6 Strategies for Managing Millennials
My top session yesterday was about managing millennials. It turned into a discussion about millennials managing millennials since it was 95% millennials in the room. It was pretty interesting to see that we're all sharing the same issues but here are some tips the speaker gave.
1. Understand age diversity. The mind set of each generation is completely different you need to be able to code switch as necessary
2. Offer life skills training. Millennials want to learn beyond the job skills. They want a lot of feedback as they received tons of inflated positive feedback growing up and want to grow and know that feedback will help. Business owners need to make sure managers have the proper time to spend on providing valuable feedback to millennials - a manager who could have managed 12 people before can probably only manage 6 millennials.
3. Engaged workforce. Great company have a 66% engaged workforce. This happen when employees can use their strengths every day. Encourage people to do one thing each day you’re good at.
4. Strengths based management. Everyone cannot do every job, make sure everyone is doing what they are best at. Get the most out of them while they are around and they will think highly of you when they leave. It's ok to restructure things to allow people to do what they are best at. Some great questions to ask:
What makes a great day for you?
If you could get rid of 20% of your day, what would that be?
5. Finding a coach at work. This isn’t everyone’s strength, nor interest, and if a manager doesn’t have the time to be the coach, that’s ok. Millennials need to have someone they can go to. Offer millennials some wins in the first day; people aren't staying at jobs for a pension, we need to hook them day one. By having an open communication with millennials about their bigger goals and what they are looking for in their next job, you have a better chance of retaining them because you know what they are looking for today.
6. Communication skills. Millennials are in one of their first jobs and may need training to understand when phone vs text is appropriate and when to own up to the mistakes they may have made.
BONUS! 7. After hours work. Build trust outside of the workplace. Connecting and crossing departments allows for better work, and by allowing them to play they end up being more engaged. Have the mentality of "you know what you need to do this week, and if fun in the middle of the day helps you get there, go for it!"
"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?"
