Managing the "Entitlement Generation"

- Jennifer Hu (info@zweigwhite.com)

This article originally appeared in the April 30, 2007 issue of The Zweig Letter, the only weekly management newsletter written exclusively for principals and managers of architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms.

The "Entitlement Generation," also called "millennials," consists of employees born between 1980 and 1994. They are the children of Baby Boomers (born 1945 to 1965), and employers are beginning to feel their presence and influence in the workplace.

As with preceding generations, millennials were raised in their own unique era. They are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in American history and the most educated generation to date, with 64% of females and 60% of males attending college. More than half of them are children of divorce, though most were raised by both parents who actively participated in their upbringing— providing children with a strong sense of self-confidence.

The invention of safety helmets, child restraints, and car seats, along with laws targeting "deadbeat" dads and tougher punishment for child offenders, were first enacted during the millennial generation, which further shaped millennials' sense of specialness. And, of course, one of the most undeniable features of this generation is its focus and reliance on technological advancement. With the invention of and access to the Internet, e-mail, instant messaging, text messages, cell phones, and digital cable, millennials were reared in a world where a button brought instant gratification.

Understanding the world millennials come from may help managers realize that it takes a different set of skills and criteria to motivate and inspire millennials in the workplace. Employers may find themselves needing to change their business practices to retain their best millennials. Keep in mind these tenets when managing this generation of young staff members:

Provide a formula for success

Millienials are a generation of high achievers who have benefited from parental guidance, starting with T-ball to community service projects for the college admissions process. They thrive on concrete milestones and want to understand the steps they need to take to achieve success.

Provide regular feedback

Millennials have grown up in an instantaneous world with Internet access, cell phones, and text messaging. They are accustomed to regular and constant communication, information exchange, and affirmation. Millennials respond well to individualized attention, so one-on-one mentoring will communicate to them a sense of caring and instill a sense of loyalty. A steady stream of commentary on performance is necessary for this generation so once-a-year performance evaluations probably won't be enough.

Incorporate their ideas

Millennials want to be incorporated into the decision-making process and feel that their opinions and ideas are considered and implemented. Create opportunities for millennials to make decisions for themselves within established parameters, which will create a stronger sense of ownership and buy-in to the larger organization.

Provide training

Being better educated than previous generations, millennials expect to be taught how to do their job and given the right tools and knowledge to complete their tasks. Access to corporate training programs, on-the-job training, and continuing education is highly valued by this generation. To be on pace with technology-driven times, employers may find themselves getting more creative with training methods, resorting to training options such as podcasts to stream information to employees' cell phones, laptops, and iPods.

Put them on teams

Millennials have the highest comfort for teamwork of any prior generation. They enjoy making achievements as a group and belonging to a business unit, as opposed to being individual performers. They have been raised as part of a network— technologically and socially— so working together breeds creativity and satisfaction.

Create job satisfaction

Enriching work experiences and professional development, as opposed to maximizing financial success, tends to motivate millennials. They will seek positions that best use their talents and interests and this generation is content to change jobs until they find a position that aligns with their personal and professional goals.

The millennial generation is educated, motivated, and technologically savvy. Tapping into the talents of this generation presents a new set of challenges for employers and the future of today's firms rests on the employer's ability to do so.

*The original article can be found at the ZweigWhite Consulting website