Managing Millennials

by Claire Raines 2002 From: http://www.generationsatwork.com/articles/millenials.htm This article is an excerpt from Connecting Generations: The Sourcebook by Claire Raines.

I get !estions e"ery month from b!siness people looking for something abo!t the newest generation of workers. They#$ like an !p$ate$ "ersion of Twentysomething or Beyond Generation X% books I wrote in &''& an$ &''(. )long with *r!ce T!lgan#s Managing Generation X% they#re the classics on managing an$ moti"ating yo!ng employees. The thing is% the yo!ng employees we were talking abo!t in those three books are well establishe$ in the workplace to$ay% an$ the next generation is showing !p with a whole new perspecti"e% a $ifferent set of "al!es% a $istincti"e work ethic. They#re as $ifferent from +eneration , as they can be. *y an$ large% it#s the +en-,ers who are managing them% an$ who are looking for help in !n$erstan$ing .!st what the /illennials are all abo!t. Th!s this article. I think yo!#ll fin$ a fairly comprehensi"e treatment of /illennial employees. Who They Are They#re the hottest commo$ity on the .ob market since Rosie the Ri"eter. They#re sociable% optimistic% talente$% well-e$!cate$% collaborati"e% open-min$e$% infl!ential% an$ achie"ementoriente$. They#"e always felt so!ght after% nee$e$% in$ispensable. They are arri"ing in the workplace with higher expectations than any generation before them0an$ they#re so well connecte$ that% if an employer $oesn#t match those expectations% they can tell tho!san$s of their cohorts with one click of the mo!se. They#re the /illennial +eneration. *orn between &'10 an$ 2000% they#re a generation nearly as large as the *aby *oom% an$ they#re charge$ with potential. They#re "ario!sly calle$ the Internet +eneration% 2cho *oomers% the *oomlet% 3exters% +eneration 4% the 3inten$o +eneration% the 5igital +eneration% an$% in Cana$a% the 6!nshine +eneration. *!t se"eral tho!san$ of them sent s!ggestions abo!t what they want to be calle$ to 7eter 8ennings at abcnews.com% an$ 9/illennials: was the clear winner. In this !ncertain economy an$ highly competiti"e b!siness en"ironment% companies across 3orth )merica recogni;e that the $ifferentiator is their people. Those organi;ations that emerge as winners in the battle for talent will ha"e their fingers on the p!lse of this newest generation. They#ll $esign specific techni !es for recr!iting% managing% moti"ating% an$ retaining them. The /illennials are .!st entering the workforce% an$% as they $o% employers are scrambling to fin$ o!t e"erything they can abo!t them. )re they +en-,ers on steroi$s< =r are they a new bree$ entirely< >ow $o they choose a career< )n$ why< >ow will they change the workplace as we know it to$ay< ?hat are they looking for when they post their res!mes on monster.com< ?hat is their work ethic< ?hat is !ni !e abo!t them< >ow $o the best an$ brightest managers comm!nicate with an$ moti"ate them< ?hile we#ll contin!e to see ol$er colleag!es0,ers% *oomers% an$ @eterans0s!per"ising the newest recr!its% other scenarios will become commonplace: experience$ *oomers reporting to a fresh-face$ /illennialAmembers of all fo!r generations working si$e-by-si$e on teamsAa /illennial calling on a powerf!l +en-, client. 8!st as the ,ers an$ *oomers finali;e their own negotiations for an !ncertain workplace peace% optimistic /illennials fin$ themsel"es at the mercy of ,er skepticism. +en-,ers complain the /illennials are another in$!lge$ generation like the

*oomers0that they#re self-absorbe$ an$ 7ollyanna-ish. /illennials charge that +en-,ers are cynical an$ aloof0that they throw a wet blanket on fresh i$eas an$ i$ealism. )s the most recent generation to enter the fray% the /illennials are likely to ask their ol$er colleag!es to chill o!t% get a life% an$ walk a mile in a yo!nger generation#s shoes. Shaped by Their Times *orn from &'10 thro!gh 2000% the most infl!ential years for this generation as a whole are the '0s an$ the 00s. They#re the first generation to grow !p s!rro!n$e$ by $igital me$ia. 9They#re the B*abies on *oar$# of the early Reagan years% the B>a"e 4o! >!gge$ 4o!r Chil$ To$ay# sixth gra$ers of the early Clinton years% an$ the teens of Col!mbine%: say 3eil >owe an$ ?illiam 6tra!ss in Millennials Rising C@intage *ooks% 2000D. 8!st as all generations are programme$ from the moment of birth% the /illennials began a series of programming experiences when they were infants. These experiences create$ the filters thro!gh which they see the worl$0especially the worl$ of work. 2ight key tren$s of the '0s an$ 00s ha"e ha$ a profo!n$ effect on their generational personality. Focus on children and family. In the $eca$es right before an$ after the t!rn of the /illenni!m% )mericans mo"e$ the spotlight back onto ki$s an$ their families. That spotlight has sw!ng like a pen$!l!m o"er the last sixty years. 5!ring the post-??II era% chil$ren were all the rage. It was a pop!lar time to be ha"ing ki$s an$ to be a ki$. Then% when the +en-,ers were growing !p% the spotlight ha$ shifte$. Eatchkey ki$s% chil$ren of $i"orce% an$ ki$s with two working parents fo!n$ themsel"es growing !p on their own% in the sha$ow of the *aby *oom. =ne +en-,er tol$ me% 9The *oomers took so m!ch an$ left !s so $ry.: The early '0s saw the spotlight swinging back. Eas @egas an$ Cl!b /e$ went family. 7arents an$ gran$parents took the ki$s along on trips across the co!ntry an$ to $estinations all o"er the globe. 2ating o!t0once an adult thing0became a family matter. 3inety percent of fathers atten$e$ the birth of their chil$ren. The Fe$eral For!m on Family 6tatistics reporte$ that national attention to chil$ren was at an all-time high CThe earlier peak was in the &'(0s when the *oomers were ki$s.D. =l$er parents0the a"erage age for moms was now 2F0bro!ght more mat!rity to their roles as caregi"ers% teachers% an$ coaches. Scheduled, structured lives. The /illennials were the b!siest generation of chil$ren we#"e e"er seen in the G.6% growing !p facing time press!res tra$itionally reser"e$ for a$!lts. 7arents an$ teachers micromanage$ their sche$!les% planning things o!t for them% lea"ing "ery little !nstr!ct!re$ free time. They were signe$ !p for soccer camp% karate cl!b% an$ ballet lessons0an$ their parents were calle$ into ser"ice% sh!ttling them from one acti"ity to the next. 6ome starte$ carrying Daytimers when they were in elementary school. Multiculturalism. Hi$s grew !p in the '0s an$ 00s with more $aily interaction with other ethnicities an$ c!lt!res than e"er before. The most recent $ata from GCE)#s >igher 2$!cation Research Instit!te shows that interracial interaction among college freshmen has reache$ a recor$ high. Terrorism. 5!ring their most formati"e years% /illennials witnesse$ the bombing an$ $e"astation of the /!rrah fe$eral b!il$ing in =klahoma City. They watche$ in horror as two Col!mbine >igh 6chool st!$ents kille$ an$ wo!n$e$ their classmates% an$ as school shootings became a three-year tren$. )n$ their cataly;ing generational e"ent0the one that bin$s them as a generation% the catastrophic moment they all witnesse$ $!ring their first% most formati"e years0is% of co!rse% the terrorist attacks on 6eptember &&% 200&. Heroism. 2merging o!t of those acts of "iolence% /illennials watche$ the re-emergence of the )merican hero. 7olicemen% firemen% firefighters% an$ mayors were pict!re$ on the front page of the newspaper% feat!re$ on T@ specials% an$ portraye$ in art an$

memorabilia. In the &0 months following '/&&% the wor$ hero was hear$ more than it ha$ been in the entire &0 years before. Patriotism. 5!ring the post-@ietnam an$ ?atergate era% patriotism was at an all-time low. 5isplaying the )merican flag% always an$ fore"er the right thing to $o for members of the ??II +eneration% ha$ become less an$ less common0partic!larly among $isill!sione$ *oomers an$ skeptical ,ers. 6eptember && change$ all that. 6tores that carrie$ flags sol$ o!t within 2I ho!rs% or$ere$ more an$ sol$ o!t again. 2"ery other home an$ car seeme$ to fly the ol$ re$-white-an$-bl!e. *!sinesspeople sporte$ the stars an$ stripes on their lapels% an$ ki$s wore T-shirts with flags on the front% on the back% an$ on the sho!l$er. It seeme$ that national pri$e ha$ been teste$% an$ the o"erwhelming "er$ict was that patriotism was ali"e an$ well. The GCE) freshmen s!r"ey reporte$ signs of renewe$ political interest. The percentage of st!$ents who reporte$ $isc!ssing politics represente$ the 9largest one-year increase since the &''2 presi$ential election year.: Parent advocacy. The /illennials were raise$% by an$ large% by acti"e% in"ol"e$ parents who often interce$e$ on their behalf. 7rotecti"e *oomer an$ ,er parents trie$ to ens!re their chil$ren wo!l$ grow !p safely an$ be treate$ well. 7arents challenge$ poor gra$es% negotiate$ with the soccer coach% "isite$ college camp!ses with their charges% an$ e"en went along to )rmy recr!iting centers. Then% too% /illennials act!ally like their parents. In the +eneration 200& s!r"ey% con$!cte$ by Eo! >arris on behalf of 3orthwest /!t!al Eife Ins!rance% /om an$ 5a$ were most often name$ when yo!ng people were aske$ whom they a$mire$. lobalism. ?ith penpals in 6ingapore an$ 6enegal% /illennials grew !p seeing things as global% connecte$% an$ open for b!siness 2I/F.

!ompelling Messages +rowing !p% /illennials were bombar$e$ with a !ni !e set of consistent an$ compelling messages0many of them so imbe$$e$ in the c!lt!re that a$!lts% let alone chil$ren% were barely e"en aware of them. The school system reinforce$ a $istinct set of "al!es. 7arenting patterns !ni !e to the era mol$e$ a new generational perspecti"e. The era ha$ its own moo$ that per"a$e$ the $e"eloping perspecti"e of yo!th. These messages ha$ a profo!n$ effect on the generation as a whole: "e smart#you are special. They#"e been catere$ to since they were tiny. Think 3ickolo$eon% *aby +ap% an$ S orts !llustrated for "ids. $eave no one behind. They were ta!ght to be incl!si"e an$ tolerant of other races% religions% an$ sex!al orientations. !onnect %&'(. They learne$ to be inter$epen$ent0on family% frien$s% an$ teachers. /ore /illennials say they can li"e witho!t the tele"ision than the comp!ter. /any prefer chatting on line to talking on the phone. Achieve no)* 6ome parents hire$ pri"ate agents to line !p the right collegeJ others got starte$ choosing the right pre-school while the chil$ was still in the womb. Serve your community. Fifty percent of high school st!$ents reporte$ "ol!nteering in their comm!nities% many of their high schools re !iring comm!nity ser"ice ho!rs for gra$!ation. =n one Roper 6!r"ey% when /illennials were aske$ for the ma.or ca!se of problems in the G.6.% they answere$ selfishness.

Millennial !haracteristics )ll of this translates into a generation of employees with a $ifferent work ethic than any other% certainly $ifferent from their +en , colleag!es. >ere are the main components of their work ethic:

!onfident. Raise$ by parents belie"ing in the importance of self-esteem% they characteristically consi$er themsel"es rea$y to o"ercome challenges an$ leap tall b!il$ings. /anagers who belie"e in 9paying yo!r $!es: an$ coworkers who $on#t think opinions are worth listening to !nless they come from someone with a prere !isite n!mber of years on the res!me fin$ this can-$o attit!$e !nsettling. Hopeful. They#re $escribe$ as optimistic yet practical. They belie"e in the f!t!re an$ their role in it. They#"e rea$ abo!t b!sinesses with basketball co!rts% stockrooms stocke$ with beer for employers% an$ companies that pay yo!r way thro!gh school. They expect a workplace that is challenging% collaborati"e% creati"e% f!n% an$ financially rewar$ing. oal+ and achievement+oriented. 8!st a $ay after she won a totally !nexpecte$ =lympic gol$ me$al% skater 6ara >!ghes was talking abo!t her next goal0scoring a perfect &(00 on her 6)Ts. /any /illennials arri"e at their first $ay of work with personal goals on paper. !ivic+minded. They were ta!ght to think in terms of the greater goo$. They ha"e a high rate of "ol!nteerism. They expect companies to contrib!te to their comm!nities0an$ to operate in ways that create a s!stainable en"ironment. ,nclusive. /illennials are !se$ to being organi;e$ in teams0an$ to making certain no one is left behin$. They expect to earn a li"ing in a workplace that is fair to all% where $i"ersity is the norm0an$ they#ll !se their collecti"e power if they feel someone is treate$ !nfairly.

The -igital -ivide Fe$eral reports show that /illennials are healthier an$ more economically sec!re than any earlier generation. They are personally conser"ati"e abo!t iss!es like $rinking an$ $ri"ing. Rea$ing scores ha"e impro"e$. The rate of high school gra$!ates who go on to recei"e a college $egree is at an all-time high. There#s lots of goo$ news abo!t this newest generation of employees. There#s also one $istinct area of great concern. It#s calle$ the $igital $i"i$e. 3e"er has the gap between the ha"e#s an$ the ha"e-not#s been so great. There is a whole gro!p of /illennials coming of age separate from the experience we#"e $isc!sse$ so far in this chapter. 6ixteen percent grew !p0or are c!rrently growing !p0in po"erty. )ltho!gh e"ery generation has members who grew !p poor% ne"er ha"e the $ifferences been so $ramatic. The schism is abo!t technology. ?hile $emographers $ebate .!st how infl!ential $igital technology has been on the /illennial personality% no one $o!bts its profo!n$ impact. It is certainly the great !nifier of /illennials from places as $i"erse as +ene"a% 8apan% an$ 8ersey. /ore than any other factor% it has !nite$ the generation% e"en globally. 4et there#s a gro!p of yo!ng people who grew !p0an$ are growing !p0witho!t access to a comp!ter0at home% at school% or in the comm!nity. )s responsible b!sinesspeople% we nee$ to reach o!t to those who grew !p or are growing !p beyon$ the $i"i$e. Companies like /icrosoft who ha"e $onate$ literally millions of $ollars to comm!nity programs that make comp!ters a"ailable to low-income chil$ren are lea$ing the way. Internships% mentoring% an$ training programs make a big $ifference. In the tr!e spirit of $i"ersity% forwar$-thinking companies will reach o!t to yo!ng new employees who#"e grown !p witho!t the benefit of the best o!r society has to offer0b!t who want to create challenging% satisfying% meaningf!l work li"es for themsel"es. . Principles of Millennial Management 6o how $o yo! translate what yo!#"e rea$ so far into yo!r $ay-to-$ay life on the .ob< ?hat $o to$ay#s yo!ng employees want< If we#re $esigning recr!iting programs an$ management systems base$ on their "al!es an$ nee$s% how $o we procee$< ?hat kin$ of work en"ironments attract%

retain% an$ moti"ate /illennial coworkers< >ere are their six most fre !ent re !ests: &. /ou be the leader. This generation has grown !p with str!ct!re an$ s!per"ision% with parents who were role mo$els. The 94o! be the parent: T@ commercials are right on. /illennials are looking for lea$ers with honesty an$ integrity. It#s not that they $on#t want to be lea$ers themsel"es% they#$ .!st like some great role mo$els first. 2. !hallenge me. /illennials want learning opport!nities. They want to be assigne$ to pro.ects they can learn from. ) recent Ran$sta$ employee s!r"ey fo!n$ that 9trying new things: was the most pop!lar item. They#re looking for growth% $e"elopment% a career path. K. $et me )or0 )ith friends. /illennials say they want to work with people they click with. They like being frien$s with coworkers. 2mployers who pro"i$e for the social aspects of work will fin$ those efforts well rewar$e$ by this newest cohort. 6ome companies are e"en inter"iewing an$ hiring gro!ps of frien$s. I. $et1s have fun. ) little h!mor% a bit of silliness% e"en a little irre"erence will make yo!r work en"ironment more attracti"e. L. 2espect me. 9Treat o!r i$eas respectf!lly%: they ask% 9e"en tho!gh we ha"en#t been aro!n$ a long time.: (. "e fle3ible. The b!siest generation e"er isn#t going to gi"e !p its acti"ities .!st beca!se of .obs. ) rigi$ sche$!le is a s!re-fire way to lose yo!r /illennial employees. The Wor0place of Tomorro) For years% we#"e gi"en lip ser"ice to internal customer ser#ice. It means treating employees the way we $o c!stomers. *!t% as far as I can tell% in most companies the i$ea really hasn#t been p!t into practice. The /illennial workforce will ca!se !s to make internal c!stomer ser"ice a way of $oing b!siness. 9?ell% maybe%: yo!#re saying. 9*!t what if the economy takes a nose $i"e0or another nose $i"e< Then these yo!ng people won#t be able to be !ite so $eman$ing% will they< It#ll be a seller#s market. ?e won#t ha"e to ben$ o"er backwar$s to cater to them.M I#m afrai$ ben$ing o"er backwar$s is .!st what we#re going to ha"e to $o% altho!gh I think it will be a lot more f!n an$ rewar$ing than it might seem. 4o! see% we#re going to nee$ /illennial workers desperately o"er the next $eca$e0e"en if the economy $oesn#t take wings. It#s those $ang *aby *oomers who are ca!sing the problems. The a"erage age for a n!rse is IF. That means she0or he0will be mo"ing on before long. >alf of all certifie$ school teachers plan to retire within fi"e years. 6ixty percent of all Fe$eral workers are *aby *oomers who say they#re on the e$ge of retirement. There#s no getting aro!n$ it. ?e#re going to nee$ those /illennials. 6o back to the internal customer ser#ice i$ea. It#s time to think of o!r b!sinesses like we wo!l$ a small retail "ent!re. 8!st as we wo!l$ consi$er c!stomers% we nee$ to consi$er employees. ?e nee$ to ask o!rsel"es: ?here $o o!r employees ten$ to come from an$ where can we get more like them< >ow can we attract them< ?hat kin$ of experience an$ en"ironment are they looking for< =nce we#"e got them here% how can we keep them coming back< ?hat kin$ of perks can we offer that will ha"e them stick with !s< >ow can we rewar$ the most loyal of them<

etting 2eady for the Millennials

*e 7repare$ ForA 5on#tA 5oA enco!rage them mentor them learn from them expect them to pay their $!es throw a wet blanket on their enth!siasm high expectations possible in"ol"ement of parents

The Handbas0et Theory $"ids% ! don&t know what&s wrong with these kids today%' ((from Bye Bye Birdie )s I write this% the ma.ority of /illennials are still ki$s. )n$% $espite the facts% they#re getting a ba$ rap. 4o!#re familiar with the han$basket theory. It#s as ol$ as time. It says% 9Hi$s .!st ain#t no goo$ these $ays.: It says% 9To$ay#s ki$s are going to hell in a han$basket.: )sk aro!n$. 4o!#ll see what I mean. 6ome people will tell yo! that to$ay#s ki$s are r!$e. That they#re not learning anything in school. That they ha"e no respect. Frankly% I think those statements say more abo!t the people saying them than they $o abo!t ki$s to$ay. 6!re% there are some ba$ ones% b!t close examination shows they#re a pretty goo$ lot. Eet#s take fo!r of the most common myths abo!t /illennials an$ look at the reality: /yth &.To$ay#s ki$s are "iolent. Reality In the last two $eca$es% the "ol!me of serio!s teen "iolent crime $ecline$ $ramatically. 2. Teen pregnancy is !p. Teen pregnancy is falling at the fastest rate e"er recor$e$. K. Hi$s# !se of $r!gs is !p. )ccor$ing to /ike /ales% a!thor of )raming *outh CCommon Co!rage 7ress% &'''D% 9e"ery reliable meas!re shows that compare$ to a$!lts% mo$ern a$olescents !se mil$er $r!gs. Teens take $r!gs in lower !antities. Teens !se $r!gs less fre !ently. Teens !se $r!gs in less risky settings. Teens are less likely to mix $r!gs with each other an$ with alcohol. Teens are partic!larly !nlikely to $ri"e after !sing alcohol or $r!gs.: I. They#re like , s !are$. This $oesn#t say m!ch for +en-,ers% who% in fact% ha"e ma$e tremen$o!s contrib!tions to the s!ccess of

organi;ations in all in$!stries in the last two $eca$es. *!t /illennials as a generation ha"e more in common with *aby *oomers an$ members of the ??II +eneration than they $o with +eneration ,ers.

$!n the real world+ young eo le beha#e better than any generation in decades%' ((Mike Males+ $!gnore )ear Mongers, the "ids are -kay+' San .ose Mercury /ews+ 0 ril 12+ 1331

4 !ool ,deas for Managing Millennials &. 5esign office space so that /illennials are set !p physically to share i$eas. 2. Consi$er assigning pro.ects to gro!ps of employees who are e"al!ate$ as a gro!p for reaching a goal. K. 6et !p a re"erse mentoring program. Companies from 7rocter an$ +amble to 6iemens ha"e set !p t!toring for mi$$le-age$ exec!ti"es. 4o!ng newcomers help the exec!ti"es na"igate the 3et. 8ack ?elch of +eneral 2lectric fame says that 9e-b!siness knowle$ge is !s!ally in"ersely proportional to age an$ rank.: +2 matche$ &%000 managers an$ &%000 yo!ng employees. 2"en tho!gh the yo!nger cohort ha$ .!st .oine$ the firm% they ten$e$ to !n$erstan$ new technologies better than +2#s finest.

Millennials at Wor0

$iabilities $istaste for menial work lack of skills for $ealing with $iffic!lt people impatience lack of experience confi$ence

Assets m!ltitasking goal orientation positi"e attit!$e technical sa""y collaboration

Millennials5 What They Want From a 6ob to work with positi"e people to be challenge$ to be treate$ respectf!lly to learn new knowle$ge an$ skills

to work in frien$ly en"ironments to ha"e flexible sche$!les to be pai$ well o Wrong )ith Millennials5

Where 7mployers

not meeting their high expectations $isco!nting their i$eas for lack of experience allowing negati"ity feeling threatene$ by their technical knowhow

A 60-something graduate recently reflected: We wanted what they want. We just felt we couldnt ask. erein lies the truth: what young workers want isnt so different from what e!eryone else wants. owe!er" young workers are asking for it.# (("aren Cates and "imia Rahimi+ $Mastering 4eo le Management+' )inancial Times+ /o#ember 52+ 1335

Millennial $earning Preferences teamwork technology str!ct!re entertainment N excitement experiential acti"ities

Millennial !ommunication Preferences positi"e respectf!l respectable moti"ational electronic goal-foc!se$