Employee Motivation

Who are Millennials? The Millennial generation has been defined as those born between 1980 and 1996, though the precise years fluctuate depending on who is labeling the category. Millennials are up and coming in the international workforce, which will need them as projections suggest that most businesses will lose 30-40% of their current workforce to retirement in the next ten years. This has employers scrambling to attract Millennials to their business to pre-empt that exodus, but they are find these young adults have a different set of expectations from their employers.

Utilize the Internet

The first step in attracting Millennials is to get their attention. Younger members of this generation will have had internet access their entire lives, and this is reflected in how they interact with friends and search for jobs. Making use of LinkedIn and Facebook will be more likely to get a business noticed by Millennial job seekers. They are also likely to communicate mostly via email or social media. With the advent of smartphones, Millennials expect correspondence to be reciprocated in a timely fashion, which is really just a good business practice for anyone.

Implement a Mentoring Program

This new generation of workers wants to produce high quality work and they want to do so quickly. In order for this to happen, they will need some clear guidance in the workplace from a manager or coworker. While this may seem like an unnecessary hassle, it will ultimately lead to better returns as new employees more quickly grasp the minutia of their position.

Give Back to the Community

Members of the Millennial generation put a premium on social awareness and community engagement. Regardless of their place of business, they want to feel as though they are making a difference. An employer with a volunteer program for staff will have a leg up when it comes to attracting their attention. These programs need not be extensive and time consuming. Planning a monthly volunteer opportunity is sufficient. Volunteering doesn’t have to be limited to one particular organization. One month take employees to a local food bank to help with sorting. Another month have staffers help a charitable housing project with new construction. The possibilities are endless and don’t have to take time out of the work day, as many charitable organizations have work days on weekends. Millennials have been labeled as needy, insecure and demanding and while some of that may be true, they will likely prove a boon to the workforce in the next ten years as their drive becomes apparent. Planning to attract their attention will put a business on the path to future success.