Generation Y (the young men and women born after 1977) are different from other generations in many respects, from their political views to the careers they choose (or don't choose). Their presence in the workplace is truly making an impact, causing employers to worry, fret and scratch their head, and asking, "What do I do to attract the 20-something worker, and once I have them, how do I keep them?"

When it comes to loyalty, the companies Gen Y works for are last on their list. These millennial leaders are ambitious, and if you can't find a compelling reason to stick around, they won't. They will either find a better job , or they'll move back in with mom and dad (hey...free rent and a packed fridge is not a bad deal after all, and moms and dads are allowing their 20-something age kids to move back home in droves).

Many employers are labeling Gen Y workers "demanding" and "self-serving" (not a smart move) and when you look at the fact that over 64 million workers will exit from the workforce by the year 2010, this puts employers in a talent deficit dilemma. The pools they have to dip from are these young men and women from ages 22-30. So, if you want to attract the young knowledge work, I highly recommend that you stop calling them names and start doing what you can to accomodate their needs, even if outrageous.

The remainder of this article will share with you some information about the companies who I believe are doing a great job in attracting Gen Y into their workforce and a few of the strategies they are using. As you read this article, do your best to resist the thought of "Well, Google, Intuit or Deloitte would never be my competition...we are worlds apart in location, size, budget and industry focus". While it is true that we are all not like Google or Apple, there is one thing that is true: We are in the age of the "young knowledge worker", and Generation Y is the most high-performing generation in the history of mankind with more information in their heads and at their fingertips (and they can multi-task), so they can perform a variety of tasks in many business domains and can live anywhere if the job and company cool. So, in today's world, any company is your competition, yet the big question is

"Will Gen Y be working for you or for your competition?"

Here's my top ten list of companies who are being successful with attracting the Gen Y worker. As you read through this list, don't try to bite off everything on this list. Simply ask yourself "How can I shift my business or organization to include a few of these strategies to make my company more attractive to the young knowledge worker?"

1) Google: Focus on Perks: Google is unfortunately (or fortunately) raising the bar for each company in the world in the war for young talent. According to a study done by the Great Place to Work Institute, Google is at the top of Gen Y's list of companies they most want to work for. Why wouldn't when you can gain access to perks including on-site dental and medical facilities, free breakfast, lunch and dinner on a daily basis at 11 gourmet restaurants, unlimited sick leave, and a global education leave program which enables employees to take a leave of absence to pursue further education for up to 5 years and $150,000 in reimbursement.

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