Embracing Millenials

So much is made about hiring and managing millennials.  Oh, they don’t respect culture or authority, they are selfish and don’t care about the team, or they have no respect for the process or what we have done to build the business to where it is today…..etc…

Well, it is past the point where some old-timers need to embrace this generation.  It is time to shed some light on the strengths that this generation can offer a company.  Recognize these strengths that Millennials can bring to your organization. 

Millennials are:

1.

Very good at adjusting to change.  They accept change faster than previous generations and they rebound faster when they hit road blocks.  Elements in their life have moved much faster than they have for previous generations and they are more likely to positively accept the changing landscape of today’s business world.

2.

Leaders at appreciating Diversity.  The old guard’s concerns about “corporate fit” are often not relevant to them.  They think that Gary the “Star Trek” loving finance candidate is hilarious and probably misunderstood, and not the anti-social blight that the older generation might want to avoid and want to hide from customers when they enter the corporate office.

3.

Curious and ask “why do we do it this way?”  Whether it is certain processes or marketing strategies, they often believe that there could be alternate and possibly shorter routes to achieve corporate goals.

4.

Great at navigating technology.  There are opportunities where Millennials could be teaching other employees on how to increase efficiencies and how to better use technologies.

5.

Millennials are much better at multi-tasking than previous generations.  Many may question quality under this scenario but it can also be a strength and is often better than an employee who gets rattled every time his day gets disrupted.

6.

Finally, Millennials are more positive than most other generations.  They truly believe that anything is possible.  They have seen firsthand how a company working out of a basement in the backwoods of Northern Manitoba can deliver relevant products or services to markets in Eastern Europe.  They know that economic backgrounds or what private schools you attended is not needed to become successful.  Anyone anywhere can be successful. 

Farewell,

Mike