By Dan Schawbel |

Companies need to understand what motivates Generation Y workers if they want to retain them and grow them into new leadership roles. The problem is that companies are still treating them like older generations and are losing them to competitors. The average Gen Y employee leaves after two years of working.  In the book, Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success, the authors unveiled new research by the iOpener Institute about this important demographic. They found that they are motivated to stay with their employer and are willing to actively recommend their company to friends based more on job fulfillment than pay. The survey of 18,000 Gen Y’s uncovered that a belief in the firm’s economic or social purpose, and pride in the organization and its work, had a strong correlation with staying at a company.  The report also confirmed that there was no connection between retention and compensation. Here are five things you can do to help them achieve more fulfillment at work: