Leaders need to keep employees motivated.  In order to do so, we need to understand their needs.  I run into this
often through my work with employees at client locations...changes to how we handle employees and what we know as important have indeed changed over the generations!
Think about a generation that were highly "managed" and pampered by their parents.  Their schedules were tight, structured activities, minimal work experience...results in special challenges once they hit the workforce full time.

These employees were raised by baby boomer parents, while working side by side and in some cases managing Generation X employees.

Managers need to develop special skills to manage millenials.  This group wants to focus on work/life balance.  No longer are the days where working as long as you needed to are valued.  These valued employees need to be accomodated and investing in development of their skills necessary.  Simply, the workplace needs to accomodate them!

Think about the changes that need to be in focus:
  • Recruitment on line on various sites
  • Social Media
  • Text on cell phones as a form of regular communication
  • Blogging
  • Monitoring employee time online
  • Use of personal cell phones during work time
  • Telecommuting
  • Flexible work hours
  • Paid time off rather than separate days for sick, personal, vacation

A few tips that make this generation motivated:

  • Be transparent
  • Be clear on expectations
  • Careful with criticism, generous with praise
  • Incorporate "fun" time together as a work team
  • Involve employees in decision making
  • Empower employees to make change
  • Be flexible
  • Consider the importance and need for family time
  • Consider benefits that involve health clubs, things of interest to this group as well as baby boomers
  • Team dynamics are important, they are used to being a part of a group through their education as well as any sport involvement so the workplace needs to have an environment where they can work together effectively (who doesn't need this?)
  • Time off and reasonable work schedules are more important than the pay
Basically, we all are a bit more focused on work/life balance these days, so such changes will benefit any employee in the workplace!

Warmest regards,
Jeannine Brown Miller, MA, SPHR
President/Organization Development Consultant
jbm@jbmconsultingonline.com
716-946-8381