This is a guest post with edits by Lei Han

Millennials officially became the most populous segment of the U.S. workforce in 2016 and by the following year stood tall at 56 million total contributors. It’s a trend that isn’t going away any time soon, either. 

As Generation X and the baby boomers continue to make room for the new wave of young blood (and begin to look for space for the even larger Generation Z crowd that’s following in their wake) it behooves business leaders to pay attention to the shift in professional attitude and culture that this unique group of employees brings along with them. 

Why Millennials Are Different

No one generation is superior or inferior to others. However, that doesn’t change the fact that each one has its own particular strengths and weaknesses.

The one-two punch of the Great Depression and World War II turned an entire generation of individuals into the “Greatest Generation.” Baby boomers grew up in a brave new mid-20th-century, Leave it to Beaversociety. Generation X was born into a strange hybrid of unparalleled peace and prosperity set against the backdrop of the Cold War. Generation Z has had the one-of-a-kind experience of being the first group of people in history to be fully immersed in a technological age from birth.

So, where do millennials fall in all of this? What is it that sets them apart from the pack? While over-simplification is always a fear with these kinds of blanket statements, there are two major events that stand out in the development of the millennial generation.

The first revolves around technology. Millennials, by and large, were born into a world in which the internet was either brand new or didn’t even exist yet. They then proceeded to live through a shocking evolution as they witnessed the birth of everything from flip phones and iPods all the way to Smart homes and self-driving cars. 

The other element that factors heavily into the millennial experience is the Great Recession. Roughly half of the generation was financially established (just barely) when the economic disaster struck and had to watch their fledgling efforts washed away in the aftermath. The other half were still growing up, lived through the stress and fiscal anxiety, and then began to build their lives during the recovery. Either way, the scarred financially conservative mindset it fostered is quite understandable.

In the grand scheme of things, millennials are simply another group in a long list of generations that have come before and will continue after them. However, their unique experiences make employing and leading these 21st-century mavens an interesting task that, when done well, can yield incredible benefits.

Managing Millennials

While managing always starts with a great amount of skill and wisdom, here are five tips to keep in mind specifically when managing a millennial-dominated workforce.

Tip 1: Empathize with Their Motivations

It’s been the Golden Rule for time immemorial:do unto others as you would have them do to you. Richard Branson of Virgin brand translated this into a corporate maxim by explaining that part of creating a great company can be found through leadership treating employees the same way they would want to be treated. 

This is especially true for millennials, who are committed to finding positive work experiences, respectful treatment, and general appreciation. These typically rank even above financial compensation. In short, millennials want to be treated well. If you don’t respect your millennial employees, they’re not likely to respect (or cooperate with) you, either. Make sure to treat them as human beings with their own goals and desires. 

This can manifest through things like creating flexible work schedules and allowing for remote work when possible. Make sure to integrate modern, millennial-backed causes and trends like Corporate social responsibility and workplace wellness into your strategies, as well.

Tip #2 – Embrace Their Skill Sets

Remember that millennials know a lot about modern technology— likely more than yourself. It’s important to keep that in mind and be okay with that fact. Rather than stereotypically looking down on millennials for “playing with their silly technology,” acknowledge and embrace the skill set that a firm grasp of modern tech brings to the table. Look for ways to pick their brains, draw them into the conversation, and implement their knowledge in ways that can help with productivity and efficiency within the workplace.

Tip #3 – Develop Their Skill Sets

Most millennials are typically fast learners. They’ve developed the skills to learn new things through a lifetime of change and constant evolution. They also expect to be given opportunities to build on their skills throughout their professional careers. Providing these is key. If you’re managing millennials, make sure to take the time to look for ways to further develop their knowledge within their field. In addition, make sure to give personalized, specific feedback consistently. Praise positive results and behaviors and graciously point out weak areas in order to give them further opportunities to grow both their hard and soft skills.

Tip #4 – Acknowledge Their Individuality

Along with helping millennials to develop their skill sets, it’s important to let them know that you hear them individually. Don’t treat them as a group that you’ve already figured out. Millennials crave individuality and the affirmation of their particular ability to make a difference. Make an effort to communicate openly and genuinely with each member of your team and take the time to invest in them individually. This leads to the natural side effect of encouraging your employees to invest themselves more completely into their work. 

Tip #5 – Empower Them with Responsibility

Last but not the least, delegating tasks and then empowering your millennial employees to do them on their own can be an invaluable tool in increasing their productivity. Allow them to come to you with problems and concerns and give them the space to prove to you that they can consistently achieve results. 

A Final Encouragement

Remember that modern millennials don’t fear change when it comes to long-term employment. If they feel that they aren’t connecting with their boss, have no purpose, or are stagnating in their professional career, they’ll look for opportunities to move on. 

However, if you take the time to boldly engage with, listen to, encourage, empower, and develop your millennial employees, you’ll help shape them into powerful, productive, and genuinely invested additions to your team.

Your comments: How do you motivate and develop millennials on your team? If you are a millennial, do you think a manager who employ these tips above will motivate and retain you? why or why not? We look forward to your comments

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Guest Author: Charlie Fletcher is a freelance writer from the lovely “city of trees”- Boise, Idaho. When not writing, she can be found exploring the great outdoors or geeking out over the latest Game of Thrones fan theories.