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Are you having problems with employee engagement? If the answer is yes, then you should know you aren’t the only one. Employees all over the world are having problems with engaging their employees the right way. You might think the global pandemic has something to do with it but it doesn’t. The thing is, older generations have started to retire rapidly, and the Millennials are ready to take their places and join the 21st-century workforce.
The greatest problem employers have is not knowing how to meet their new employees’ needs. Why? Because their needs differ from those of older generations. Firstly, Millennials have a much shorter attention span. Secondly, if they aren’t satisfied with their position, work environment, or experience, they won’t think twice about changing their job. Thirdly, being born in the digital era and growing up surrounded by top-notch technology has made them tech-savvy. This means they require high tech tools, platforms, and devices to do their job right. Lastly and most importantly, Millennials look to work for organizations whose values align with their own.
However, Millennials’ needs and characteristics shouldn’t discourage you from making your company attractive to them. Here are some ideas to help you retain talent and save time and money.
Embrace Technology
Millennials are an ultra-modern workforce. They can’t imagine their lives without technology from smartphones, tablets, laptops, to social media, and video platforms. If you were to ask them, most of them wouldn’t remember what their lives looked like without Internet access and social networks.
While psychologists and other experts are discussing whether embracing technology to this extent is positive or negative, the industry is a whole another world. It is highly competitive and volatile, so you should take all the help you can get and make your products or services stand out. This also means the new workforce generation is more adaptable to changes. Therefore, the management can easily introduce new policies and regulations, without expecting any resistance from the employees.
For keeping them posted, you should regularly invest in communicative and other types of technology. In particular, explore different options and alternatives to Slack and other platforms until you find the best fit for your staff.
Adopt Modern Management Approaches
When choosing the company they would like to work in, Millennials like to pay special attention to its culture. This helps Millennials quickly determine whether it contains everything they are looking for. For example, most employees search for a learning and growth-driven culture. Instead of receiving orders and directions from their superiors, they would like to have a chance to learn and develop professionally. Above everything else, they want to have managers and team leaders who act like coaches and mentors. Such staff members can share their knowledge and help them grow and perfect their skills.
Personalize Employee Experience
Innovation is something Millennials are looking for in the workplace. In a world that is rapidly evolving, they strive for authentic experiences even in the industry. From application, selection, and interviewing processes to onboarding — employees want a personalized experience.
Furthermore, they require opportunities for professional development. They aren’t willing to waste their time on training or workshops they don’t need or want. If all employees receive the same training, it could easily backfire because they are all different. Instead, they should be able to choose which skills they want to bring to perfection and become more efficient.
Personalizing training and experience for employees have at least two pros. Firstly, the company retains talent and decreases employee turnover. Secondly, by growing along with the organization, employees get attached and align their values with the company’s.
Give Them More Autonomy
Millennials aren’t unique when it comes to needs, but also to work mindset. Namely, they know that for a successful business, it doesn’t matter what they wear to work, where they work from, or what time did they start working today. For them, what matters are continuous effort, dedication, hard work, and willingness to learn and grow. More importantly, they like to work on their own terms without having someone breathing down their neck all the time. That is why, to attract Millennials and retain them, you should start by giving them more autonomy in their work. This movie shows you trust them, their experience and skills to produce their best work. In return, you can expect outstanding results.
Be Flexible
There is nothing more important to Millennials than leading a perfectly balanced professional and private life. Unlike the older generation, they aren’t willing to sacrifice time with their loved ones for completing work assignments. As a result, you can no longer count on them to stay overtime or come in early to catch up with some work. Besides, working from 9 to 5 doesn’t allow them to keep the two aspects in balance.
That is why they usually look for companies willing to accommodate their needs. This means, having management that allows them to set their own working hours. In particular, employees can come in or leave whenever they want as long as they get their work done on time.
However, try keeping this within some reasonable boundaries. Be flexible but set some rules. For example, employees can come to work anytime between 7 AM and 10 AM. Showing flexibility will attract new candidates, retain employees, and keep them productive and motivated.
In the end, you aren’t the only one experiencing problems with employee engagement. It is one of the growing problems of every organization. The most important thing to remember is not to despair. With our ideas, you will be able to get a handle on Millennials as the new workforce and enjoy all the benefits they provide.
