About 75 million 'millennials' are either preparing to join or are joining the workforce, and for Kiara Smith, production co-ordinator assistant and copywriter at BBD, it is vital that companies learn how to utilise this resourceful generation group.
The results of the fourth annual ICT Skills Survey, compiled by the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) in partnership with ITWeb, highlighted the importance of the millennials generation group. Millennials, also referred to as Generation Y, are made up of those with birth dates ranging somewhere from the late 1970s and early 1980s to the early 2000s.
Described as idealistic, ambitious and culturally diverse, this group is commonly marked by an increased familiarity with communication, media and digital technologies. Although millennials can have commitment issues and are chronic entitlement sufferers, they are confident and extremely tech savvy, according to Smith.
A generation termed “online natives”, they have always had the Internet and cellphones, and now social media allows them to communicate instantaneously. The impact these young people have on technology is constantly improving and changing the ways businesses function, Smith notes.
For Smith, it is vital for companies to hang on to these qualified bright young minds by understanding how to manage them.
Targeting millennials
“Listen to the millennial employees and respect their ideas,” says Smith. “Your millennial employees are used to loving parents, who have scheduled their lives around the activities of their children. These young adults have ideas and opinions, and don't take kindly to having their thoughts ignored.”
According to Smith, millennials are always up for a challenge. “Boring is bad,” Smith says. “They seek ever-changing tasks within their work. Don't bore them, ignore them, or trivialise their contributions.”
Multitaskers by nature, businesses should take advantage of the fact that millennials efficiently do several things at the same time.
Millennials want to endorse and be endorsed; they need constant feedback and, in particular, praise, says Smith. They actively seek guidance and structure from their mentors. “So be a firm and fair leader, and create boundaries that help them map out their career paths.”
Companies should strive to capitalise on the millennials' affinity for networking, as these employees like to connect with others around the world electronically.
“The IT industry is traditionally poor at providing a life-work balanced workplace. Millennials work hard, but they are not always happy with 60-hour workweeks. Home, family, spending time with the children are priorities; do not lose sight of this. Balance and multiple activities are important to these millennial employees,” Smith says. To keep a millennial interested, it is vital to provide a fun, employee-centred workplace, as they enjoy their work and their workplace.
“Make your millennial employees happy in a fun, yet structured setting, and you are building the foundation for the superior workforce you desire. You are developing the workforce of your future,” Smith concludes.
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