A generation that is academically & culturally diverse, the millennials have refined living phenomenally with technology, created space for a new set of values & norms which are liberating more than conforming and embraced diversity like no other generation.
They are also a generation that defies hierarchy & focus more on individual expression rather than stability and so attrition is always on the higher side.
How do you get this floating lot to stay put?
Flexible working options: Remote working options, flexible work timings, occasional telecommuting & unlimited vacation time are considered great perks. This flexibility is given provided the employee ensures that performance isn’t compromised; so you meet their need for flexibility and at the same time place immense trust on them.
Work environment: Many office spaces have transformed their space from cramped & dingy cubicles to much more dynamic & open offices which are well ventilated & naturally lit. Music, posters, swings, table tennis tables and much more make work more fun & rejuvenating. This is a generation of 30 seconds vines & 1 minute Instagram stories, their attention span is not particularly long, so in order to engage them, you have to ensure that they disengage too-but ensure it’s a constructive disengagement like a sport or music or an in-house masseuse.
Increase scope for professional & personal development: It is said that 68% of graduated rank professional development & career growth opportunities the highest when it comes to job satisfaction. Apart from training, or international conferences etc, you have to include sabbaticals or tie-ups with certain education scholarships. Your employees’ growth = your company growth and such learning-driven opportunities will not only get them to explore something out of their comfort zone & fulfill their thirst for knowledge but will also develop your organisation as an idea/innovation-centric one, which will be essential for sustained long-term growth.
Regular Feedback & Choice of Projects: Feedback is a great motivator no doubt not just for millennials but for everybody. But when it comes millennials it matters more because they are in it for much more than money or stability. Gone are the days when one took a job to pay rents or look after family-today jobs are part of one’s identity, they are important platforms for personal expression; so it is necessary that regular feedback, rewards & recognition are attributed to deserving employees. Encourage them to choose projects of their interest-this will give scope to innovation, creativity & growth.
