101: Managing millennials
Managing millennials — those born between 1980 and 2000, or 1981 to 1999, depending on who's counting — can mean overlooking the sometimes-negative “Gen Y” stereotypes and perhaps modifying your management style to forge better collaborations. Like most employees, when they're managed correctly, millennials can be huge assets to your company. Here are three ways to get your office on the same page with what is sometimes called “the most connected generation.”
They like teams.
It's very different from the “lone ranger” attitude that used to exist. Collaboration is key with this age set. “Millennials actually believe a team can accomplish more and better — they've experienced team success,” writes Susan M. Heathfield at HumanResources.About.com. Let them work in groups or teams more, and take advantage of where they're comfortable.
Blur the lines.
This advice comes from George Bradt of Forbes.com. He says managers can benefit by blurring lines “between you and them, between work and personal, between individual and group, between face-to-face and electronic.” Text and chat are like PowerPoint in a darkroom for Baby Boomers, he says. And the line between work and home is blurred as well. For millennials, it's just all part of life.
Trendy perks won't cut it.
Millennials care less about in-office massages and more about advancement opportunities and a sense of purpose, says Kate Taylor at Entrepreneur.com, quoting Kathryn Minshew, founder and CEO of the career-development platform The Muse. “Minshew says what millennials are really looking for is a chance to grow in the position,” she writes. They like to know where they are headed and details of the roadmap on how to get there, she says.
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