in the interview process.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Email them about that before you hire them, because you don't want to hire them and then be like, oh, they're late every morning because they hate mornings.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: Well, start their shift an hour late if you have the staffing availability for it.
• 26:58
  Kate Woodward Young: But maybe, maybe you're starting an hour late, but that doesn't necessarily mean they get all the same amount of time if you don't need them.
• 27:04
  Kate Woodward Young: Um I think is a really key part of that phrase because um I've seen people shift and then they shift, and now that person is not off until six, but they didn't really want to not, they still want to be off at five.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, maybe not everybody wants full-time hours.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's definitely worth having those conversations.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: People are working part-time most of the time.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: And having longer breaks, again, children are a lot.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: I love kids.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: I've worked with kids over half my life, but they can be exhausting as someone who's worked in the summer program and don't work with kids all year round.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: They're uh like I said, you need full-time energy.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: And there are some people, especially who've been doing it for decades, teachers who've been doing it for decades, who know how to do self-care, who know how to keep themselves balanced while at work.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_01: But most people who this is their first, maybe second job ever, don't understand that and are gonna put all of their energy into their work, which is amazing.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_01: But I've seen so many people take advantage of Gen Z and younger staff for that.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: They take advantage of their endless energy, they take advantage of them wanting to work a whole bunch of hours and then they get burnt out, they get sick, and then you need to cover those hours anyway.
• 28:24
  Kate Woodward Young: That's a great point.
• 28:25
  Kate Woodward Young: So, okay, so my other question um is gonna be it was related to social responsible um businesses.
• 28:33
  Kate Woodward Young: And I know that um I have met Gen Zs that very much have this belief that it's important or it's a decision maker.
• 28:43
  Kate Woodward Young: In other words, maybe they have applied to two different child care centers, and maybe one really talked in the interview and is public on their website and their social media about being um a community-supported agricultural uh drop site, and that basically they have a CSA drop-off at their school and that a lot of the families are part of that CSA.
• 29:06
  Kate Woodward Young: Or maybe they have a lending library for the community at that school.
• 29:11
  Kate Woodward Young: Or maybe that school has had um a child with childhood cancer, and now the school as a whole competes every or does their walk every year or does fundraisers every year for that particular child care, childhood illness.
• 29:28
  Kate Woodward Young: And so I think that those are things I've seen that I know have made a difference.
• 29:34
  Kate Woodward Young: Do you think that that is something that should be part of even um an interview or a discussion?
• 29:41
  Kate Woodward Young: I mean, is that something that really is a deciding factor?
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I've worked um when it comes to things like social impact and change, I've worked at places that have been more open about their stances on different policies and different things going on in the world.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm very proud to work for that organization still.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then there's ones that hide it or have feelings that might differ from some of their employees.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_01: It kind of depends on where you're located.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're in Texas, but we're in Austin.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_01: So there's definitely some things you will see and notice and hear from different people's opinions.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: It also depends on that kid, who they were raised by.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if they're college educated, you might have more kids those who are in college or getting college educated might care more about the social impact.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_01: And if those are the kids you want to hire, are the younger staff you want to hire, then definitely make that a part of your company culture.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_01: I think if you specialize in anything specific, make it a part of your culture.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: Can I say something controversial?
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: You're the producer.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: If you don't like it, you can edit it out.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: Oh no, I'm gonna like it.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: Others might not.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: If you at all have anything about wanting to help the environment, but you are using AI in any particular stance, especially art, for any of your advertisements or any of your events, that will turn off most Gen Z staff.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it has been very hard for me to find Gen Z out there on social media, my friends who support the use of AI, especially for artwork.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_01: This is something that I see a lot.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, it can save time, yes, it's easy.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_01: But it is also hurting the environment.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_01: And that is something that we're I think my generation understands that if we do not take care of our planet, it will not be here for future generations.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_01: And if your center does any kind of nature or has an outdoor area, I've seen so many centers do things like helping the environment or any of that, then you need to make sure that what you're doing online reflects that.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I am very strong and passionate.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_01: I do use AI.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_01: I will not say that I will never use it, but it is one of the things that I try to never use it for art.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_01: As someone who is an artist who does digital imaging, you can hire people.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_01: I've been not hired because I do expect a certain amount of pay, but there are people who do it for a lot less pay that you can find online.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: There are templates and people who will teach you how to do it yourself.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_01: But I know you don't always have the time, and maybe that's the Gen Z staff that you get them to help you with things for social media and flyers, especially the ones who like doing art.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: If you can hire someone who likes doing digital art, that will be perfect for your center in so many ways.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: So, yes, this is controversial because I know the amount of people in childcare who use AI for different reasons.
• 32:49
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, and and and and absolutely, and that's a whole separate marketing episode.
• 32:54
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, because I could definitely do a rant on the.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you are, if that is a that is a hot topic button, especially within my generation, that I've seen even Gen Z disagree on millennials, the next generation up about.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_01: I've had whole arguments with some of my millennial friends about it.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_01: And so if we're gonna talk about social impact and change at all in your company's culture, that is something that if you are at all like you may have not known that there's a whole side to social media of Gen Z talking about how they will support anyone who is not using AI.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you're like, we don't use AI, you might get more staff who are younger who care about that.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's those are the kinds of people that you might want working with your children, people who are passionate about what the world will look like when those kids are grown up.
• 33:49
  Kate Woodward Young: Well, I think you brought up a great point, and I'm just gonna summarize it as does your educational philosophy come through every aspect of your business?
• 33:58
  Kate Woodward Young: And so, um, and again, I struggle with it a lot when I see people who are like, oh, you know, we're Waldorf or for we're Montessori or we're Reggio, but yet they really aren't, um, or that they're a nature-based program, but yet they're using all of the uh China-based um cheap curriculum materials.
• 34:23
  Kate Woodward Young: And they they look like wood, or maybe they are wood, but do you know what toxins are in um the um the varnish that's on that?
• 34:34
  Kate Woodward Young: You know, like wood toys.
• 34:36
  Kate Woodward Young: Get those wood toys, buy those products USA-based.
• 34:39
  Kate Woodward Young: Um, any product you buy in the United States that's USA manufactured is always going to be a better product.
• 34:45
  Kate Woodward Young: And I'm going to have Marie make sure that she puts in some list for North Star School Supply and that you go check out Foam Core and some of the other companies that North Star School Supply uses because they try to make sure that at least they can't always make it 100%, but probably over 90% of the supplies that they furnish new schools with are actually manufactured in the United States by small businesses.
• 35:10
  Kate Woodward Young: And so gotta love you, gotta love to wrap your head around that.
• 35:14
  Kate Woodward Young: Never thought I was gonna get to plug that company in an episode.
• 35:17
  Kate Woodward Young: Glad that I was able to.
• 35:19
  Kate Woodward Young: So um, thank you so much for Marie for joining us.
• 35:22
  Kate Woodward Young: And again, um, if there are things that you'd love to get Marie's insight on um as a Gen Z or maybe it's a podcast producer, um, uh maybe it's because she's got a degree in the human communication.
• 35:34
  Kate Woodward Young: I don't care what it is, but if you've got a message for Marie, drop that in um the message us um on your um podcast player of choice.
• 35:44
  Kate Woodward Young: And we can't wait to talk to you in a couple of days.
• 35:50
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• 35:52
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• 36:00
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• 36:05
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• 36:12
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• 36:15
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• 36:21
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