5 tips for handling millennials in the workplace
Intergenerational problems in the workplace have been an issue ever since we moved into the post-industrial age. The Greatest Generation complained about the boomers. The boomers complained about gen-Xers and now everyone is complaining about the millennials — even other millennials!
I’m not one for complaining. I get that managing an intergenerational workforce takes a concerted effort. But rather than pointing fingers, placing blame and bemoaning stereotypes, I prefer to face the issue head on. These are my five tips for handling millennials in the workplace.
1. Stop trying to handle millennials. Millennials aren’t wild animals that need to be handled. We are people, just like you! Just because there has been an onslaught of publications about the millennial generation does not mean that every stereotype holds true for every person born between 1980 and 2000. In fact, the pace of technological advancement has created remarkably different experiences between early millennials and late millennials. Instead of reacting to millennials in the workplace like some wild herd of untamed beasts, just take the time to get to know them.
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2. Check your assumptions. Take a moment to reflect on what is at the source of your frustrations. Chances are you are making some assumptions. It is easy to quickly paint someone with broad-brush strokes and label them. Once that happens, we instinctively start treating that person based on those assumptions. In the best-case scenario, the person proves you otherwise. In the worst-case scenario, the person fulfills your assumptions, which only reinforces stereotypes. We all make assumptions. They happen. Employers and employees alike can both benefit from checking their assumptions, deconstructing the source of them and being open to a reality that is different from the one in their mind.
3. Ask questions. The best way to get to know anyone is to ask them questions. So, ask your millennials questions. Open-ended questions are best as they allow for a more engaging conversation. Then seek to understand their responses, which may involve more questions. If you want your staff to understand your perspective, you best model that behavior by how you interact with them.
4. Care. Showing that you care helps to build trust. In fact, showing concern for others releases oxytocin, causing you to bond and enabling you to engage in higher-level conversations. This is not just important for millennials; this is crucial to managing anyone. Millennials might be getting called out for demanding fair and equitable treatment in the workplace, but this shift from management by authority to management by relationship has been in the works for years. Contrary to popular belief, the carrot and the stick are not the best way to motivate anyone in the long run, regardless of their age.
5. Talk about it. If you are noticing a problem with the behavior of your staff, you have to talk about it. It might not be easy. It may make you uncomfortable. If you’re thinking, “I shouldn’t have to tell so-and-so that …” STOP! Do you want the problem to be resolved? Yes? Good, then you have to talk about it. Chances are you will have conversations you never thought would come up at work. Que sera sera. If you are wondering how to prepare for such a difficult discussion I recommend reading “Conversational Intelligence” by Judith Glaser.
Whether you’re a manager, a millennial or both, I feel your frustrations. There is a way to move beyond these challenges, and it starts with changing how you have been approaching the problem.
If you would like camaraderie on this journey, check out the workshop I will be leading at the Larimer County Workforce Center later this month, called “Love Millennials, Hate Millennials: We All Need to Just Get Along.” In it, we will review how to utilize the tips here and enhance your conversational intelligence so you are better equipped to build a high-functioning inter-generational team.
Ariana Friedlander is founder and principal of Rosabella Consulting in Fort Collins. She can be reached at 970-218-3922.
