You’ve hired Millennials in your workforce–now what?

Congratulations! You recognize that diversity in your team is key to a thriving workplace; diversity that is not just limited to ethnicity but also to different generations. Because you are a diligent manager in tune with the changing labor force, you’ve brought Millennials into the fold.

But you’ve hit a roadblock.

Hiring Millennials in the workplace feels like the wise thing to do, but how do you keep them engaged? What are their priorities as employees? What about how they understand and define work-life balance? How do you make sure that the talent you’ve recruited will have a thriving work experience? For many employers, these questions may be new or it may have been a while since they’ve considered company culture given our current social, political, and economic conditions.

This article from Gallup says that Millennials are highly likely to hop from one job to another within a shorter period of time. From the article:

“Millennials also show less willingness to stay in their current jobs. Half of millennials — compared with 60% of non-millennials — strongly agree that they plan to be working at their company one year from now. For businesses, this suggests that half of their millennial workforce doesn’t see a future with them.”

Given this tendency, tailoring your employee engagement is key to retention. So how do you start? Your Millennial Expert is here to help with some tips.

Understand Your Business Goals

It will benefit you to revisit your mission, vision, and values. After all, these core things define who you are as a business or as an organization and will keep you from being aimless. Take stock of how you currently invest in your employees and recognize the way they contribute to the company’s success.

Understanding Millennial Goals

Millennials are more likely to invest their energy in a company that is invested in them as well. The job-hopping tendency could be because Millennial employees just haven’t found a place where they are connected and engaged. Engagement could mean being more values-driven, going beyond the bottom line, and providing opportunities for your employees to grow professionally through education, performance-based pay, and mobility within the company.

The Sweet Spot

You’ve taken the time to review who you are as an organization. You’ve recruited brilliant Millennials with the drive to do meaningful work and want to have a model that keeps them engaged. These are all steps in the right direction!

Now it’s time to recognize that improving your retention plan will take time to develop and implement. Collaborating with a Millennial consultant can help you bring that model to life. Whether through workshops, speaking sessions, or one-on-one conversation, there are many ways to boost employee engagement. The right consultant will provide you with tools to make sure your Millennial employees are happy and connected, and that you create a culture where everyone wins. Say no to cookie-cutter solutions and yes to tailor-made strategies. Let’s make it happen together!

The following article was written by a guest blogger, Corey Savage. In the article, Corey provides simple tools that organizations can use to create a strong Millennial loyalty program. I hope you enjoy it!

-Amelie 

____________________

Loyalty programs are very popular with millennial consumers. The notion of receiving rewards and creating value by remaining loyal to a brand is one with a lot of attraction. However, getting the most out of these shoppers means fine-tuning the formula to engage with their unique characteristics. To reach millennials, businesses must design loyalty programs that appeal specifically to the group. Here are some tips to accomplish that.

Include a User-Generated Content Component

Allowing customers to share content on social media and connecting this action to a points system encourages them to earn rewards while spreading awareness of your brand online.

Enable Two-Way Communication

Marketing is no longer a one-way street. You must be open to feedback from your loyalty program’s members and make it easy for them to share it. Include a link or a comment section in your emails or on your app.

Emphasize Visual Information

Because millennials process information much faster than previous generations, they want you to cut right to the point. Do that by using visuals as much as possible. Use high-quality photos of your products whenever you can.

Personality Matters

The younger generation likes to define itself through the brands it uses. That means the image your brand projects is a huge part of attracting millennials. Make sure your reward program reflects the identity that makes you a favorite among your customers.

Base Your Rewards on Status

Structuring your rewards in tiers plays into millennials’ love of games and achievements. When they can “level up” the same way they can in a video game, they’ll be more motivated to participate.

Explain It Clearly

Because millennials have so many choices, they won’t have the patience for a program that doesn’t make sense to them. Include an explainer page where the details of your system are laid out clearly for all to understand.

Take Advantage of Social Media

Millennials spend a lot of time checking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds, so be sure you have a presence there. Offer a reward for following your brand on these platforms and you’ll benefit from increased exposure.

Use Experiences as Incentives

Discounts are appreciated, but today’s young people aren’t motivated entirely by money. Offering rewards that take the form of experiences such as games or downloadable content engages with them on another level.

Make It Easy to Participate

Offering millennial customers convenience is a key way to engage them. For example, a key ring tag they can scan at the point of sale to activate their reward will make it simpler to be involved.

Partner With a Charitable Cause

Members of this generation are more community-minded, and they seek ways to make a positive impact on the world around them. Harness that impulse by partnering with nonprofits or charities, perhaps by tying incentives to contributions.

________________________________________________

Author Bio

Corey Savage is Director of Operations for Suncoast Identification Solutions, a leader in plastic card printing and manufacturing. Savage has seven years of experience in the industry and focuses on designing menus to lead to the most profitable items.

Dear Generation Xers,

Thank you for being a trailblazer. Every new generation introduces new ideas that help those who follow them not be totally lost.

Although your generation may be small and you are often dubbed the “middle child” of baby boomers and us millennials, we need you. You have been placed in the middle of two generations known for their size and the changes they are making in the workplace, but you are just as important.

Right now, you are in the trenches of your profession. You have worked diligently to climb your chosen career ladder and you are finally getting to reap some of the benefits. However, you are finding yourself in a strange position. Being Generation Xers, you are not the most experienced in the office and you’re not the youngest. The newbies (we Millennials) are coming in to the workplace and switching things up. Some say Millennials are wrecking the ecosystem that you have finally adjusted to. (And being a Generation Xer, you probably didn’t complain about it.) We just want to be a part of the team.

If you are finding yourself frustrated with the Millennials in your office, here are a few suggestions:

1.     Capitalize on your independence, but recognize our need for team projects. As Gen Xers, you are known as the latch-key kids, since the divorce rate and single parent homes skyrocketed during your adolescence. At a young age, many of you came home from school to an empty house and had to fend for yourself until your parent(s) got home from work. This has made your entire generation in various ways more independent than Baby Boomers and Millennials. By showing how you can independently get your work completed, the Millennials around you are able to watch and learn from a different working style.

However, keep in mind that Millennials were often encouraged to work in groups at school. Understanding the differences in generational upbringings can help you better work with your younger colleagues.

2.     Implement multi-generational groups. You are the generation that can bridge the Baby Boomers to the Millennials. Taking the time to implement organization- or department-wide multi-generational brainstorming groups can help every voice be heard. Millennials and Baby Boomers are more likely to welcome this invitation from Gen Xers since they are closer to your age.

3.     Be vocal and let your Millennial coworkers know how the organization has been running and the changes you have seen implemented during your time there. By explaining the transformations you’ve seen, you are showing you are aware and open to necessary adjustments to help promote growth in the workplace.

Gen Xers, I am sorry if you often feel lost in the generational shuffle. You are seen and needed. We Millennials look up to you and your incredible work ethic. Don’t give up on us yet! Our time is coming to better understand your position as Gen Z workers start entering the labor market: I bet they’ll give us a run for our money and question our approach, like Millennials have challenged your generation. As they say, “What goes around comes around.”

Best,
Amelie

Dear Baby Boomers,

Congratulations! You have worked hard, paid your dues, and are in the home stretch. According to AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons, all baby boomers will have reached the average retirement age of 65 by 2029. (According to Forbes, the average age of retirement in Brazil is much earlier.) As Millennials flood your workplace and change the rules of the game, it may feel like your dedication has been forgotten. But it hasn’t.

Speaking as a millennial, I can honestly say we aren’t trying to make you feel irrelevant. The world has simply changed a lot and we are maneuvering as best we can in this new economy.

But, as everything shifts around us, Millennials and Generation Xers still don’t have your experience. You are the experts. You know why things happen and can often anticipate cyclical changes before others. It is comforting to have seasoned leaders in our midst. Boomers, you are valuable and needed in your workplace.

If you want to get the most out of working with your youngest colleagues, here are a few suggestions:

1.     Share your insights. Many of you have a strong sense of loyalty that far surpasses younger generations. If you have been with a company for a while, let your younger cohorts know what has enticed you to stay for the long haul. Also, let HR know what has worked and not worked well in the past so that future colleagues won’t encounter unnecessary hurdles. This is a great way to help your organization attract and retain top talent.

2.     Mentor a younger coworker. Meet with your mentee monthly over coffee or lunch. This will help you stay connected with the happenings of the office. Also, you could think about creating a reverse mentorship. While you are meeting with your younger mentee, they may have tricks and trades to help you in your work. It’s a win-win for all.

3.     Create a multi-generational conversation. During meetings, encourage collaboration by asking the opinion of someone from every generation. This will show you are open to different views and it will help bridge generational discussion gaps.

4.     Not to be too trite, but what will be your personal legacy to your organization?  By positively influencing younger workers, your impact on a few key leaders could truly change the culture of your work unit and department, and potentially the organization. Think about how that could not only affect us younger workers, but also our families and communities in the years to come. 

Use your experience to build a stronger workplace for all. We Millennials need your help. Thanks for forging the path for the generations following you, and helping us be successful in the future.
Did I tell you that I appreciate you and you are awesome?  (You know us Millennials….we are all about affirmation!)

Best,

Amelie

We All Have A Story

What event or “story” has changed the way Americans live? In December 2016, the Pew Research Center conducted a study that asked over 2,000 people (from various generations) which top 10 national events had impacted their lives.

Each generation- the Silent Generation (ages 72-89), Baby Boomers (53-71), Generation X (37-52), and Millennials (20-36)- had a list comprised of different happenings throughout the respective generation’s lifetime. Coincidentally, the most life-altering event experienced by each generation was September 11th. The tragic events of that day united our country, those both young and old. This event and “story” shaped us.

We all have a story. Each one of us has had unique experiences that shaped us into who we are today. These experiences range from medical issues/events, divorce, abuse, loss of a loved one, and so much more. Each experience leaves a mark on a life like a scratch on a record. (Non Baby Boomers- think CD.) No matter how hard you try to go back to the time before the scratch happened, you can’t. It is permanent; the record is changed. Understanding these changes is pivotal in relationship building.

Millennials (20-36 year olds) are big fans of “the story.” We are a generation that is connected through social media and instant news, which makes things feel much more personalized. We crave community and personalization in the workplace. We seek the connection in everything we do. To help connect with your Millennials, create a work environment with open communication. By sharing events that shaped you and asking your coworkers what shaped them, you are opening the door to a workplace of better understanding and stronger relationships.

Your Millennial colleagues want to be connected. Workplace relationships built on understanding and open communication will help create a positive environment where Millennials will want to invest time and energy. Life is all about relationships. Take the time to tell your story and listen to your coworkers’ stories. We all want to be heard. We all have a story.