14
May
Are you an HR pro or recruiter in a company that wants to keep up with advances in technology, the growing influence of social media and attention-grabbing marketing strategies? If so, you may be one of many people who had this thought: Yes that’s it! I’ll hire a millennial; they’ll bring fresh skills and a new perspective.
As a member of that millennial generation I am going to share some tips with you to prevent this from being a decision you come to regret.Fast forward one month later and your eager millennial hire became disengaged, dressed casually, and stares at their phone while complaining about their commute. A week or two later you may have decided they wouldn’t be a good fit or they left the position before you could formally let them go. Regardless of the specific situation, it’s perplexing that these well-educated, excitable employees can lose interest so quickly.
As a millennial, I hear my friends’ side of these stories. I’ve seen their excitement about a new job followed by a quick descent into boredom or disdain. They tell me they aren’t getting paid enough, they don’t want to travel to work or they just aren’t being challenged.
Millennials, Motivation and the Workforce
By 2025, millennials are predicted to make up 75 percent of the American workforce. Baby boomers will gradually retire and millennials will become the bulk of the workforce. For this reason, those hiring millennials must understand their motivations. Millennials tend to seek out more money, more knowledge and more advanced technology at a fast pace.
Our need for speed may make us less willing to stay in a position that doesn’t offer quick growth. Our techno-centricity means that we can work from anywhere, seemingly rendering travel unnecessary. We may even choose to work from home if given the opportunity.
Although we’re pushing the boundaries of the traditional workplace, we bring a valuable asset; an unstoppable drive to succeed. Employers who attract and support millennial candidates will reap the rewards of this ambition.
I can’t say that all millennials are exactly the same; I however, from my personal experiences, and those of my friends and colleagues, see that there are certain employee attraction and retention techniques that work better than others. Take a look below to learn what we want from employers.
Attraction
Millennials are lifetime learners. Many of us spend several years in university or college. What we want from an employer is continuous engagement and investment in building our skills. This can be done through the following:
Professional development opportunities: The development of skills will increase employee satisfaction and retention. This is especially true of millennials.
Celebration of small victories: Millennials thrive with the right feedback. If we’re told we’re doing well, we’re pushed to do better. If we’re given specific, constructive criticism, it will stick with us and be used for future improvement.
Responsible workplaces: Research shows that 78% of American millennials base decisions about where they work on the company’s level of social responsibility. Personally, I cannot justify working for a company that I felt was acting poorly given the current state of the world economic and physical environment.
Retention
Once you’ve hired a millennial, it’s important that they feel that they a valued part of your team. The following are tips to avoid millennial employee turnover:
Let us take the lead: Millennials are entrepreneurial spirits. We aren’t afraid to take charge of a task or project. In fact, we’re practical and can sense when job-related risks outweigh the potential reward.
Give us access to the latest technologies: The millennial generation has grown up with technology. We’re informed about what the latest technology is and how to use it to our employer’s advantage.
Cross training: If you train millennials in job duties other than their own you’ll appeal to our need to evolve in the workplace. You will also change our daily routine, which will keep us engaged.
What methods have you used to recruit millennials? If you are a millennial yourself, what excites you about a potential employer?
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