A common comment I hear frombusiness leadersthese days is that they don’t get committed employees like they used to earlier. And that employees aren’t like they used to be. ‘This next generation doesn’t take ownership’. ‘They spend more time on their phone than on doing the work I pay them for’. My common response is that while its true that millennials are different, all it takes to manage them effectively is following 7 simple rules.
There’s no universally accepted definition of a Millennial. For this article, we use the Pew Research Center’s definition- anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is a Millennial. In other words, those aged between 24 and 39 (in 2020) qualify. That’s estimated to be more than a third of the workforce. Millennials are now moving to middle and top management positions in your company. Therefore, managing Millennials is important. You can’t just keep saying that they don’t work well and assume that that the criticism will make them start working better.
Like with anyone else, understanding the underlying drivers of a millennial’s behaviour helps us appreciate the reason for their differences better. Everyone has their own story and understanding that story is the first step to stronger working relationships. So, what’s so different about Millennials? The single largest defining factor is that most Millennials grew up with along with the Internet. The internet was always a part of their lives. The exposure to the internet has made them unique from earlier generationsin the way they communicate and interact. This difference needs to be appreciated while managing millennial employees.
So, what do you need to do to get the best out of Millennials?
Tip #1: Give them technology
Millennials are acutely aware of technology. So, for example, if you expect them to send you a daily handwritten log of their work, think again. They’re also unlikely to use In/Out trays. The Internet has made Millennials acutely aware of the use of technology to be more productive. They expect these technologies to be available to them. That said, you obviously can’t give them every piece of technology. That’ll be an expensive and confusing proposition. But a leader should keep abreast of technologies available and the cost-benefit to their business. Often, the leader fears new technology. Yet, they need to realize that technology can make life easier. Every technology trend we miss makes it more difficult to catch up. Sure, there will be a few mistakes. But learn from them and move on. And be open to suggestions on technology use from your employees. The right technologies can benefit the business in a significant way.
Tip #2: Allow them flexible schedules
Work-life balance is important. With most Millennial women working, taking care of things at home has becomemore gender-neutral. You need to allow flexi-hours and work-from-home. For that to happen, work needs to be measured by outcomes, not by the temperature of the chair assigned to the employee! Hence, the definition and measurement of outcomes needs to be well designed. Also, technology enabling flexible schedules is needed.
Service industries are obviously more amenable to flexible schedules than say a manufacturing or process plant.But employees in a manufacturing or process plant also crave flexibility. As leaders, stay on the look out for ways to automate. Costs for employees performing these roles is set to rise significantly as India reaches the Lewis Turning Point. (The Lewis Turning Point is the point at which surplus rural labor is fully absorbed into the manufacturing sector resulting in significant increases in labour wages.)
Tip #3: Talk to them
There’s little doubt that millennials love interacting with others from behind a computer or mobile screen. Despite that, studies show that face-to-face interactions with business leaders are highly valued. For interactions to be encouraged, power distances in organizations need to be lowered. This is especially true in Family Businesses where the power distance between the patriarch and the rest is high. Where it takes a fair amount of confidence and gumption for an employee to profess a point of view to the boss without being asked to. ‘Speak when you’re spoken to’ is the unwritten rule.
Keep engaging (that includes listening!) with your employees and try to remove hierarchies. Even consider making everyone call you by your first name. Thatcan make a big difference. For junior employees, it gives them a sense of level-playing field. For eg ‘Hi Suresh, nice meeting you. I’m Vincent and I work in Finance’ sounds mature and minimizes the status gap as against a ‘Sir’ or a ‘Mr Kane’. It sets up a conversation between two professionals instead of a conversation where one person keeps acknowledging the higher status of the other. Sure, it will be uncomfortable for some time. But it can be a starting point for a more open culture and a low power distance organization.
Tip #4: Help their professional development
It’s the gig economy. An increasing number ofMillennials want to start their own business. While there’s not much you can do about it, you could make your work environment simulate a start-up. Segregating work into projects and giving independence within certain boundaries helps. Also keep training your employees and help their professional growth. Not necessarily in areas which are directly related to their current work. But which helps them grow and can be helpful for your business’s future growth.
Tip #5: Give them purpose
The ‘What’ is obviously important in an employee job role. For Millennials, the ‘Why’ is often more important. Doubtless, it’s always been important. Yet, for Millennials, it’s moved from ‘good-to-have’ to ‘essential’. Be sure that the higher purpose is authentic, consistent and isn’t (entirely) self-serving. For e.g., your higher purpose should not be solely to get rich. In contrast, creating a workplace where people learn and are happy is a great higher purpose.
Tip #6: Share information
liberally
If you want millennials to have ownership, give them (most) company information freely. Trust them with the information by default. If an employee betrays the trust then restrict information rather than the other way around. It’s better they get accurate information from the leadership, rather than out-of-context from the grapevine.
Tip #7: Don’t pre-judge them
Millennials are here to stay. Their successors (post-millennials or Gen-Z) are in the process of joining the workforce. So, stop complaining about Millennials and learn to get the best out of them!
Closing thoughts
A common refrain across the ages is that the next generation is very different from them. Generally, in a worse way. Lazier, more sense of entitlement, less ownership. Yet, employees want the same fundamental things. Equal opportunity, freedom to voice their opinions and respect.
With post-millennials entering the workforce, leaders need to learn to manage Millennials effectively. Else, soon the leader and the junior-most employee will be at least two generations away from each otherboth in age and expectations!
