Depending on the type of work environment you find yourself in, you may be surrounded by people in your same generation or those is different generations. While you likely can work with and communicate with those in your own generation fairly well, many people find it difficult to understand and connect with those is a generation other than their own, especially when your values seem to be so disparate.
For managers, knowing how to work and communicate with Millennials can seem like the most stressful part of your job. However, by taking some time to contemplate how you can use their general characteristics within the context of your company, you may just find that Millennials are your best workers. To show you how, here are three tips for working more smoothly with the Millennials in your office.
Give Them Ownership Of Something
According to Emily Disston, a contributor to TheMuse.com, many Millennials find it hard to feel connected to their work and the company they’re working for without having some kind of stake in the company. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to offer them a greater financial opportunity — although that usually won’t be rejected. A greater stake in the company means being given responsibility over something that they can work on and contribute to the business’s goals with. To do this, Disston suggests allowing the Millennials on your teams to take on projects that they can manage and see the direct results of.
Take Advantage of Their Interest
Because of the way many Millennials were raised, they are naturally more inquisitive than previous generations as a whole. While their need for understanding could be taken as a lack of respect, John Brandon, a contributor to Inc.com, recommends taking advantage of their never ending interest by training them in various departments within your company. Not only will this help them to feel less stagnant in their own positions, but it will allow you to use them as a sounding board for changes in production or planning that you’ve been wanting to try out.
Use Their Team Mentality To Find Success
One way in which Millennials feel most comfortable is working as a member of a team. Although other generations felt more at home on their own, Millennials love to collaborate and work in groups. While this may not be the way you prefer to work, Susan M. Heathfield, a contributor to TheBalance.com, shares that there is merit in allowing your employees to work together, especially if they believe they can accomplish more in quality and quantity through joining forces.
If you’ve been having trouble relating to or managing the Millennials at your office, consider implementing some of the tips mentioned above today.
Originally posted on January 4, 2017 @ 5:51 am