Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are those born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s. This generation consists of about 50 million people. These young people are raised by their parents and they are told that they can achieve anything they want. As a result, this generation has acquired a reputation for feeling entitled and having a poor work ethic. They are also known to be tech-savvy, social, optimistic, and can do multiple jobs at once. To figure out how to best work with millennials, you need to focus on being a mentor, avoiding confrontation, providing a social and structured workplace, and providing feedback that makes them feel like valued employees and coworkers.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Maximizing the Work of Millennials
Step 1. Describe your job expectations
It's important that you set a concrete example for millennials of what to expect from their work. Make sure you understand in detail the task you are giving them to complete. Offer constructive criticism and praise them accordingly-they appreciate it when they know what and how their work turned out.
- From a certain perspective, millennials are used to having easy access to the world, with everything spread out before them to explore. According to the general pattern, they continue to see options everywhere. Regardless of the task at hand, they will feel they can handle it better if job expectations are clearly defined, restrictions on how to do the task can take their active imagination.
- Written job descriptions can help millennials to do tasks according to job expectations. They are good at seeing things as they are and sticking to them-as long as everything is explained from the start.
Step 2. Deliver feedback, rewards, and punishments with more expressive communication
Again, millennials expect nothing less from the truth, and only the truth. And then they can handle it. They want to know clearly what is expected of them and how their work is going-and they demand to be rewarded or punished in an appropriate way. If you leave them uninvolved or clueless, they will feel no sense of direction and purpose, and that will be reflected in their work.
- While a millennial is doing well, telling them isn't enough, it's no less important to tell the whole team. Millennials tend to have close relationships, and if Kristie beats Louis for the promotion, then everyone on the team wants to know. Be explicit. Let them know clearly why the brilliant Louis could be beaten by Kristie, and how the other members could follow his example.
- Rewards and punishments have a lot to do with millennials. These two things not only make their performance clear, but also validate how they feel about the job. But when it comes to punishment, make sure you state the logic behind the decision as clearly as possible.
Step 3. Treat millennials as valuable staff members
Since childhood, this generation has been consulted and encouraged to make their own decisions. They are treated as adults, for the most part. Therefore, they see themselves as people who have something to give to the company; not just a job. If you treat them like they're important, they'll be happy to stay on the job.
- Involve millennials in discussions about work. Encourage them to contribute opinions and ideas. Resist the urge to treat them like children, especially if they are your child's age.
- Ask for input from millennial coworkers, ask how to improve technology in the workplace. They are usually on the cutting edge of the latest technology and know the technology to come.
Step 4. Assign meaningful work whenever possible
Millennials have skills. They have value and can get the job done. Therefore, they believe that their work should reflect their values as well. Whenever possible, give work that has a specific purpose. They will do better because they believe in it.
- However, we all know that sometimes mundane and trivial work has to be done. If this is the case, explain to them that the work must be done for the good of the company to a large extent. This has meaning and purpose of its own and can help them see that even the smallest tasks have value.
- Once you've assigned the job, allow them to work independently, but keep the door open for them to ask questions.
Part 2 of 3: Be the Boss They Need
Step 1. Find out their goals, because their work is everything
For generations ago, work was just work. You go home to your family and that's your life. In this day and age, it's not like that-work is life. When these kids go to parties, they are defined by their jobs. Their position is everything. Work determines their happiness, not necessarily the other way around.
- Everyone is motivated by different things. Some employees will react enthusiastically to the health of cafeteria food while others want to work independently. If you develop a closer relationship with them, you will be able to find out what they want from their job (which is their life).
- Try to get to know Generation Y coworkers to find out what their goals are and the role they want to play in the workplace. Be open to ideas presented by millennials even if they differ from traditional business practices.
Step 2. Let them have an opinion
Millennials are taught to speak up, raise their voice, and say something when they're not happy or if something needs a change. They have courage that previous generations did not have, especially in the workplace. So when meeting, ask for their opinion. They have something important to contribute.
Not all of their ideas will be conventional, but consider it a good thing. They usually have new ideas that the older generation would not have thought of. They know technology like the palm of their own hand and are quick to offer ideas that can really grow a company
Step 3. Be a mentor
Millennials are looking for personal and meaningful relationships. This applies to relationships with superiors, coworkers, and even their own relationships with work. If you are a mentor, you can help them feel valuable and point them in the right direction. They are young and moldable: you can help mold them into impressive personalities.
Model professional expectations and behavior in the workplace by showing how a task should be completed in full detail. Since most millennials have no real-world work experience, offer resources that will help Generation Y coworkers complete the assigned tasks
Step 4. Speak to millennial employees in a positive and supportive tone
You have to be optimistic and give them constructive feedback. Avoid confrontational attitudes with this age group; they will not respond well. Because they are equal, they want to be spoken to with respect, no matter what.
Be honest and open when communicating with millennials. This group has been known to be responsive to transparency. However, criticism is best served in a constructive way. Try to stay positive while remaining honest
Part 3 of 3: Instilling Millennial Generation's Passion
Step 1. Offer incentives other than money
In many ways, millennials aren't looking for big payslips. Although they demand a higher amount of salary from their parents, in general they seek adventure and satisfaction.
Offer the opportunity to follow the company's overseas trips. Hold a meeting over breakfast. Set up a charity they can help. Give them the opportunity to work in a satellite office somewhere for a few weeks. Think beyond the norm to add something that can increase morale
Step 2. Understand that they may also be working on their own work
Google allows its employees to devote one day a week to their own side projects. Disney has a similar program where employees are given time to work on the “Happy Project”. Millennials are the ones shaping the future, so you have to allow them to make it happen. After all, work is their life.
And their work is their identity. Their identity is them. Demanding that they devote 110% to your company is simply not going to happen. However, this has its advantages: there is no distance between home and work. When they work, they can work at 9pm on Saturdays. They increasingly want to work 24 hours 7 days
Step 3. Include freedom and joy in the workplace
Millennials don't expect to be locked in a rectangular room from 9-5. They are looking for interesting and fun jobs. While you may not be able to offer a safari to Africa, you can give them a little extra that keeps them motivated.
- Encourage millennials to participate in indoor and outdoor staff activities at work. Office parties or volunteer work opportunities will allow millennials to have collaborative interactions to learn from mature coworkers.
- Arrange for employees to wear certain clothes on certain days, when you are having a large pizza party, or when the meeting is held outdoors in the format of a picnic. Bring a ping pong table to the conference room. Provide a special refrigerator for their favorite snacks. Even small additions like bringing donuts in the morning can raise employee morale.
Step 4. Keep in mind that this gap is also affected by the older generation
“Children of today” has been an expression for thousands of years. It appears in the Bible and in ancient Greek literature. When you were their age, the older people around you also said the same thing about you. So understand them and find a middle ground, because this is also partly influenced by the perspective of the older generation.
When you're their age, chances are you don't want to be limited either. You want adventure. You want what your parents didn't have. You have the idea that you expect someone to ask and listen to you. As you get older, this desire changes. To work with millennials, realize that this reality is just a shift that happens over time
Tips
- Millennials are known to work well in small groups and with diverse cultures.
- A 2010 study by the Pew Research Center reports that millennials will be the most educated generation and eventually make up half of the workforce.
