In today’s workforce, leaders are required to oversee a broader range of generations than ever before. With different generations come different preferences in work styles, coaching styles, knowledge of technology, learning methods, and the types of skills employee’s possess. One of the greatest challenges for leaders is understanding the upcoming generation, the millennials. This generation of employees is unlike any preceding them, not only regarding their preferences and motivations, but their ways of thinking. It only makes sense: They have grown up in a world drastically different from any other generation. By 2025, millennials will makeup 75% of workforce population, so it’s crucial that current leaders modify their leadership styles to help these employees grow to meet current & future workforce needs.

Eight Tips for Managing Millennials

1) Millennials are eager to learn and thrive off short-term goals where they can see the visible outcomes.

Leaders: Spend more time explaining the map & the route, not describing the destination.

2) Flexibility and autonomy at work are two of the most important job characteristics millennials look for.

Leaders: Many options that increase flexibility & increase autonomy do not have immediate built-in hard costs, but can yield immediate benefits.

3) They are not motivated by money, but rather the attractiveness of the work itself and they want to have a positive impact on the world.

Leaders: This is when & where you describe the destination!

4) Millennials are much less likely to stay in one place for long. Providing them with desirable job characteristics (immediate feedback, autonomy, work-life balance, clear work-purpose) will increase the likelihood they will remain with the organization long term

Leaders: The above list is used by successful organizations to increase employee engagement & longevity. More organizations are paying attention to these items due to the labor shortage. Truly great organizations have been paying attention to these items for years!

5) Millennials do not respond well to rigid protocols or displays of power but prefer encouragement and guidance. They often develop respect for authority via professional prestige and consistency of their leaders’ actions

Leaders: Think Yoda.

6) Culture is highly important to millennials – they want the values and goals of the organization to align with theirs

Leaders: Have you developed, or had employees help develop, the culture? This is easier than you think. Contact us if you would like to see examples from clients, or the tools that they used to make it happen.

7) Compared to past generations, millennials require immediate and consistent feedback. They want to know when they are doing well and where they can improve

Leaders: This one takes more time than many of us as are used to. This one requires the most conscious change if you want to be a successful leader with the emerging workforce.

8) Millennials adapt very well to technology. Use that as an advantage and use them to assist others within your organization. Effective social leaders and marketers include these employees in branding activities

Leaders: It’s what they do, right?

Find this and more at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/iese/2016/09/08/managing-millennials-nine-tips/#2cbf87d8cd8a

Additional resources:
5 Costly Mistakes Leaders Make When Managing Millennials
https://www.forbes.com/sites/deeppatel/2017/11/07/5-costly-mistakes-leaders-make-when-managing-millennials/#711f6713f19f

Managing Millennials: Characteristics and Skillset Strengths
https://www.amanet.org/training/articles/managing-millennials.aspx