Millennials – defined by Pew Research Center as those born between 1981 and 1996 – are the largest generation in the United States workforce. How can you engage millennial employees in your organization? By learning what is important to this generation of workers, business leaders can learn how to communicate, engage, and support millennials.
Give Feedback Often
Being aware of how millennials experience education and employment is key to workplace engagement. This generation is accustomed to constant input from family, teachers, bosses, and peers. As a result, their ability to process feedback is an asset to any team. Having ongoing check-ins with millennial employees will ensure they confidently complete projects. To a generation where communication is key, radio silence on a business leader’s behalf can come off as disinterest or even dissatisfaction in the workplace. Stay involved in employees’ goals and projects; they will be sure to appreciate the encouragement, and business will appreciate the engaged employees.
Try New Training Methods
Studies find that millennials prefer a more casual business setting than their predecessors. This can translate into how employees are trained. Learning is an aspect of the workplace millennials thrive in; to maximize their engagement, allow them to ask questions and add input. Having a training environment with “no wrong answers” gives employees a chance to focus on cultivating new skills without feeling pressured to succeed right off the bat.
Work as a Team
According to a recent study, over 50 percent of millennial workers said they work better in groups than alone. Group-based work is ideal for millennials, as it reflects the teaching style they learned throughout their school years. From the beginning of elementary school through college, this generation was asked to work together in group projects; the skill of collaborating was fostered from an early age. With this in mind, it is easy to see why millennial employees flourish when working with others. Organizing staff in a way that requires teamwork will strengthen the community of the workplace while also giving younger employees a chance to show their strengths.
Build Trust
It has been proven that millennials want to work for companies with a high-trust culture. They have watched corporations grow exponentially and seen jobs become depersonalized by tech advances. Accordingly, one way to retain and engage younger employees is simple: connect with them on a personal level. No one wants to feel like they’re just another cog in the wheel – and this sentiment is especially strong for the millennial generation. Giving employees important tasks and letting them play a part in the company’s culture builds trust. Employees of any age feel pride in being integral to a business’s success, and millennial workers are no exception.
Contact me today if you would like to discuss more ideas about how to recruit and support millennial employees.