Grow Market Lead
Millennials
By Jennifer Kushell
Managing Millennials
I
A quick “101” in generational understanding
f you are one of the countless
franchisors struggling to make
the most of your relationships
with Millennial employees, here
is a quick guide to turning those born
after 1980 into some of your biggest
fans—and assets.
• Communicating. They do it differently than you do. Let’s start there.
Veterans like face-to-face
meetings, Boomers like
phone calls, Gen Xers prefer email, and Millennials
do most of their communicating by cell phone, text
messages, and social media.
Their interpersonal skills
and presentation skills often need work, so be prepared to explain what is
important to you and what
is expected in your line of
work. But also be open to
letting them develop relationships through the
channels they’re most comfortable with. Their informality often can lead to
more frequent contact and
much faster relationshipbuilding.
• Recruiting. When you set out to
hire younger workers, consider your employer brand. What does your company
stand for? What are your values? Young
people want to work with people they
like and for companies they believe in.
Lead with that to make a strong impact
and find better candidates. Also know that
anything they find out—from LinkedIn,
your website, to customer reviews on
Yelp—will shape their opinions and
interest about your company.
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• Inspiring. Don’t assume that the
job itself, let alone a paycheck, is enough
to keep them working at their full potential. You have to motivate them to
want to give you their all. This concept
bothers a lot of business owners, but this
generation has a different work ethic:
they have to be inspired. Show concern
for their happiness and well-being, and
that attention will go a long way.
• Training. Turnover rates are higher with younger workers, so consider
breaking training programs into segments that you deliver over different
intervals. Have those programs correspond to increased responsibilities and
compensation or benefits—so you both
see the ROI from the investment. Also
integrate as much experiential learning as possible, for example going to
meetings or conferences together and
talking about what worked and what
needs to be worked on.
• Rewarding. Money is important
to Millennials, but it is not what drives
them. Before you start writing checks,
find out what motivates them. Maybe
it’s offering a 401(k) program, a gym
membership, flex time, a chance to travel,
or the opportunity for advancement.
Ask the right questions and you even
may find creative ways to cut the costs
of keeping your staff inspired.
• Mentoring. This generation has
been coached more than any other before it. Be aware that they require attention and frequent communication.
Focus instructions on what you need
done and suggest how, but give them
the freedom to try new ways of achieving your goals. Review and judge the
results, more than the methods, and
you’ll probably end up learning from
one another.
• Parents. Millennials are
extremely close with their
parents. What is appropriate for them to be involved
in (interviews, discipline,
contract negotiations, etc.)
is a very gray and fuzzy area
these days. It’s up to you to
set boundaries, but making
“helicopter parents” your
allies can pay off too.
• Retaining. Don’t expect Millennials to be “lifers.” They typically change
jobs every 1 to 3 years. But
there are exceptions. Show
them possible career paths,
milestones to different levels
in your company, and how
staying with you will build
their career. Give them big
goals to achieve, then big rewards if
they deliver. n
Jennifer Kushell is the founder of Young
& Successful Media, YSN.com, and is author
of the New York Times best-seller, “Secrets
of the Young & Successful.” A globally recognized thought leader on the next generation
workforce, she speaks around the world and
helps organizations and governments inspire
and leverage young talent. Contact her at
[email protected] or 310-822-0261.