6 Tips for Retaining Millennials
by Lisa Orrell


To many employers, the Millennials (Gen Y) are a mystery. Research shows they
are a unique generation that has no trouble telling employers what they want and need to be happy at work.

These tips help front-line Boomer and Gen X supervisors retain their valuable Millennial talent:

1. Constant Contact: Robert Half International and Yahoo! HotJobs polled more than 1000 Millennials about what they wanted from an employer. Over 60% responded that they wanted to hear from their managers at least once a day. The message is clear. They want to communicate with you often!

2. Praise Culture: Many companies are shifting to a praise culture to retain Millennials. In doing so, it also improves retention of Boomer and Gen X employees! Have fun with this. I know one company that appointed a “celebrations assistant” in their office to throw confetti on employees (in their cubes or offices) who had done something exceptional.

3. Rapid Advancement: Millennials dislike having to pay dues. If a Millennial employee is qualified for a promotion, many companies now offer one rather than give the position to someone with more tenure. What if they’re not qualified? Ask them to start the company blog, set-up a company page on MySpace, drive visibility on YouTube, or write an enewsletter column. You don’t always have to offer a raise or promotion; try being creative and increasing responsibility.

4. Cubicle Shackles: Millennials have a hard time understanding why they need to sit in a cubicle to do their job. They want the flexibility to work anytime, anywhere. Many companies are revamping their policies to provide flexibility as a recruiting perk.

5. Mentor Programs: Millennials have grown-up with a lot of guidance from parents and teachers. They expect handholding at work. If your company doesn’t offer a mentorship program, create one.

6. Curb Curt Communication: Millennials have a hard time working for managers who possess a curt communication style and cranky edge, and they won’t tolerate being spoken to in a disrespectful manner. Boomers and Gen Xers have been able to tolerate bosses like this, but Millennials often won’t!

As seen in this issue of Connections Magazine

Lisa Orrell