How to Engage Millennial Talent
Ms. Pomerantz is the CEO of TPG HR Services USA and has over 35 years of Human Resources practices experience. She holds a Master’s in Human Resource Management (MHRM) and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Mary also serves as CEO of Mary Pomerantz Advertising, one of the largest recruitment advertising agencies in the country. Earlier in her career, she was president of the 17th largest staffing firm in the country.
3 Ways to Attract the World’s Largest & Most Influential Workforce
More than one-in-three American workers today are Millennials (adults ages 18 to 34 in 2015), and this year they surpassed Generation X to become the largest share of the American workforce, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.[1]
We’ve heard it for some time now: Millennials, slowly but surely, would consume the workforce. With a low tolerance for traditional advertising and a penchant for challenging the status quo, “Generation Y’ers” have officially come to town.
Millennials are attracting the attention of popular HR bloggers, news sources, and hiring managers, seemingly ad infinitum. And they are doing so for good reason. Millennials act differently in the workplace. They approach problems differently. They reason and solve differently. They value their work and believe that purpose takes precedent over profit. Millennials know that they can complete some of their best work in “off hours” from outside the office. Millennial employees are different.
Millennials approach problems differently.
So now, your hiring team and HR department are tasked with attracting, onboarding, and orienting the new age, tech-friendly millennial employee. But how can you ensure that your company will appeal to them? Hint: It’ll involve making some changes and will pay off immensely.
Make It Matter
One way to engage millennial talent with Gen. Y employees is to let them know how your company is trying to do something or taking some action that might benefit society. Gen. Y employees want to know that they influence the surrounding communities, both professional and social, in a positive way. Now obviously, this doesn’t mean you need to scrap your business model and open up an environmental safety 501(c).
According to Deloitte’s 2015 Annual Millennial Survey[2], 6 out of 10 Millennials cited a “sense of purpose” as the reason for choosing a particular employer. The number is even higher among “super-connected” individuals (those who are relatively higher users of social media platforms); nearly 80%.
Give Them a Life, Not a Just Work/Life Balanceposse
The next slew of employees that will help innovate your business will likely probably have different work habits than their predecessors. Unlike their parents, millennials expect to be able to work in different places and at different times. For business owners trying to attract millennial talent, this means encouraging the possibility of travel and the use of alternative schedules. Does this mean that everyone will immediately flee the office? Of course not. But it’s an option a business owner needs to consider if they want to really engage millennial talent.
Creating a lifestyle for a business is just like building a brand. Business owners need to cultivate trust with potential employees by creating an open, flexible and appealing company culture.
Lead With Your Best Idea
Regardless of freedoms provided or liberties allowed, employees need to be led. But millennials don’t just want a boss. They want mentors, leaders, inspiring figures, and visionaries. Millennial employees want to be fueled and tasked to reach new levels of personal growth and professional achievement. Although they’ve already established themselves as the overwhelming party of candidates available, they require managers and sound guidance. Again according to Deloitte’s Millennial Survey, 39% of Millennials define a true leader to be first and foremost, a strategic thinker.
Closely behind, 37% believe inspirational leadership is one of the most important qualities for managers. 31% of millennials say they define their ideal leader as a visionary. At the lowest end of the spectrum, only 6% thought that being autocratic signified a good leader while a meager 10% found financial-driven decisions to be the mark of a quality manager.
Contact us today at 732-917-6000 to learn more about our many HR services and how we can help your business engage millennial talent.