Allow millennials shared responsibility
Millennials come from families where they participate in the decision making, and they expect the same level of inclusion in your company. This may sound arrogant, but millennials believe there are some things at the company they can be responsible for and don’t want to feel like a small, insignificant part of a big machine. This is why you should try to find ways they can manage on a micro level before they gain experience for higher positions. It can be done by creating small teams that would be responsible for handling certain micro-responsibilities. Also, as millennials have a clear timetable of their expected advancement in the company’s hierarchy, try to come to a compromise, where they will be enabled to make progress, just not as fast as they expect.
Help millennials maintain their work life balance
Millennials are known for their unwillingness to sacrifice their free time in order to be financially compensated. Their private lives are sacred to them, so don’t try to make them work additional hours too frequently. When they’re at work, they will be at top of their game, but they demand their weekends and off-work time to be free of unexpected obligations. Of course, it isn’t an easy task to come up with a schedule that will suit your business’ needs, as well as those of your millennials employees, but it’s a fact that workers who have their personal hours intact are more efficient at work.
Become an ethical organization
Organizational ethics and social responsibility are important to millennials. They will want to know your company’s footprint on the environment, its community involvement, as well as whether your company received any awards for, for example, eco-tourism. This generation cares about the environment and the society they live in, so make sure your company does, too.
Frequently millennial employees with feedback
Millennials are accustomed to getting regular feedback on their work. They want to know the level and importance of their performance. So, your job is to provide more input to them, and not just through formal performance reviews, but through informal one-to-one conversations on an at least weekly basis.
Provide a fun workplace
A workplace where you can actually have fun is an ideal place for a millennial. They are eager to make friends at their workplace, laugh and chat during lunch breaks and go for a drink together after working hours.
This is where your role as the owner is important — encourage social gatherings, plan various events and celebrations. If you see your employees smiling and chatting lively while working, you’ll know on the right path.
See if their work can be done from anywhere
Millennials love traveling and they don’t want to be bound to just one place. If you have a company’s branch in another country, consider sending a millennial to spend some time abroad, working there for at least a couple of months. Consult good immigration agents who help with documentation and legal rules in case you want your millennial employee to travel and work — it will be highly appreciated. Remember that most jobs can be done from anywhere, particularly for this tech-savvy generation. Offer your colleagues more flexible hours and the opportunity to do remote work.
Encourage teamwork
Millennials enjoy working in teams, where they can exchange ideas and share the enthusiasm. They believe that a group of people can achieve more than individuals, so you should enable them to work together. Also, form teams when it comes to picnics, volleyball matches or any social gathering that you organize.
Nurture the millennial’s affinity for networking
As they enjoy networking electronically, especially on social sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, encourage this feature of theirs. They are prone to putting their resume electronically where their expertise can be seen by millions. This doesn’t mean they are not loyal to your company, it just means they like to have their options open, so don’t resent them for it. And your colleagues are the best people to sell your company to the world. And don’t forget social media has become a very public branding way of sharing your company culture, so don’t be afraid to give your millennial employees a super boost by retweeting them!
All in all
As you can see, millennials are something completely else, compared to the previous generations. Their approach to work and the workplace is unique and demanding, but in the end, it’s what will help them thrive and give their best at their job. In short, you should start adapting your working conditions to their needs as soon as possible.
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