CONTENTS An introduction to the most talked-about generation ............2 Strengths .........................................................................................6 Opportunities .................................................................................9 Weaknesses ..................................................................................13 Challenges .....................................................................................18 A recap ..........................................................................................24
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An introduction to the most talked-about generation Nowadays, you find people - especially HR professionals - talk about Millennials in every corner of the web. It is easy to understand because Millennials are swamping the workplace, and changing it dramatically. Since changes can be confusing at the very least and scary at the very most, HR professionals have launched into lengthy discussions about new talent acquisition and performance management strategies. Personally I have found tons of stories and tips on working with Millennials and managing the upcoming workforce. They are however full of contradictions. In seemingly endless discussions, we seem to be not able to agree upon whether Millennials are good or bad for their employers. If you are looking for arguments for either side, you probably won’t find them in this book. However, I hope to take you on a journey to find out what makes Millennials who they are. A better understanding of the generation is likely to shed more light on the generation’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and challenges they bring to the workplace. Basically, this is a modified version of a SWOT analysis1, which you can use as a guide to managing your Millennial employees. So let’s get started.
SWOT stands for Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats. 2 1
Millennials - Who are they? To give a short answer: Millennials are connected and diverse collaborators. Here are the details: Millennials, also referred to as Generation Y, are the demographic cohort after so-called Generation X. There are no precise dates on when Generation Y began. The general consensus is that its members were born sometime between the 1980s and early 2000s. Some of Millennial shared personalities are shaped by their times. The decades that they were born in and grew up to are characterised with technology advancement and globalisation.
Technology Advancement & Millennials Generation Y belongs to the era of technology and social media. They were the ďŹ rst generation who grew up with computers in their homes. Do you remember when the Internet came and seemed to redeďŹ ne everything that happened before? Millennials belong to that world. They are digital natives. They are good with technology by default. Of course, the levels of technology competence vary within the group (comparing the late 1990s to the early 1980s, for example). But generally, Millennials are familiar and comfortable with technology. Moreover, it is actually not an exaggeration to say that Millennials are connected 24/7. Their whereabouts are often updated on their Facebook pages. Their tweets are even more instant and frequent. Have you seen an Instagram account belonged to a Gen Yer lately? I put my money on it being ďŹ lled with photos taken at favourite cafes and trendy travel spots. Then, there are Foursquare, Tumblr, Google+, Vine, Flickr, and LinkedIn. The list is getting longer by days. The proliferation of social media is 3
driven by Generation Y’s increasing desire to be connected at all time. Haven't you seen youngsters directly asking for the wifi password once entering a cafe or a bar? It seems like an obsession. Let me make this clear. Millennial desire to connect is beyond wanting to sharing their personal moments on social media. Their professional life and personal life have merged in one place called the INTERNET. In a survey2 carried out by Cisco in 2014, more than half of Millennials, who were asked, consider themselves accessible for work 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, via email and phone.
Globalisation and Millennials Millennials grew up in a much more globalised and mobilised world. Many Millennials are from neighbourhoods where different ethnic groups reside. In their world, various cultures exist among each other. They grew up holding diverse perspectives and a high level of tolerance towards differences. It is quite common to meet Millennials who truly embrace differences and benefit a great deal from their open mindset. Soon you will see the connection between these personality traits and Millennials desirable and not-so-desirable qualities at the workplace. Before moving on to discuss those qualities in details, I want to first emphasise one thing. It is likely that you have known and worked with a Millennial that has none of these traits (and consequently does not represent the following qualities). No, I am not trying to put the whole generation of millions across the globe into one pot. Nor that I think anyone should attempt to do so.
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Cisco, 2014 Connected World Technology Final Report
http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/enterprise/connected-worldtechnology-report/cisco-2014-connected-world-technology-report.pdf
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What I have found here and later on comes from my extensive research and my own experience. I’ve brought with me an open mind so I can look at the generation from different angles and see the big picture. Not everyone and everything will fit into that picture. However, it would be a good place to start the journey of understanding. You can use this book as a guide to a generation that you might find puzzling. Even if you don’t have anything to do with Millennial (which I think is quite unlikely), you can just read this book for the fun of reading. It would be fun. I can at least promise that much.
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STRENGTHS In this chapter, I will go into details of some qualities that most HR professionals will consider the strengths of the generation.
Tech-savvy It is in Millennials’ nature to understand technology. They are comfortable with using technology to get the work done. With the help of smartphones and apps, Millennials tend to finish their tasks quickly and effortlessly. According to Cisco 2014 Connected World Technology Report3, 82% HR professionals think that Generation Y employees are able to perform tasks faster than older employees using mobile devices and apps. Their tech sense enables smooth multi-tasking. They speak to customers on the phone, input data into the system and check updates on a second screen - all at the same time. Millennial passion for technology and their ability to quickly pick up new tools are impressive. Undoubtedly, this is the most prominent quality that they bring into the office.
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http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/enterprise/connected-worldtechnology-report/cisco-2014-connected-world-technology-report.pdf
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Collaborative The desire to connect drives Millennials into workplaces that encourage teamwork. They like to be involved and be included. Not only that Millennials like to work in a team, they tend to work well in a team. The main drive for their outstanding teamwork is their habit of frequent and instant messaging. They tend to speak their mind more often and more openly. Don’t believe me? Check their social network accounts! Moreover, Millennials have a high level of tolerance towards differences, like we have discussed earlier. They are more likely to accept alternative opinions from other people’s and willing to try new methods.
Innovative Millennials are willing to take a risk in finding a new path for themselves. Well, they have to. Facing globally impacted issues like economic recession and climate change, they are forced to seek creativity in their decisionmaking. They are constantly in the search for solutions to create stability in the insecure job market. They innovate to solve the problems we are all facing. Have you noticed that there are more and more stories about startups with Millennial founders? Some of those startups are changing the games significantly around the globe.
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Moreover, Millennial creativity is benefited a great deal from their diverse perspectives. Born in the dawn of globalisation, they emerge from cultural mixed viewpoints and ideologies. That gives them fluid thinking and outside-the-box ideas.
Connected Generation Y is connected 24/7. The Internet offers seemingly unlimited knowledge and resources. Connecting to various networks of friends and colleagues, they gain updates of trends, useful knowledge and valuable lessons. They are very well informed, which prepares them for any possible opportunities.
Resourceful Millennials are resourceful. They have the ability and the mindset to look for solutions using what they have and know: The Internet. For example, if one wants to improve feedback sharing practices in her company, she is likely to first type a question like “how to give constructive feedback” into Google search bar. If she is not happy with what has been found, she will post her concern on relevant forums, like HR LinkedIn Groups or Quora. There she can get advice from her peers and the industry experts. With the various opinions she gathers, she can make a poll and share it with her colleagues. Along the way, she finds quite a few possible ways to grow and improve. The Millennial generation focuses on knowledge and continuous learning. They don’t keep themselves locked in one way of working or one possibility to make things work. They are curious to learn and to develop. With this mindset, they tend to learn faster and a lot more.
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OPPORTUNITIES In this chapter, you will find highlights of the opportunities that Millennials bring to modern workplace. I will also give away some tips on taking up the opportunities you are given, so you can build a more productive team.
Innovations Because Millennials are innovative and resourceful, they can bring in better and faster ways of getting things done. There are a few incentives you can try in order to encourage innovations among your Millennial employees and for the company: • Invite them to brainstorming sessions for new strategies, plans or simply a new way of solving a long-lasting problem • Listen to their ideas and give credit to their resources • Have an idea box so they can send in their ideas whenever they come up with one, and reward them appropriately • Be approachable and available • Offer your mentorship • Suggest a bonus if they can find simple, innovative solutions for their own bottlenecks and those of others 9
Higher productivity Millennials can be very productive when they are engaged with their tasks and the team. Being efficient multitaskers and early adopter of technology, Millennials drive productivity up to a new level. Your task is to set up the right environment for them to collaborate and thrive. Then fruitful results are guaranteed. Things you can do to take this opportunity: • Let Millennials use their own devices as long as that helps them do the job better • Get them involved in decision-making when it comes to investing in new technology • Let it be known that you are open for their suggestions for any new apps that have the potential to increase productivity
Networking recruitment Generation Y employees are more likely to become your brand’s ambassadors thanks to their being active on social media. When they experience something good at the office, you can rest assured that some will share it on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn (or you name it). Let’s say you roll out an incentive like Laundry Thursday when employees are allowed to work from home so they can also do their laundry in time for the weekend. It is very likely that there will be tweets about the incentive right the minute you announce it. You don’t need to tell them to tell their friends about how cool it is to work at your company. 10
I know this sounds like a silly example but you get my point, right? Twitter has become the new news feed, and Facebook has long arrived as the place most youngsters hang out. Having Millennials speak enthusiastically and frequently about their workplace on social media, you save the time and the money on advertising your job posts on various platforms. Millennials’ talented friends are pulled towards your company even before you notice it. Besides, it goes without saying that young talented people inspire other young talented people. Having Millennial employees will lead you to more Millennials because they like to come in as a group. Unfortunately Millennials are outspoken about both good things and bad things. In case the boss misbehaves - I hope you don’t, but if there is a case, it is not likely that they will let it slide. It is up to you to have the “bad comment” given to you privately as a feedback or posted publicly on Facebook. Here are things you can do to take the opportunity (and avoid bad publicity): • Instead of restricting your employees’ activities on social media, provide a code of practice • Offer incentives for referring a friend (e.g. a bonus) • Encourage real-time feedback from your Millennial employees so you can address any problem quickly before it appears on social media • The most important thing is to be a good boss - create what people call the halo effect4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect 11 4
Free pass Your Millennial employees are your free pass into their ways of thinking. The generation will soon become the largest group of consumers and decision makers. Often being outspoken, your Generation Y employees are likely to fill you up with insight into the generation’s habits, preferences and desires. For example, you want to know if the new marketing messages you are creating appeals to Millennials. You can do A/B tests on the Millennials in your office before making any further decision. They can give you no less if not more insights than a costly offer from some market research companies. Things you can do: • Listen to your Generation Y employees. Attentively, please! • Get them involved in brainstorming and decision-making processes if appropriate Like being said earlier, each person is unique. You are likely to find contradictions among Millennials. However, the generation’s majority is tech-savvy, collaborative, innovative, resourceful and wired. They can make great employees if you find the right way to promote their strengths. The rest is up to you to grab the opportunities they bring. Would you like that your company do things in an innovative way and with a high level of productivity? Will it be much better for you as manager if the recruiting process is less lengthy and more focussed? I think I can guess your answers.
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WEAKNESSES Let’s face it - nobody is perfect. Like us all, Millennials have baggage. Some of their weaknesses are not be so desirable in the workplace. If you find it challenging to work with and to supervise your Generation Y employees, you are not the minority in the managers’ world. Therefore, I put together some tips to help you overcome the challenges and make the best out of your Generation Y employees. So, what are the weaknesses of Millennials? You might have heard loads of Generation Y rants, as they call it the ME ME ME GENERATION. It is however very important to be aware of stereotypes. I try to avoid prejudices by following the roots of behaviours as well as the bitter fruits. Here is what I have found:
Impatience Millennials are no experts at waiting. They are spoiled with fast internet connections, instant download, and real-time apps (not to mentioned drive-thru fast food). Let me illustrate this point with a simplified calculation. Some 4G networks enable a download speed of 50MB per second, while others boast a 300mbps5. A 20-minute HD video (e.g. the latest episode of The Big http://www.4g.co.uk/how-fast-is-4g/ 13 5
Bang Theory) is around 450MB. It is therefore possible for one to connect to his 4G network and have the video downloaded in 9 seconds. So, why should one wait for anything or anyone longer than a minute? Millennials’ early life is made up with high-speed experiences. They then go to the office expecting more or less the same. However, 4G networks can fail to deliver the promised 300mbps speed due to the distance from the cell tower or the interference from walls and objects - the real-world things. Same things happen at the office. Factors that are out of Millennials’ control can affect the speed of getting things done. For example, when a colleague works from home with a slow internet connection, he or she might not respond to a request as quickly as a Millennial expects. It often comes across as Millennials are too impatient to consider the real world things. Many managers complain about the “I want it now” attitude among Millennials. Surprisingly enough, generation Y themselves admit that they are impatient. As long as you sympathise with the reasoning, you can however find ways to minimise negative impacts. We will talk about this in the following chapter.
Commitment-phobia Millennials are widely thought as having a commitment issue. When HR managers talk about Millennials, it often goes like this: They don’t stay in a company for longer than 2 years. They change jobs more often than not. They are not loyal. You get them onboard. You spend two months training them up to the level you want. And they leave you in three months, ungratefully. You have to start the painful recruiting process all over again. You hesitate when you see more applications from Millennials. You don’t know if you should risk it again. 14
A big part of these rants is true. When you compare Millennials with the preceding generations, you see a big difference. Baby boomers and Generation X tended to stay in the same company for a long time if not their whole life. The story has changed with Millennials. They focus more on their personal development. They want to be at a place where they can grow. If you don’t give them the chance to grow, they will leave for a place that does. It sounds kind of logical, don’t you think? It is the fact that it has never been easier for one to change job. The increasing transparency in the workplace ( yes, I am talking about Glassdoor6) means people know the opportunities they have and ones they can aim for. Millennials are very well-informed. They get instant notifications about ideal jobs, even opportunities on the other side of the world. Moving abroad is so much easier for Millennials than it has been for their parents. (It is like planes are much faster than boats.) Millennial have in fact a lot more options. Millennials’ personality prompts them to take a risk in pursuing different career paths. The transparent and connected world they grew up in gives them the means to do so. I am surprised that they are not doing it more. Generation Y job-hopping is undeniably a headache for employers. However it might help if companies start focusing on the reasons why Millennials leave them and start working from there. More on this will follow later.
http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/index.htm 15 6
Short attention span Attention span is the amount of concentrated time on a task without becoming distracted. Educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus attention on a task is crucial for achieving one's goals. Undoubtedly, Millennials have their attention span shortened by their desire to check their Facebook and Twitter accounts all the time. Moreover, the internet provides Millennials with a lot of information. It is getting so much that their mind finds it hard to handle. The mind learns to multi task and scan data instead of going deeply into things. In the long term, it affects the ability to learn the depth, and to stick with goals. This is what modern technology does to the attention span of human beings as a whole. Generation Y is not the only group affected. It is likely that we will see it worse in Generation Z. However, as Millennials are making up the larger part in nowadays’ workplace, their ability to focus and achieve goals concern employers a great deal.
A strong sense of entitlement The older generations often complain that Millennials feel entitled to undeserved promotions and praise. They want constant and instant compliments and gratitude. They always ask for flexible working time. They rather work from home. They demand fewer hours and more worklife balance. If you ask a Millennial, he or she would probably tell you a different version. Millennials value positive feedback, flexibility at work and a better balance in life. Moreover, Generation X or Generation Y, who would not feel strongly motivated if they receive instant recognition after getting a task done well? I know I would. 16
Employers might consider Millennials’ sense of entitlement a weakness. The way employers react to the entitlement is however more important. If you decide that Millennials do not deserve what they want, there is not much else one can do about it. But if you can see the rationale for their values, there are ways to meet their expectations and beneďŹ t your business at the same time. I will be discussing those ways in the next chapter.
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CHALLENGES Undoubtedly, Generation Y weaknesses pose challenges to their employers. To name a few: Millennials’ short attention span affects their ability to achieve their personal goals. It can lead to poor performance of their team as a whole. Generation Y’s lack of commitment makes recruitment a seemingly-never-ending loop. Besides, their impatience and strong sense of entitlement causes resentment among colleagues from older generations. However, you can see from above that all their weaknesses come from their high expectations and their differentiated attitude towards the established way in the office. Therefore, you can make changes in the working environment and in your own management style to meet their expectations and match their values. Of course, it is only if you want to engage your Millennials and take the opportunities they bring.
Working environment The environment includes the office you set up, the equipment you provide and most importantly the atmosphere you create for your employees. One’s capacity to work and potential to be happy are often affected by the environment he or she is in. Do not take these environmental factors lightly.
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Hardware Generation Y employees don’t like to wait. Don’t make them wait for some knackered old computer systems to work. Upgrade your system. It will be good for the overall productivity anyway. You should think about the totality of investment in the workplace’s technology. Do not just buy powerful computers and good software for once and for all. Adopt the mindset to embrace technology as it advances. If you think you can install an automation system and leave it be for another ten years, you are not doing it right. Technology changes fast these days. Adjust your budget accordingly. I can say this for sure: You will struggle to engage young people with old technology.
Culture You should consider the bigger picture, beyond technology. Think about culture. Find out what Millennials value, and build a culture that celebrates those values. That is the best way to keep your youngsters engaged. Here are findings from Meister and Willyerd’s research7, to give you some clues on what Millennials value at the workplace: From their boss, Millennials want: • support in navigating a career path • straight feedback • mentorship and coaching • sponsorship for formal development programs • the possibility of flexible schedules
Meister and Willyerd, Mentoring Millennials, Business Harvard Review 19 7
From their company, Millennial want: • development for usable skills in the future • strong values • customisable options in benefits • the ability to blend work into their life • a clear career path For their own learning and development, Millennials want: • technical skills in their area of expertise • self management and personal productivity • leadership • industry knowledge • creativity The good news is building a culture does not have to cost a fortune. All you need is to adopt the right mindset and to change certain behaviours. As an example, let’s look at the fact that Millennials want constant praise. Why? Because that was what their parents did to them when they grew up. Fair enough! The question is what you do as their managers. You don’t want to keep spoiling them. However, you should see the value of praise regarding motivation. Here are some specific tips: • Make giving feedback a part of your culture. Form a habit of giving feedback as soon as your employees achieve something. It is important that you ask for their feedback on your managerial tasks and skills as well. Encourage 360 degree feedback in the team. • Think positively. Praising is much more than spoiling the already spoiled kids. It is only fair that managers show their appreciation towards one’s hard work with a 20
timely compliment. The earlier you recognise one’s achievement, the more motivational it is for him or her. If you see otherwise room for improvement, tell your employees constructively. The fact Millennials like praise doesn’t automatically mean that they hate constructive feedback. Remember that they highly focus on personal development. If you master the art of giving constructive feedback, your Millennial employees would definitely like to hear it.8
Rewrite management rules You want to motivate your Generation Y employees instead of managing and supervising them. You want to be a role model, a coach and a friend. Here is how you can do it: Help them learn • Allow them the time to learn new skills Do not always expect a new Generation Y employee to have mastered the skills required for the job you give him. If he has, there is a high chance that he is looking for a new job where he can learn other skills. • Provide them the resources they need to learn Pay subscription fees for digital libraries and appropriate tools. Give them advice on skill-related courses that they can enrol. Use your networks to help your young employees connect them with experts in their field. • Help them position themselves for the next step.
If you want to learn the art of giving constructive feedback, check out this article: http://blog.impraise.com/how-to-give-constructive-feedback-yourpeople-want-to-hear/ 21 8
Because Millennials want constant growth, you can help by suggesting paths for them to grow into. Provide mentorship through constructive feedback. Talk with them about the skills they have mastered and what they can aim for with such skills. Help them recognise room to grow even more through positive feedback. Whatever you do, it is important to show Millennials your confidence in them. Be approachable Let it be known that you are open for alternative ideas from your direct reposts. Remove physical obstacles for communication. Sharing an open office is a good start. When your team is bigger than 50, you probably need a separate office though. When you do, make sure that your door is open more often than it’s closed. Most of the time, it helps to actually go to your employees in person so you can ask the simple How are you question. I once worked in a big corporate with more than 300 employees. One day during my first week, the CEO came to my corner in the marketing office. She wanted to say hello because she was away on the day I started my job. She gave me her business card and asked me to send her an email whenever I had an idea for improvement or literally anything else. I always think it was a nice touch. You can call it being approachable in a digital world. Another way to make yourself approachable is to do 1-on-1s regularly9. As frequently as weekly or bi-weekly is recommended by leadership experts. You should also encourage 1-on-1s among your management team.
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If you want to learn about effective 1-on-1s, you can have a look at this article:
http://blog.impraise.com/how-to-run-effective-one-on-ones/ 22
Be a role model Last but not least, walk the walk, do not just talk the talk. Millennials are known for their civic mind and their liberal attitude towards authority and hierarchy. Forcing authority on them won’t keep them engaged, not for the long term at least. A better approach is to become their mentor, their friend and their role model.
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A recap Millennials are tech-savvy, collaborative and innovative. In the digital world, they are well-connected and resourceful. Those are the strengths that can be transformed into valuable business opportunities of innovation, productivity and networking. However, Millennials have their weaknesses. Their attention span is short. So is their patience. They are not the best at committing themselves to the company’s long-term growth and somehow they feel entitled. Consequently, they are very challenging to work with and to manage. However, there are things you can do to overcome those challenges. You can use the tips in this guide as your coping mechanism because you can’t no longer avoid working with Millennials - they are everywhere. But what I want more is for you to take the opportunities they bring and minimise their weaknesses the best you can. Then, you will make the best of both worlds. 
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CREDITS QUYNH NGUYEN Quynh is a workplace innovator. She believes in continuous development and personal happiness at work. She takes pride in helping companies refine various HR processes and moving toward a culture of feedback.
IMPRAISE Impraise’s mission is to make feedback a part of the office culture and reinforce the power of communication. Impraise stimulates a social working culture of continuous learning where everybody is highly engaged with their own and each other's personal and professional development. Check out Impraise Blog at http://impraise.com to learn more about best practices at the workplace.
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