Overseeing The Millennials

Joe Weinlick
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The job market has changed significantly as Generation Y focuses on career exploration. As a result, managing millennials has become a top priority for managers. Find ways to keep your younger employees engaged and committed to benefit both their professional development and your company's productivity and profitability.

The key to managing millennials is understanding how this generation is motivated and inspired in the workplace. Generation Y seeks employment within companies that provide professional development. Support networking events, promote industry meetings, and encourage out-of-town conferences and retreats that allow employees to not only feel valued by your company but also valued within the industry. Millennials seek opportunities to improve their skills and make an impact within the workplace. Additional training provides these much-desired opportunities.

Value the input of your employees when managing millennials. These young professionals want to be included in policy and benefit discussions. Operate a transparent company that values input from the staff, especially when it relates to the company culture. Form committees of employees to oversee new hires, and encourage your staff to offer suggestions and ideas for how to improve customer service, product development and overall productivity. This generation also wants and needs to be engaged. Help them understand how your business operates, and encourage teamwork when brainstorming.

When managing millennials, encourage employees to be engaged in the community. Offer opportunities to join professional organizations, assume leadership positions in the community and organize employee outings to volunteer. Millennials thrive on giving back to the local community and impacting the lives of others. Social outings that build a stronger company culture are also attractive to this generation. Millennials enjoy working and playing together with co-workers. Organize off-site trips, company events and happy hour celebrations to strengthen the company culture.

Flexibility is also a crucial element of managing millennials. Companies that offer flextime, work-from-home options, and flexible schedules that allow the employees to take advantage of their most productive time of the day and energy often boost employee morale and productivity.

Avoid engaging millennials in busywork, and set clear goals that they can achieve. Millennials are often motivated by a mission and goals that help them to clearly see their impact within the industry. The little perks also matter to this generation. Stock the company kitchen with snacks and a selection of teas and coffees to entice collaboration and communication among your employees.

Financial incentives are important to all employees, but when it comes to managing millennials, form a strong sense of commitment and loyalty by offering profit-sharing options and retirement plans that provide a long-term benefit. Millennials are dedicated and motivated employees when they know that their efforts and experience are valued, needed and utilized each and every day.


Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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