Teaming Tips For Engaging Millennials
Are your training programs millennial-friendly?
Posted on 10-11-2019, Read Time: Min
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As someone who has been recruiting and training millennials for over 15 years, I have seen firsthand how teaming is best suited for understanding their needs and playing to their strengths. Teaming is a collaborative culture that provides millennials with the mentoring and support they need to acquire the specialization required for today’s changing business landscape.
I have witnessed many companies struggle with engaging millennials, and what makes those struggles scary is that millennials will comprise 75 percent of the global workforce by 2025. If you are one of those companies looking for help in attracting millennials, here are some tips we have discovered through teaming.
Recruiting
When trying to attract millennials to your organization, think about the message you are sending in the job posting. Are you simply noting skill requirements for the position? Keep in mind that millennials look at a company as much as the job. They want to know the why of a company—what its mission is and if it can help change the world. When writing your job posting, speak to the skills but also share what they can personally gain by joining your organization.
The same applies during the interview process. What message does your office space give to prospective candidates? Is it welcoming? Does it suggest a collaborative environment? You don’t have to call in an interior designer to create a millennial-friendly environment but consider if your office space is set up for what they desire—teams and collaboration. Stay true to who you are but remember that if your culture does not speak to them, chances are they will look for another job.
The same applies during the interview process. What message does your office space give to prospective candidates? Is it welcoming? Does it suggest a collaborative environment? You don’t have to call in an interior designer to create a millennial-friendly environment but consider if your office space is set up for what they desire—teams and collaboration. Stay true to who you are but remember that if your culture does not speak to them, chances are they will look for another job.
Training
Be sure that your training programs are millennial-friendly as well. After we received feedback from our trainers on their short attention spans, we knew we had to rethink our training to overcome the fact that millennials tended to be easily distracted. We have found that providing training in different formats is the key to keeping them engaged. Hence, we offer three types:
- Video — compelling narratives and engaging visuals, especially infographics, are very appealing to millennials
- Collaborative learning — a collaborative style (not classroom style) of a small group allows millennials to talk through obstacles to success
- Role-play — 1-on-1 training helps millennials scared of asking questions in a group setting learn firsthand about specific skills
Policies
In my organization, we aspire to build a healthy culture in which millennials (and other generations) will want to stay. Therefore, we place much importance on team activities that build camaraderie. We have used the popular escape room for team building activities as well as gone on fun trips to golf courses and arcades that feature games millennials played in their youth.
Part of building that healthy culture for us is also ensuring that employees are not overwhelmed by any aspect of the job. We noticed that millennials in our company seemed to have a higher stress level than baby boomers and Gen X. We believed some of it was due to their lack of experience in the workplace. However, how they were managing their stress became a concern for us and ultimately led us to put mentors and buddy systems in place. We believe this has been very helpful. Now, if a millennial worker experiences stress over a co-worker, a manager, or an element of the work, he or she has someone to confide in.
Part of building that healthy culture for us is also ensuring that employees are not overwhelmed by any aspect of the job. We noticed that millennials in our company seemed to have a higher stress level than baby boomers and Gen X. We believed some of it was due to their lack of experience in the workplace. However, how they were managing their stress became a concern for us and ultimately led us to put mentors and buddy systems in place. We believe this has been very helpful. Now, if a millennial worker experiences stress over a co-worker, a manager, or an element of the work, he or she has someone to confide in.
Wellness
Millennials are focused on wellness, and companies that foster a healthy environment are likely to attract and retain them. You do not need to have an on-site gym to do this. Offering healthy snacks, organizing softball games, or setting up walk-a-thons are just some suggestions to creating a fitness-focused culture. Be sure to ask employees for ideas on what you can do to support their wellness goals. We had one employee ask us to hold a potluck lunch in which all the menu items were healthy choices. It was a great success!
Knowing what motivates millennials and what you can do to attract them and keep them engaged in your business will make the coming years more enjoyable and profitable for all.
Knowing what motivates millennials and what you can do to attract them and keep them engaged in your business will make the coming years more enjoyable and profitable for all.
Author Bio
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Bellaria Jimenez is President of MassMutual Tri State, where she leads a team of 26 staff leaders and 150 sales representatives. She is co-author, along with John F. Bucsek, of the recently released The Team Game: How Your Business Can Dominate Year After Year. Connect Bellaria Jimenez Visit www.tristate.massmutual.com |
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