Part two: Your guide to what Millennials are looking for, and expect, from employers today.
In Part One – Attracting Millennials to your business, we talked about how Millennials differ to the previous generations. In Part Two, we take a closer look at what Millennials really want.
Consider the following four points and have a think about whether your business brand is communicating these values. If not, it might be time to reassess and realign your business and brand to attract the right calibre of candidate and client.
Millennials have a very positive outlook on life. They value work/life balance and would much rather take a pay cut than come off Facebook! They’re looking for purpose, opportunities to collaborate and have the right guidance to make them feel like work is more than just a job.
Here’s our four top workplace tips to attract Millennials:
1. Think outside the box – be flexible and encourage entrepreneurial spirit
Millennials are looking for something different to what we currently offer. We can’t use the same systems and corporate processes that we have in place at the moment because these just won’t work. We know the 9am – 5pm strict work rota with clear hierarchical structures don’t inspire this generation. They’re looking for flexibility and are motivated by leaders who think outside the box so that they feel like they are making a difference and actually have a purpose. They have entrepreneurial spirits so they want to feel like they are in an environment which will encourage that and help them to grow.
Top tip: Show a clear progression plan highlighting how top performing individuals can ultimately run their own desks allowing them to have autonomy within the business.
2. Give them a sense of purpose/cause
Growing up, Millennials have been constantly given positive encouragement that they can really make a difference and get anything they want. Although this is generally regarded as optimistic as Millennials now expect instant gratification, we can certainly work on this. As a business, you must give them a sense of purpose, so share your business vision with them. Be transparent and tell them what you’ve achieved in the previous year and where you’d like to go this year. Work with them to create a plan of action and make it clear how they can help to achieve success and be a part of it.
Top tip: If your vision and values are outdated use your Millennial talent to help redefine them and make them relevant for this generation.
3. Co-Create training plans (Connection and Personal Development)
Self-improvement and a need for regular praise is needed to make this generation feel like they are making progress. You may find that some Millennials that work in your business demand a promotion after the first 15 minutes of joining. Don’t be alarmed as this is a trend across the board. This generation want to feel like they are progressing, and fast. So one of the ways you can help to fulfil their need for progression is through creating a training plan. If you have a team of Millennials, ask them to work together to come up with list of key areas they would like to work on. The next stage is to create this plan with them and work together. You’ll need to work with them both as part of a team and individually. Use this as part of their personal development plan for the year and set them key tasks to meet to help them feel like they’re making progress.
Top tip: If you’re struggling to provide in-house training, use one of the many white labelled online platforms who provide customised recruitment and sales training for your business.
4. Involvement in the business and collaboration
You can no longer keep anything in your business a secret. Millennials want to know everything about you and get an understanding about where you’re going and why. Have you defined this? This is where Employment Branding comes in. This will form the foundations for an effective recruiting strategy and you can make a significant difference in winning the war on talent. Not only will you create brand advocates for your business, but also attract better quality candidates. It’s important to make Millennials feel like they are being heard by getting them involved with the business, making them feel like they are taking part in meaningful work.
Top tip: Use your millennial talent to help devise a strategy to find new talent with content tailored to this generation.
