How to Effectively Work With the Millennial Generation

These days, it’s easy to become deeply entrenched in our personal ways of being that we expect others to be/do/think the same. When they don’t - we automatically dismiss them without question rather than curiosity. This divisive mindset is not what the world needs more of. This goes for how the different generations work together as well.

I have the fortune of leading teams across generations with very different personalities and ways of being. Each generation brings new and unique skills, values, and ways of innovating to the market. It’s because of these differences that I look up to every single one of my staff. Rather than dividing them, saying which generation is better performing, we connect them, by celebrating what they value to continue motivating the individual…not their whole generation.

Unfortunately, I hear a lot of negative comments about Millennials and their work ethic as a whole. In my experience, I love working with them. Their energy and curiosity constantly infuses me and challenges me to grow as a leader.

We should also remember that to every generation, the upcoming generation is “young, flakey, and not driven.” It’s what others said about Baby Boomers with their outlandish ideas of love, peace, and rock and roll. Yet, they are the generation that grew economies, challenged ways of being accepted, and furthered the acceptability for people, other than men, to work outside the home.

Millennials, just as we did, deserve our support and an environment where they can grow. Where they can bring a deeper purpose and feel connected with their work. This means understanding that motivating them will not be the same as motivating generations before them. What can we do, then, to ensure we support this generation in their success? Below are a few ideas based on what I’ve learned - and am continuing to learn - from my team.

1. Workplace Environment:

• Millennials require a supportive workplace environment enhanced by a culture that starts with trust, rather than one that makes them earn this trust.
• E) nsure there is time, patience and the room to grow through mentorship and guidance opportunities.

2. Non-Traditional Work Schedules:

• Allow for flexibility in work schedules, within the realities of their duties (e.g., we cannot clean our residential clients’ homes at midnight…it’s a bit uncomfortable when they wake and find us dusting.) Particularly now with many companies transitioning to hybrid and/or fully remote teams, trust that people will get their work completed during the hours they are able rather than the traditional 8 am - 5 pm hours.
• Flexibility also comes to scheduling holidays. Millennials do not want to jump through hoops to be able to take time off. They are looking more for a work/life integration with ease. However, make it clear that there are guidelines around booking in advance.

3. Resources & Training

• Use online resources that allow them instant access to training support and communication with other team members (e.g., Trainual, Slack, etc.)
• Share experiences rather than give direct advice, such as “This is what happened to me and how I handle it” and not a to-do list for how to get through a challenge. This empowers them to find their own solutions informed by your experience. In a sense, it’sstorytelling training, not “this is how IIIIIIII do it and therefore YOUUUUUUU must do it” training.
• Encourage mistakes so they learn how to fail and can grow from the solution they come up with based on your supportive leadership.

Is there really a difference between generations?

If you read the above, you’ll notice that what motivates Millennials is similar to what motivates any other generation. The biggest similarity in particular - Millennials are exactly the same as how I was when I was young: eager, ready to learn, and wanting to make an impact. I think when we take the time to remember this, we connect on a deeper level and give a bit more grace and compassion while also being able to mentor with greater influence.

Of course, I will say, that there is a noticeable difference in the technology aspect. Millennials are much more tech-savvy than me (and others on my team), which is why they require online tools in their training and work processes. They pick up software platforms more easily; they adapt quickly when we bring in a new app for greater communication; they aren’t afraid to continue learning the technology as we incorporate them into our processes and systems. This isn’t to say that the rest of my non-Millennials team members aren’t able and/or willing to work with these technologies. It merely highlights one area of strength Millennials have over those before simply because they grew up with technology. Personally, I learn a lot about technology from my team which encourages me to keep learning. This makes this non-Millennial excited about what we can do together across the generations.

When we start to appreciate the differences Millennials bring, we begin to see the similarities and how they can impact our business. At the end of the day, we’re all just people. When we take the time to learn what motivates the individual person, we help them to become better skilled workers, and to become the best version of themselves.

Tell me - what’s your favourite thing about Millennials? Do you have a similar experience with what type of benefits they bring to the workplace? Comment below or send me a DM.