Managing a Millennial Workforce
Defined as those born between 1981 to 1996, millennials are expected to become the largest living adult population in 2019, according to the Pew Research Center.Consequently, your team likely includes at least a few of these young professionals.
If you’ve grown used to managing a staff primarily composed of baby boomers or Gen Xers, you’ve probably noticed having millennial employees on the team has changed the dynamic. This tech-savvy generation was raised very differently than their predecessors, so you’ll need to adjust your management style to meet their needs.
Here are a few strategies to help you effectively manage your millennial workers.
Give Them a Voice
Millennials were raised by parents who always took their thoughts and feelings into account. Now adults, this mindset has transitioned to work, as they demand the same respect from their boss. Previous generations might’ve been content to let you do all the talking, but you won’t get that from millennials.
Give them a platform to share their ideas, thoughts and opinions. Having a voice will please them, and it will also benefit your business, as this group offers a fresh prospective. Much of your client base is likely composed of millennials, and no one knows how to reach them better than their own peers.
Promote Teamwork
When you’ve spent most of your career managing baby boomers and Gen Xers, it probably comes as a shock that millennials actually enjoy teamwork. Older generations avoided it at all costs, but as highly social creatures, millennials thrive in a group setting. When possible, allow them to team up, because collaborating on projects makes them feel energized and inspired. Incredible things happen when great minds come together, so prepare to be impressed.
Provide Regular Feedback
Until millennials came along, performance reviews were dreaded by the masses. However, this young generation actually craves them. Despite their reputation, millennials are actually hard-working professionals who aim to please, so they appreciate both formal and informal feedback as frequently as possible. Try to balance the bad critiques with the good, but be honest. Millennials have thicker skin than they’re given credit for, and they know raw feedback is the best way to learn and grow.
Offer a Solid Work-Life Balance
The ‘all work and no play’ mantra doesn’t work for the millennial generation. These professionals understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle, and they aren’t willing to sacrifice it for a job. Many have young families at home, while others want time to pursue extracurricular hobbies. If you require regular overtime and make it hard to use vacation days, expect a high millennial turnover rate.
Give Back to the Community
Millennials are on a mission to make the world a better place. Therefore, they seek out employers who give back. This can be in the form of doing meaningful work that makes a difference in peoples’ lives and making volunteering in the local community part of your core company culture. This generation is engaged by employers that make them proud to be part of the team, so focus on doing good.
Managing a millennial workforce is an adjustment at first, but in no time at all, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without them. To learn more about how we can help you find top behavioral health talent, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at [email protected].