Ask the Coach - Managing Millennials
By: Merrill Pierce
Dear Coach,
I have been running my business for over 27 years and have enjoyed being surrounded with folks that enjoy their work, openly address issues and seem to accept that as their boss, I will at times, need to ask more from them then is just in their job description. My team ( there are 43 employees) consist of people that have been with my company for an average of 12 years.
Since COVID, we added 9 new people, most of whom are much younger ( Millennial’s), than existing team members and we are finding that the age and stage of these folks is vastly different in their approach, attitude and work ethic.
My question is this, how does one manage this group in the most effective way?
Managing millennials can be a challenge. They need constant stimulation—something that baby boomers and gen Xers do not always need as much of. They want, and even need, to use technology in every aspect of their job. And they like to be creative.
While there is nothing wrong with any of these traits, they are different enough from the way the other generations work that they may cause some frustration amongst managers. But by understanding how millennials think, you can better manage both their strengths and their weaknesses.
Here are some tips that I have sourced and actioned with some of my other clients. Hope they help.
Get your teams to work in groups – May not always be possible, but worth a try:
Based on an IBM workforce study conducted in 2015, almost 60% of millennials felt that they made better decisions when receiving input from many different sources.
Consider breaking the team into smaller groups of 2, 3, or 4 and assigning each smaller group a specific task. This will give millennials the social interaction they desire while still making it possible to work on a few tasks at the same time.
Provide plenty of feedback and training
Implement weekly or monthly training sessions to make the millennial worker feel comfortable in their job. Take those opportunities to provide feedback regarding their performance and the use of changing technologies. This will make them feel that they are doing well.
Deliver feedback in a way millennials understand
Millennials need lots of feedback, more than any other group. They also need their managers to deliver this feedback in a way that resonates with them. Deliver the feedback by building on their strengths while at the same time acknowledging areas in which they can improve.
Give millennials the technology they need
Millennials want to use technology in every facet of their job. And since they have grown up with it at their fingertips, they are comfortable enough to use technology effectively and efficiently.
For managers, that means giving millennials the opportunity to update existing operations. Ask them how they would incorporate novel technologies into the workplace and then consider implementing those technologies.
Connect millennials to your company’s vision
Millennial workers like to feel connected to a larger purpose. Your company vision can be the bridge between what they do daily and the big picture toward which your company works.
Jeremy Kingsley, leadership expert and author of Inspired People Produce Results, explains how a company’s vision makes a difference to millennial workers:
“If you can explain the whole picture, it connects the meaning to the person. [The company’s vision] make employees feel valued, which in turn boosts productivity.”
Be Flexible
Work/life balance is important, and millennials are willing to sacrifice pay to achieve it. This means that they need to have the option to make their work schedule fit their life rather than their life fit their work schedule.
Get creative with your scheduling. Consider working four longer days each week and allowing employees to take the fifth day off. Some employees may have a Monday off while others may have a Friday off. Still others may have a Wednesday off.
Another flexible means of scheduling is to create a block of time when your entire team needs to be present. Then allow employees to determine how early or late they will be at work around that block of time.
It’s worth the effort
Implementing changes in management style to accommodate the attitudes of millennial workers can reap rewards both now and in the future. Managing millennials in a way they understand can result in improved morale, decreased turnover, and better employee engagement.
These changes may not be easy and may seem unnecessary—especially for older managers used to a different style. But incorporating these strategies for managing millennials is well worth the effort.
Best of Luck,
Merrill
