Working Effectively with Millennials

If you are from an earlier generation than the generation classified as Millennials, you probably view business and technology differently than younger generations do. In fact, you probably see obvious differences, at least on the outside.

The negative (and somewhat unfair) reputation of Millennials

Millennials (those born between 1977 and 1992) have some negative qualities attached to their generation. Then again, that can be said of every generation. If you are confused about that age range, it is probably because Millennials used to be known as the generation that was born between 1980 and 1992. However, that has been revisited to include additional years on the front end. Anyway, some of the negative qualities that have been assigned to that generation are not deserved and some are. Of course, the other thing to keep in mind is that there are exceptions in every group of people and generalizing never really got anyone anywhere good.

Some of those negative attributes are:

• A strong sense of entitlement
• A constant pursuit of praise or compliments
• Continually having their faces buried in their phones or other mobile devices

While those attributes are based on facts, there are also a lot of positive attributes that should be acknowledged. In fact, those positive attributes outweigh the negative ones and that is exactly how you should think about Millennials. They have a lot of strengths and other generations can actually learn a great deal from them. You just need to be open-minded about it.

Here are some of those great attributes that should be leveraged by older generations.

• Accept that the world is changing and embrace the change: With the way that technology is coming at you at such a pace, it is critical for your business that you not only accept that change is all around but that you also embrace that change in the best way that you can. The fact is (of course, there are exceptions, just like with anything else) that Millennials are extremely technology-savvy. That doesn’t just mean that they are only knowledgeable about how to effectively use the technology that we have now. It also means that they are forward-thinking and creative about technology that will be emerging in the near and distant future. Of course, that translates to business in an extremely impactful way as well.

• Multitasking more effectively in business: In the fast-paced world in which we live, Millennials have learned to adapt (or they were born into it to a great extent) to whatever comes their way. Not only are they comfortable in this sort of an environment but they flourish and truly shine. Another one of the core values of Millennials is that they feel very strongly that there should be a work-life balance that keeps them healthy. They love their work but they also want lives. They won’t allow work to replace life, ever. The truth is that if the employees are happy, they will be more productive and the quality of the work will be better. It is truly a win-win situation.

• Cultivate your passion(s): Another core value of Millennials is that they don’t like to waste time on things about which they are not passionate. They feel that it is uninspiring to “waste” time at work or at home and they will never be even remotely satisfied with working just to collect a paycheck. It will never be enough for them. In other words, they will never agree to settle.

• Millennials are not afraid to take risks: The truth is that Millennials want a great deal out of life, which they are willing to take risks to achieve. They generally don’t view failures as failures. They consider them learning experiences instead, which, of course, is a much healthier way of viewing it.

• Millennials are happy to pay it forward: They care about the world in which they live and they want to make it a better place for them and for others. At the same time, they want to live comfortably. They are very happy to use the tools at their disposal to do what they can to carve out a great world. They are certainly not an apathetic generation. In fact, they are the opposite.

Conclusion

Millennials are a generation of people who feel that the world is theirs. However, with that in mind, they are also willing to work hard to ensure that the world in which they live is the best that it can possibly be for everyone who lives in it. Millennials embrace change as it comes about. They are also open-minded about accepting new ideas. Other (older) generations can certainly learn a great deal from them so that everyone lives in greater harmony.

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