Compassionate Leadership in the Millennial Workspace

Today’s organizations are mobilized by a variety of employees. Often, they are described as a chaotic hot pot of people from diverse ages and backgrounds. Amidst all of this, the new generation of workers that will give as well as demand a great deal from organizations is called "The Millennials".?This generation plays a critical role in the workforce. Transparency and work-life balance often come first for them. Adding this young generation to a company is both an opportunity and a challenge. It requires finesse.

?What millennials bring to the table

As a generation, millennials have changed the workplace and leadership style forever. Companies across the globe are benefiting from the technology, flexibility, and transparency that they have brought to the industry. Everything starts and ends with technology now, which is why companies who want to recruit and retain millennials must embrace it all.

Consider the pandemic, for example. Thanks to the tech-savvy nature of their millennial workers, many companies and leaders transitioned to remote work seamlessly and quickly. Learning curves for employees were short, with many of them picking up where they left off in the office very quickly.?In such circumstances, millennials often acted as guides for Digital Immigrants - people who grew up with barely any digital influence and entered the digital age as adults. Since, the majority of millennials have grown up using technology every day, their tech-savviness is their biggest strength.

But that's not the end of the story. Annually, the U.S. economy loses $30.5 billion to millennial turnover. Recent Gallup research indicates that 55% of millennials are disengaged at their jobs. Leaders first task is, therefore, to figure out how to retain them. ?

What can leaders do to keep Millennial employees motivated?

Every generation has its strengths and weaknesses, and millennials are no different. The millennial generation is motivated to make a difference every day when given the right tools and the right reasons to stay at their workplace. It's up to leaders to help Millennials reach their full potential:

Serve as a coach

The millennial generation wants to be trained, mentored, and given regular feedback. Therefore, leaders must engage in regular dialogue with Millennials, with clear, precise, and non-ambiguous feedback. Praise and constructive criticism are both good ways to tell your millennial employees how they're doing. Trust me, your coaching and engagement will be appreciated more than your directiveness.?

Create a pathway for growth.

It is generally accepted that Millennials demand a "tailor-made" career path, such that they feel their career path is unique to them. Leveraging this, leaders can involve their millennial employees in projects that are not just mission-oriented, but also provide them with opportunities to learn and grow.?As leaders, we may not be able to offer career paths to every employee, and that is perfectly fine. But you can always listen to what they have to say. Discover ways to assist them in growing in their interests.?

Leadership the Millennial Workforce:

Understanding who you're leading is the key to being a compassionate leader. Millennials account for the majority of the workforce today. Due to their different values and expectations from their leaders, the millennial generation has challenged traditional leadership styles. To achieve the goals and mission of the organization, leaders must now use a team approach over an individualistic one. Prior to making major decisions, they must seek the opinions of their teams. Here are some other tips leaders of the millennial workforce can employ:?

1. Invest in long-term growth

The millennial generation values words like "growth" and "development" when describing their managers. In addition to looking for leaders who are "engaging," "smart," and "strategic," millennials also appreciate managers who have their best interests at heart, including long-term career progression and personal development. Isn’t that hint enough to start investing your employees growth and success today?

2. Establish connections across teams

Millennials are naturally proponents for making work a better experience for everyone and ensuring each employee can bring their own unique, best self to it. So, make it a priority to align diverse teams and diverse individuals around a common purpose to better engage and activate your millennial workers.

3. Be a facilitator, not just a problem-solver

Millennials are well aware that a leader who offers his/her moral support and understanding is invaluable. That is why the millennial employees who will lead the company in the future do not appreciate leaders of today who are in the habit of glorifying themselves. Instead, leadership that allows them to be heroes by giving them the tools to accomplish new and bigger goals is where their loyalties lie.

4.????Authenticity and the ability to answer tough questions

It is sometimes difficult to answer certain questions. But these are the ones that affect the level of faith and trust employees have in their leaders. Millennials are accustomed to providing honest feedback and expect the same from their leaders as well. Missteps and misunderstandings will continue occurring despite your best intentions but leaders who are transparent even in tough moments reassure employees that they are trustworthy, regardless of whether their answer matches their expectations.

5.????Embrace genuine involvement

Each generation wants to be a part of decision-making that affects them and millennials are particularly eager. Those of them who feel engaged are more likely to give extra, to stay longer and give their heart and soul to the work, if guided and led properly. ?

?In every organization, change is constant. Our task as leaders is simply to communicate the vision of the organization to millennials in their language. Leadership begins with understanding a person's interests, needs, and goals, and adapting your leadership style accordingly. Improving the employee experience of millennials requires a leadership style that is authentic and engaging. The above insights should inspire us, leaders, to reflect on our leadership style and how we are communicating with the next generation.