The notion that credit unions need to increase their young membership in order to survive is a no-brainer. In 2013, the question won't be whether credit unions should make a conscious effort to attract Gen Y. It'll be: How can they do it in a way that hasn't been done before?

Faced with a rapidly growing population of tech-savvy young adults, credit unions will begin developing more niche products for this demographic. Simply having a Gen Y-geared checking product and a Facebook and Twitter account is no longer sufficient. To stand out from the crowd, credit unions will need to take on creative initiatives, such as launching a new incentive-packed program or hiring an ambassador to reach out to young folks in their communities.

Speaking of hiring, expect to see more young adults with the name of a credit union on their resumes. More credit unions are realizing the importance of bringing fresh-out-of-college workers onto their teller lines, into their administrative offices and onto their boards and committees. The increasing number of young voices on credit union staffs will also lead to the development of Gen Y product and program firsts.

We've spent quite some time discussing the negative attributes commonly associated with Gen Y. These include the inability to be self-sufficient, laziness, impatience, general dissatisfaction with life and poor communication skills. Next year, it's time to paint Gen Y as a generation of motivated individuals. Many of them picked themselves up off their parents' couches a long time ago and did what it took to succeed, despite a sluggish economy.

But stiff competition for cushy, salaried jobs will likely lead many Gen Y members to pursue self-employment. If this is the case, credit unions will have an opportunity to cater to self-employed individuals with services such as retirement plans and small business loans.

As 2013 progresses, credit unions will become better at speaking Gen Y's language. This is a generation that can't recall a time when they did not rely on the conveniences of technology. More and more credit unions will see that matching the technology developments of the credit union or bank next door is a necessity, and they'll keep learning how to communicate with Gen Y–in person, over the phone and electronically–in ways that they will understand.

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Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.

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