As over 40 million Millennials are entering or have entered the workforce, their ability to lead is critical. Baby boomers are exiting the workforce at rapid rates and companies and non-profits must understand how to lead and encourage these young people. How will employers respond to this demand?
Nicole Fallon of BusinessNewsDaily offers 4 key ways to engage Millennials:
Embrace technology. Although many baby boomer leaders are becoming more comfortable with technology, some are still hesitant about using it. Allow your younger staff to help lead your company in a more tech-friendly direction, with suitable IT controls.
Provide employees with mentors. Gen Y is sometimes perceived by older generations as lazy, and this may have to do with poor expectations. Don’t wait for the performance review to provide feedback to younger workers. Pairing them up with an experienced mentor is a great way to improve the culture of a changing workforce.
Celebrate creativity. Younger workers want to do things differently, much like any “next generation.” Rather than responding to their new ideas with, “That’s not how we do things around here,” keep an open mind. Not all new ideas are good, but plenty of them are. These ideas may help your business connect better with prospects and with employees.
Support a civic cause. In a study by Bentley University, 84 percent of millenials think it’s more important to make a positive difference in the world than to get professional recognition. If you can find a social mission for your business that engages your employees, they will see this as a higher purpose and feel more connected with the business.
Alan Rudnick is the author of “The Work of Associate Pastor” (Judson Press, 2012).
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