"Millennials may have built a house in Indonesia for Habitat Humanity or the like," says Lynne Lancaster in a BNet video posted to the Viaspire blog. "But they know very little about the corporate world, or how it operates." This generation—born between 1980 and 2000—is entering the workforce in ever-greater numbers, and tends to approach their work in ways that baffle Baby Boomer and Gen X managers.
Lancaster explains that each generation has different sensibilities. When 80 million Baby Boomers flooded the job market, for instance, their sheer numbers created intense competition. Baby Boomers were "expected to do whatever it took to get things done, put in those extra hours, pay their dues to get ahead." Gen Xers, meanwhile, believed in more flexibility—choosing to have dinner with their families before finishing up their workday from a home office. "They are well-educated, in demand, and they also know it," says Lancaster. This means they expect something back if they put in extra hours.
Other millennial traits include confidence and ambition; they also prefer collaborative teamwork and a level of ongoing guidance that older generations might consider unwelcome micromanagement. "They'll not only welcome your input," says Lancaster, "they'll expect it."
The best way to manage millennials, she argues, is by providing strong leadership, keeping them challenged, giving them respect and creating a fun environment. Likewise, never hesitate to let them know what your company expects of them in return.
Your Marketing Inspiration: "From Baby Boomers to Gen Y," says Viaspire, "we will always have 'new entrants' into the workforce, just as we have new adopters to our digital experiences. Understanding millennials on all levels help shape what we create and consult on every day."
More Inspiration:
Tim Jackson: What Price Consumerism?
Paul Chaney: Use Social Media to 'Win Friends and Influence People'
Paul Barsch: Brain Boosters–Accepted in the Workplace?
by Christina "CK" Kerley
