
Here are 4 tips to help you not only attract millennials, but properly manage a workforce that soon will be overflowing with them!
1. Embrace Flexibility
Millennials are interested in the perfect work-life balance. They work hard but want to have control over how they work. They are willing to sacrifice other aspects of their jobs (such as pay or location), if they have freedom and control over their work schedule. A recent PwC survey, of over 1,000 millennial workers worldwide, found that 64% of millennials would like to be able to work from home, while 66% wanted the ability to have flexible work hours.
Tip: Offer flexibility, whether in the form of work from home options or relaxed schedules. Encourage “Work from Home Fridays” or offer a co-working space subscription to local teams. Being flexible opens your company up to attracting top millennial talent and keeping them around.
2. Build Amazing Teams
Millennials want to love the company they work for; they also want to be a part of something awesome. When workplace culture is dull or low energy, teams can often have a hard time connecting and encouraging each other. Millennials are not interested in fake connections or being isolated at work. 71% of millennials actually want to think of their co-workers as a second family.
Investing in team building and encouraging your team to connect, is key not only to invigorating your teams but also to keeping millennials around!
Tip: Think outside the box when it comes to team building with millennials. At Museum Hack we use scavenger hunts and museum tours as adventurous and fun options for team building. These types of high energy activities are perfect for strengthening teams. The investment is well worth it as it helps teams bond and collaborate. Plus, the excitement of getting out of the office and doing something awesome together, will skyrocket morale.
3. Invest in Innovative and New Technology
Millennials may be the kings and queens of nostalgia, but technology is an essential part of who they are. From smartphone usage to tools for workplace efficiency, millennials crave innovative tech - and they need the company they work for to embrace it too.
Think about how technology affects your employees. Do you send paychecks in the mail? Do you have an outdated social media policy? Millennials expect the best. They want only the most amazing tools that will help them be more productive, more efficient and even more creative.
At Museum Hack we use dozens of tools, including: Slack, Facebook, Google Docs, Jazz, Justworks, I Done This, Upwork, EZtix and more.
Tip: Are there any tasks and projects that you could streamline with better technology? Boost communication by using collaborative software for messaging. Make your employees’ lives easier by using direct deposit for payments and paystubs.
4. Promote Professional and Personal Growth
It’s a common misconception that millennials aren’t loyal to companies. The truth is, they just want to feel valued. If you commit to helping them develop their skills and grow professionally, they will be committed to you.
A great way to promote professional and personal growth is through trainages! A trainage is a planned two-hour activity or event where the whole team learns a new skill together. Think of an activity that all your employees will benefit from and fits in with your company values. If your company is going through a particularly stressful time, take a mindfulness course. Do your employees give a lot of presentations? Try taking vocal lessons or an acting course. The perfect combination of professional development and fun, trainages can be critical to keeping your employees happy, engaged and feeling valued. At Museum Hack, we consider trainages an opportunity for the whole team to learn one skill together as a group. The activity or educational experience doesn’t even need to be directly related to a project or task.
Tip: The objective of a trainage is to provide your teams with amazing tools that they can use for professional and personal growth. At Museum Hack we’ve done everything from vocal coaching to improve lessons. Think about what type of skills would help your teams do their jobs even better!
The small changes that you can make to company culture and structure are critical for attracting millennials and keeping them around. As long as you are committed to investing in your teams and showing them they are valued, your team will stay committed to your company! Don’t be overwhelmed by all these examples, but take it one step at a time, find what works best for you and your company!