6 ways millennials are changing the workplace
Anytime I’m at a dinner party, the difference in outlook between millennials (generally defined as those born between 1982-2004) and prior generations is clear. My older friends tell stories indicating that millennials are slackers at the office, employees whose personal life takes precedence over work commitments and who don’t want to put in the time “required” to get ahead.
Millennials, on the other hand, eschew that kind of thinking. They prefer to look at life holistically, desire a vibrant work and home life, and want to do meaningful work at a company that values their contributions. They’re not interested in plugging away at a less fulfilling job and “paying their dues.”
Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, what really matters is that millennials are in the workforce to stay. Smart employers are figuring out not only how to attract and keep them, but how to tap the skills of all generations to create a powerfully productive culture.
Gallup's recent State of the American Workplace survey collected data from nearly 200,000 U.S. employees, analyzing the current business environment to help “business leaders optimize their attraction, retention, engagement and performance strategies.” One of their conclusions? “The one thing leaders cannot do is nothing. They cannot wait for trends to pass them by and they cannot wait for millennials to get older and start behaving like baby boomers.”
Instead, savvy leaders are navigating this new terrain and adapting to these 6 ways millennials are changing the workplace:
1. MILLENNIALS WANT THEIR WORK TO HAVE MEANING.
Instead of taking—and keeping—the first job that pays the bills, millennials care deeply about purpose. They want their work to be meaningful and, even more than prior generations, they want to be inspired by the companies they work for and the products or services they provide.
Furthermore, if they don’t connect with your brand, or feel that you’re not true to the brand and its mission, millennials are more likely to leave to find another job that better reflects their values. For them, it’s not just a paycheck. It’s about a sense of purpose.
2. MILLENNIALS DON’T WANT AN ANNUAL REVIEW
Millennials yearn for feedback. They don’t want to guess what’s expected only to find out in a once-a-year review that they’re not measuring up. Instead, they want managers to be more like an encouraging, knowledgeable coach than a demanding, old-school boss. They want a leader who regularly helps set expectations, priorities, and performance goals so they know how to succeed within your company’s culture.
Checking in on a regular basis has a very practical upside. The Gallup survey found that employees whose managers helped them clearly understand how “their role contributes to
the success of the team” were 3.5 times more likely to be engaged at work. That’s a lot more engagement, which means better business results for you.
3. MILLENNIALS WANT A COACH, NOT AN OLD-SCHOOL BOSS
Because millennials want their work to be meaningful, they also want to do it well and they’re eager for growth within the company. As a manager, it’s important to provide feedback on things like whether they’re focused on the right tasks, what they’re doing well, where they could improve, and whether they’re meeting their objectives.
Ask them questions, too, about what additional tools would be helpful or how the company could better capitalize on their strengths. Doing so allows them to learn and develop, which is important because another recent Gallup report, How Millennials Want to Work and Live, reported that 59% of millennial job seekers say “opportunities to learn and grow are extremely important to them when applying for a job.”
4. MILLENNIALS WANT TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS
In addition to getting feedback from their manager more than once a year, millennials also want to be a substantial part of the conversation. While they’re interested in how they can be a bigger contributor, it’s also important for them to provide input on how they feel the company can improve.
The best leaders listen carefully to their input, making better decisions that lead to better results. When employees’ insights are respected appreciated, they feel valued and are more inclined to be engaged and work hard to achieve the company’s goals.
5. MILLENNIALS WANT TO FOCUS ON THEIR STRENGTHS.
Historically, if an employee had a weakness, the company strategy was to “fix” it. If they weren’t good at using Excel, for example, they’d be sent to an Excel training class. Millennials prefer to focus doing what they do well. According to the Gallup survey, “60% of employees say the ability to do what they do best in a role is ‘very important’ to them.”
For managers, that essentially means it’s important to understand your employees’ strengths and put the right people in the right role. The really big upside? When employees are able to do work that uses their strengths, they’re 2.5 times more likely to be engaged than employees who are in roles that don’t suit their strengths.
6. FOR MILLENNIALS IT’S NOT JUST A JOB. IT’S THEIR LIFE.
Millennials need to pay bills, just like everyone else but they don’t want a job for the sake of a job. They’re waiting longer than previous generations to get married and have children, which gives them more flexibility in switching jobs, which they do more frequently than previous generations of employees. Millennials want to work for an employer who values their contributions, provides them with opportunities for growth, and respects their life outside of the office, too.
How Can Millennial Guru Help You Use This Information?
Using CliftonStrengths, Millennial Guru helps employees understand not only their own strengths, but how to recognize the strengths of their co-workers, across generations.
Based on that information, we can work with you to capitalize on the strengths of all of your employees, including millennials, help you develop a strength-based culture, and motivate your team to produce high-caliber results.
Schedule an informational meeting today and we’ll show you how Millennial Guru can help you retain, hire and inspire your employees—leading to excellent business results.