Attracting Millennial Talent in the Workplace

Here’s the thing about millennials’ motivation - it’s not always about the money. In fact, more often than not, it’s not about the money at all. There are many factors that play into a millennial’s decision to join a company and they are the ones that matter more than a number printed on their paycheck.

Give Purpose

Millennials don’t want to prioritize growing their wallets. They want to prioritize growing their careers. They need to be given a sense of purpose in the workplace. A study by Workplace Trends found that 91% of Millennials aspire to be leaders, yet 55% of them find the leadership development opportunities offered by their company unsatisfactory. This disconnect is a major deal breaker in a Millennial’s eyes.

The good news? Your field/industry isn’t as important as you think it is. You may be thinking that you need to have a “glamorous, modern industry” job to entice a Millennial to work for you, but you don’t. If your company can fulfill the need for personal and career growth, you’ll attract Millennial interest.

Not Just A Number

Millennials can spot a profit monger a mile away. The atmosphere and culture of a company needs to be open, welcoming, and they need to feel that they are being treated like a person - not a cog in the machine. Engage them and invest in their individual character. They cannot be regarded as just another statistic.

Encourage your Millennials to have their own “voice.” Give them the floor at times and collaborate in them in meetings. Be genuine with the way you value and treat the employee. Being younger than fellow employees may correspond with inexperience, but don’t mistake that for ignorance. They’re still socially intuitive and know when you’re not being genuine with your feedback or interactions. In fact, 80 percent of Millennials, surveyed by the Levo Institute, strongly believe that developing and cultivating emotional intelligence is a key aspect of their career development.

If a Millennial’s idea isn’t feasible, keep your feedback straight-forward and don’t belittle them in the process. They just want to improve. Let them know that you’re invested in their skill development so that you can work more cohesively as a team and help better the company, not just make you more money.

Aid Development

Not only should you provide moral support, but you should also integrate tools into your company that can help assist Millennials to build a better bond between employer and employee.

15Five allows you to check up on your employees, gauge their interest and mood per week, check in on goals, and schedule meetings to make sure performance objectives are met and their desired skills can be nurtured as they learn on the job.

Slack is a quick, instant messenger that functions just like texting and can even be downloaded onto mobile phones. Millennials will feel right at home using the app to send messages, files, links, and communicate just like they would in their day-to-day lives.

Bonusly is another great way to let people know they’re doing a good job. It lets employees decide who should be rewarded for going above and beyond, and how much they should be rewarded. Everything is employee-dictated, not management. It’s a great way to build camaraderie and a strengthen team morale at the same time.

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