“Entitled”, “lazy”, “selfish”, “large egos”… are some words used to describe Millennials in the workplace and many people tend to give them a bad rap!! One thing is for sure, Millennials are an important part of our future and they are here to stay. Therefore, this fastest growing segment of the workforce deserves close attention to better understand and work alongside them.
This article explores the unique challenges of leading in today’s workplace and offers some useful guidance on how an innovative leader can look within themselves to lead Millennials and inspire them to thrive and creatively contribute to the workplace.
First: Focus on creating trust-based relationships
- Millennials tend to flourish in work environments where they are trusted by their management team and colleagues. Supervisors who give them flexibility and freedom to help navigate a path to their success also helps.
- Millennials respond poorly to micromanaging—in fact, this is one of the main reasons leading to a Millennial choosing to leave an organization. They prefer to roll up their sleeves and learn on the job, the hands-on way, versus having a long list of guidelines and tasks they don’t perceive as motivating or having impact on a larger cause.
- Creating a trust-based relationship and giving them space and freedom to perform to their fullest potential is the best way to motivate and develop loyalty among Millennials in the workplace.
Next: Provide frequent and meaningful feedback
- Meaningful feedback to Millennials motivates them to achieve high results. Though they tend to want the freedom from rigid guidelines, they also crave quality feedback—and frequent feedback. They want to know how they are performing on a regular basis and don’t want to be surprised at the time of a formal performance review.
- Managers will benefit from learning how to give constructive feedback and not “soft-pedal” their comments. Managers are also more effective when refraining from condescending or demeaning comments.
- For the best results, managers should coach, mentor, and point Millennials in the right direction.
Then: Be consistently authentic
- Millennials are drawn to managers who are accessible and trustworthy: they respect them. They respect leaders who they can look up to and be educated by as a role model.
- If you happen to find yourself out of touch with the Millennial culture, don’t try to be one of them.
- Just be yourself — they’ll appreciate it much more if you stay true to who you are.
And: Emphasize relationships at work
- Creating meaningful connections at work, with all team members, builds strong working relationships. Find ways to bridge the communication gap and learn more about the Millennials working in your organization.
- For example: What are their hobbies? What are their strengths and weaknesses at work? What can you do to encourage them to grow to find their footing?
Most Importantly: Have fun!
- Generating and encouraging fun in the workplace is a priority among Millennials. They treat their workplace as an extension of who they are and even their identity.
- So, it’s important to realize that for Millennials, work is not just about showing up to receive a paycheck and benefits. Work is also a reflection of who they are and who they want to surround themselves with. Carve out the time to consistently embrace some fun in your organization. By using this strategy, you’ll notice an increase in motivation, productivity, and retention.
Millennials in the workplace can be a refreshing addition to your organization and have the potential to draw together all generations. So, learning to make the most of the Millennial culture in your organization will give you and your entire team a boost of creativity, collaboration, and cohesiveness!
For guidance regarding the Millennial culture, Leadership and Executive Coaching and Development, Performance Management and all things “HR”, The Pendolino Group is here to support you and your team.
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