What millennials are really looking for in the workplace

Millennials have a high tendency of job-hopping. It is not a surprising to see a 30-year-old has already changed jobs two or three times. Most of these millennials are not satisfied with their workplaces. More than half of them want to start their own companies in a year or so.

This is not so good for companies since it means losing trained employees every year and having to spend a lot of money and time to hire  and train others. It also limits a company’s abilities to reach their long-term goals. So what can businesses do to keep these creative and energetic millennials in a work place?

Feed their entrepreneurial spirit

Millennials are entrepreneurial, maybe more than any other other generation. They are excited by the idea of starting up their own businesses and encountering exciting opportunities. You would do well to feed their creative minds and provide tools to help in this. Millennials do not just want a salary, which is very important. They want to grow and discover just how much potential they have.

Provide flexibility

These young people do not want to be cooked up in the office all day even when there’s nothing much going on. They want the freedom to come and go. They are also trying to have a work-life balance. Take advantage of the growing technology that allows them to work at home from time to time.

If in doubt, try to measure the quality of their work when you provide flexible schedules and when there is a strict-in-office hours. You will notice that the quality improves when you give them time to spend with their families and also to develop themselves outside the office.

Give them a voice

From a young age, millennials have been given an opportunity to speak up and share their ideas. Find a way of getting their opinion especially when making a decision that affects them. Take advantage of their tech abilities and involve them in any innovation processes.

Millennials are not complicated. They are not lazy, as some people would have us believe. They just appear difficult to handle when you use the same tactics used on the older generations. A change of engagement strategy would work wonders in keeping them in your organization.