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What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Working with Millennials

By Mekari TalentaPublished 22 Jan, 2022 Last updated 20 March 2024

I recently sat down with a mentor whom I know since my college years.

He is kind of 30-something man who has successfully climb a corporate ladder from Junior Analyst to Engagement Manager in one the most influential consulting company.

One of the topics is working with millennials, my peers.

One of our conversations that crushed me was, he told me the turnover in his company.

He complained a lot that most of young consultant at his company tend to quit their work in less than a year of their tenure.

At the same time, I nodded my head because I guess I feel the same symptoms.

I told him that I brace myself took a plunge from my previous job at global telecommunication company to a start-up where 100 percent of my coworkers are my peers, which is millennial generation.

Although he is quite deplore my decision and his opinion about the younger workers at his company may be true in some points –often distracted by social media while working, slower in replying e-mail, you named it– but here is what I feel of working with millennials,

the same age group of people in order to reverse his gripe as well.

What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Working with Millennials

They have a great mix of work-life and balance

We live by the motto “work hard, play hard.”

I personally not willing to sacrifice my personal lives for the advancement of my careers.

When the working hours finish, they just go back home immediately.

Sometimes when they stay long night at the office, they just doing it purely for other activities such as badminton, movies, or playing video game.

Our contributions should never be measured by the number of late nights spent at the office but instead by the results realized, whether it’s producing high-quality work, beating project deadlines or thinking outside of the box in order to achieve great result.

As a manager, empower millennials to manage their own schedules, yet continue to motivate them to be diligent about their assigned tasks.

They are an excellent collaborator

At my company, our desks are arranged in an open floor.

Even up until now I still don’t have exact desk.

No one is isolated to the cubicles, including the CEO.

On the other hand, having a group setup lessens the sense of a corporate hierarchy and creates an ambiance of community.

The team dynamic in the office is augmented by bonding events activities, such as dinner and company outing that let employees have a chance to get to know one another personally.

I’m a strong believer that a team that is built on trusted personal relationships will lead to solidarity.

A long life learner

For this generation, work is associated with personal development.

The more they working, they will growing up as a long life learner although they are no longer in school.

Moreover they are perceived as the most educated generation.

They understand that learning can be realized from multiple sources.

Be it personalized learning or coaching activity in order to refresh and expand their education and ready themselves for the demands of a knowledge-based society.

They value happiness more than money

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

That’s the most famous saying among this generation. While the benefit that this company offer not as big as established company, I have to admit that contentment may be achieved by doing the things I love.

Even sometimes complicated bureaucracy is associated with the unwanted dramas and that’s the roots of stress at work.

I can say that I’m happier because I don’t need to deal with bureaucracy and can get more things done.

They are the most creative and passionate group of people I know

I’m grateful that I can find an environment where creativity is highly cultivated and appreciated.

Every feedback, regardless of your role are welcomed. Because for this company, being creative is the only way to solve the toughest challenge.

Although I’m a millennial myself, but I don’t know anything about managing this generation.

What I know is this: millennials appreciate for work-life balance, affinity for team collaboration and having passion for helping co-workers to make them an important asset in the workplace.

I never hesitate to tell each person how much I appreciate their work, whether it’s designing social media cover, or find the HTML code for company’s blog.

Adapting to the influx of millennials entering the workplace doesn’t necessarily mean that a company must overhaul its entire environment, but managers may have to make adjustments to their own management style instead.

At the end of the day, showing gratitude and respect is the best and only way to working with millennials.

Aside from that, a company could use HR software, for example Mekari Talenta to boost trust among the millennials worker.

HR team might trust Talenta application for handling payroll software, attendance management software, and all HR daily operations. Get a demo now here.

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Mekari Talenta
Mekari Talenta adalah software HR berbasis komputasi awan yang aman dan telah dipercaya oleh ribuan perusahaan di Indonesia. Profil ini dipetakan khusus untuk artikel-artikel editorial dari redaksi Insight Talenta.