Leveraging the Abilities of Millennials in the workplace

Millennials are often depicted as a generation that communicates exclusively through electronic devices and is incapable of face to face communication. This stereotype follows millennials into the workplace and is sometimes frowned upon by Gen Xers and Baby Boomers in the office.  Millennials now occupy over one-third of the US workforce, a percentage that will continue to increase as the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement.  Understanding the mindset and goals of millennials is one of the best ways to leverage their strengths in the workplace.

Millennials and technology = peanut butter and jelly

Technology is here to stay and using it properly is an excellent way to grow business, membership, or sales. Millennials know how to utilize technology for networking and marketing. Allowing millennials to influence and lead your organization’s technology department is a strategic and intelligent move.  According to Case Foundation.org, millennials are influenced by the decisions and behaviors of their peers. In the right context, this is great news for businesses that employ millennials. How do you reach your millennial audience? You reach them through your millennial employees.

Millennials want to give back to their community

Organizations that make a point to “do good” are highly attractive to millennials. Take Toms for example…for every pair of shoes purchased, Toms will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. Millennials put in their best work for a good cause,  bolstering the reputation of your organization. In fact, more than half of all millennials claim they have done volunteer work within the past year. Adopting a culture of giving within your organization will beckon millennial talent in the office and membership.

Millennials seize opportunity

The era of graduating college and immediately finding a stable job are in the past. Many millennials know the struggle of obtaining gainful employment, this has nurtured a generation that is thankful for new opportunities. Additionally, millennials are more likely to be creative and entrepreneurial; they have adopted the Harvard mentality that it is more prudent to create a job than to find one. The sense of entitlement that is commonly attributed to millennials is a farce fed by the Kardashians and other reality television stars. As employees millennials are driven, creative, and dependable.

Associations frequently report difficulty reaching the younger generation, but it doesn’t have to be a challenge.Tapping into the millennial workforce is your best bet at attracting the next generation of members.  Recruiting young talent brings a fresh perspective to the sometimes stale workplace, reigniting passions and purpose.

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