{"id":203021,"date":"2018-09-12T20:57:17","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T20:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transformativetraining.com\/?p=203021"},"modified":"2018-09-12T21:31:19","modified_gmt":"2018-09-12T21:31:19","slug":"millennials-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transformativetraining.com\/dev\/millennials-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Adapt to Millennials in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

I had a federal government agency recently ask me to do a training on \u201chow the heck do we work with millennials in the workplace?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

I thought it was a funny question, given that millennials have been in the workplace for 15 years now. As a matter of fact, the next generation (generation Z or the \u201cpost-millennials\u201d) will be entering the work force starting next year. But, people have been asking for a long time how to adapt to the new generation of workers.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest, millennials get a bad rap.<\/strong> First of all, how can we lump 15 years and millions of people into the same category and say that are all a certain way? While I was doing research on millennials, I came across this snippet from an article. <\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be much better off focusing on your employees as unique individuals than lumping them into large and meaningless meta-groups. <\/strong>Consultants who work in the fields of management and HR are frequently asked, \u201cWhat do millennials want at work?\u201d The best answer comes directly from the title of Bruce Pfau\u2019s Harvard Business Review Article: \u201cThe same things the rest of us do.\u201d Benjamin Granger, Ph.D. <\/p>\n

But, if that\u2019s true, then what is all the fuss? Why do I repeatedly hear the same complaints about Millennials? I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard them too. If I had to boil it down to one complaint it would be: They\u2019re Entitled. One CEO I coach said it this way, \u201cThey have only been in the workforce a couple of years, and they think that their opinion should count as much as mine. I have a Ph.D. and am close to retirement after 40 years of working in this field.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, if we look at trends in technology, child development and workplace evolution, we can point to a few things that researchers seem to think are generally true with the new generations.<\/p>\n

1.\tTechnology:<\/strong> The Millennials and even more so the Post-Millennials have grown up steeped in technology. They haven\u2019t had to grow into the internet, they were born into it and are sometimes referred to as \u201cdigital natives.\u201d The downside of this is that it can result in an impatience and an expectation of immediate results, and quick advancement<\/strong> in the workplace. Of course, this also means that this generation is very tech savvy and brings a lot of know-how and quick thinking to help solve workplace challenges. <\/strong><\/p>\n

2.\tChild Development:<\/strong> Children of this generation were included more in family conversations and decision making. Many Baby Boomer parents didn\u2019t want to force ideas or punishment on their children, so children were asked for their ideas, asked what consequences should be, and included in family decisions. This may have resulted in the expectation that workplace \u201celders\u201d will also solicit and listen to their ideas, and that their voices and ideas should have equal merit. <\/strong>Some older workers can find this way of interacting bordering on disrespectful. However, the upside is that they want to contribute and make things better!<\/p>\n

3.\tWorkplace Evolution: <\/strong>In general, the typical workplace has changed in the last few generations. If you look at the values, beliefs and habits of the Traditionalists (now about 73 and older) down to the Millennials (ages 22-37), the workplace has gone through several significant changes. The first is that the workplace has gone from more formal to more informal.<\/strong> Secondly, the workplace has shifted from more hierarchical to more collaborative.<\/strong> Finally, many workplace cultures have shifted from \u201cshow up and get your work done\u201d to a desire for \u201cgreater employee engagement.\u201d <\/strong>This is in part due to the growth in professional development and coaching in the workplace. More and more workplaces are investing in the training, education, growth and well-being of their employees. The way this shows up for the younger generations (Xers and Millennials) is that they want to make a difference and contribute. They want to feel like they are contributing to an important mission and vision. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The above 3 trends are no doubt going to continue. <\/strong>By 2020 Millennials will make up 50% of the workplace. When you focus on the positive aspects of the above 3 trends, quick thinking, greater collaboration and wanting to make a difference, are all amazing skills and values to bring to the workplace. <\/strong>There is always pain in adapting and doing things differently. If those of us over 37 can change our ways of thinking and take the good with the perceived \u201cbad,\u201d I think we will find that the innovation, passion and skill of the \u201cyoungers\u201d outweighs the discomfort of having to do things a little differently. <\/strong><\/p>\n

In conclusion, here are 7 specific things that consultant Michael McQueen advises us to do to get the best out of Millennials in the workplace. <\/p>\n

1.\tPut the Relationship before the Role.<\/strong> They are loyal to people. \u201cI don\u2019t care how much you know until I know how much you care.\u201d Caring about them as people and being authentic and genuine will build trust. <\/p>\n

2.\tKeep them challenged.<\/strong> This is the most important thing to them \u2013 provide them training, educational opportunities and opportunities for advancement. They don\u2019t want to get bored. They will be more engaged and stay longer if you keep them challenged. <\/p>\n

3.\tMake Flexibility a Priority.<\/strong> This is the next most important thing to them. Think about times, locations, flexible schedules. What is the culture you have in your team and your organization? Do you encourage and make space for work place flexibility?<\/p>\n

4.\tGive Regular Positive Feedback.<\/strong> Yes, you are paying them, but everyone wants acknowledgement and to know that they are contributing. This generation is used to external validation. 60% want positive feedback at least once a day, 35% said 3-4 times a day would be even better. If you are a task-oriented leader (D or C in the DiSC), you will need to stretch to look for and give feedback about what is working. <\/p>\n

5.\tEmbrace Their Ideas. <\/strong>They can bring in a lot of creativity and innovation. Take it with stride, they are not trying to take over or turn the whole workplace upside down. Don\u2019t take it personally that they might be questioning, \u201cwhy do we do it this way?\u201d See it as an opportunity for innovation and collaboration. <\/p>\n

6.\tBe Values Driven.<\/strong> 86% of this generation said they would leave an organization if there is not a good values match. Are your values defined? Do you walk your talk as a leader?<\/p>\n

7.\tAdopt the Role of Coach. <\/strong>They are looking for mentoring. As a leader, do you have training to be able to coach your employees? Do you know the difference between coaching, managing and mentoring? Do you have a formal mentoring program? How are you harnessing the energy of your younger people? Do you see them as competent?<\/p>\n

At Transformative Training Solutions, we can help you with leadership development, professional development, team training and growing your team\u2019s emotional intelligence. Contact us Who We Are<\/a>for a free 20 minute consultation to see how we can help you grow. We can even do a training on how to work with Millennials in the workplace!<\/p>\n

\"Millennials<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had a federal government agency recently ask me to do a training on \u201chow the heck do we work with millennials in the workplace?\u201d I thought it was a funny question, given that millennials have been in the workplace for 15 years now. As a matter of fact, the next generation (generation Z or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-203021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Adapt to Millennials in the Workplace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why do I repeatedly hear the same complaints about Millennials in the workplace? 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