Tuesday, 7 April 2015 00:03
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By Shari Jayawardhana
Many companies are finding that the practices that worked to retain employees in the past have not been effective in retaining the newer generation of workers known as ‘millennials’. Millennials (those born between 1983 and 2001) are the most educated and culturally diverse of any generation before them. Many dislike bureaucracy and distrust traditional hierarchies. Millennials are integral to the future success of businesses across the country. However, it is often a challenge to keep them engaged, earn their trust and get the most out them. Here are some specific steps you can take to retain this young talent.
Treat them like their older counterparts
Are you taking young talent seriously enough? Too many companies aren’t. Many top-level leaders of well-established global companies are reluctant to show appreciation and respect for the good work of the Millennials. It’s time to end the war between the old and the young. It’s time to start respecting Millennials who make up a significant chunk of the nation’s workforce. Millennials want to be valued for their creativity. They are motivated to work harder if their work has meaning.
Recognise their potential
There is no denying that Millennials are tech-savvy, given that they were raised on technology. But beyond that, many young workers possess intrinsic qualities that make them great leaders – and good for business. More than other groups, they are able to see past colour, gender, sexual orientation, age and physical characteristics to build truly diverse teams that lead to better ideation and problem solving. In addition, the Age of Google has made them self-sufficient in solving their own problems. They are consistently looking for better, quicker and more efficient ways of doing things that can save money and time, while avoiding hassles and obstacles.
Be a mentor
Millennials appreciate employers and industry leaders whom they can look up as mentors. It may seem like coddling, but this generation requires positive reinforcement. They have a constant need for being noticed. By no means should you take this too far. This generation responds well to encouragement and immediate feedback of those in leadership. Millennials need to know that they are being noticed. A simple ‘thank you’, ‘congratulations’ or honest, supportive feedback to fuel their motivation to produce results can go a long way.
Good news is that Millennials are constantly attracted to nurturing leaders and cooperates that groom them to become leaders themselves in the very near future. So are you actively grooming the young to take over your leadership positions or do you merely use them for the grunt work and leave more prestigious positions for people who have ‘done their time?’
