Employing Millennial Workforce
Millennials have entered the age of full time employment. With that being said, we’ve crafted up some points of advice to help guide you through employing the Millennial workforce. And hey, what better way to hear advice about what Millennials are looking for than from a Millennial?
The trick is understanding how to properly communicate value to each employee, regardless of age or experience. It’s crazy to think, but by 2025 millennials will be representing nearly 75% of the workforce! Hiring and retaining our future workforce may seem daunting when more then 60% of millennials (ages 22-32) have changed jobs between 1 and 4 times in the past 5 years. So, what are Millennials looking for? What do they value?
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Social Responsibility
61% of millennials are worried about the state of the world and feel personally responsible for making a difference. Integrating social responsibility into a company’s values creates a shared higher purpose among employees, boosting morale, and encouraging a sense of team. Many socially responsible companies provide paid volunteer opportunities.
Others donate and create partnership opportunities with nonprofit organizations that correspond with their vision. For example, a coffee shop who imports coffee from Nicaragua may donate money to an organization that trains coffee farmers, helping them provide for their families. An added benefit of being socially responsible is the positive PR that accompanies it. Both consumers and employees will not only feel that are investing in the company, but in a shared cause.
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Career Progression & Leadership Development
Having a clear progression plan for employees is important to achievement-oriented millennials. This generation desires to work, but they need a specific goal to work towards. 79% of millennials would prefer for their boss to act as a mentor who gives feedback and constructive criticism. Millennials respond best to guidelines and are open to advice from more experienced employees. Leadership and development programs are evidence to millennials that they will be invested in long term and therefore are more likely to remain with the company. Millennials expect attention, but it’s out of a desire to grow and make a contribution to their workplace.
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Work-Life Balance
As technology has developed, millennials often feel they are working 24/7 from their devices. Emails can be answered from phones, presentations can be created on laptops anywhere with wifi, and conference calls have even made meetings mobile. Having the capacity to work from anywhere, millennials desire flex hours where they have control over their schedules. When a work environment is enjoyable millennials consider their job as a second home, an important part of their lives. Millennials may seem to have a “work for the weekend mentality”, but they simply desire a time to invest in family, friends, and their other interests in order to be well rounded, successful individuals and employees.
The key to millennial worker retention is understanding what they value and empowering them to be successful! As John C. Maxwell said,
“A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.”
