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6 Tips for Managing Gen Y At Work
Written by Buddy Hobart on December 15th, 2009
Communication is everything, especially when it comes to managing Gen Y. Many managers often make the mistake of providing extraneous data, overly long instructions, and other information that young employees can’t see themselves actually using. However, Gen Y does want information, and they do want to be kept in the loop with what is happening in the organization. You’ll have to determine your own communication style with Gen Y, and it will probably be different than with older workers.
Here are some communication tips for managing Gen Y:
1. Cut the b.s.! Don’t try to hype Gen Y on the one hand, and don’t be subtle on the other hand. Just tell them your point.
2. Ask for their input. Ask for their ideas or reactions to policies, work, and so on. Don’t tell them that you’ll use their input unless you will. Being heard will tend to win them on your side.
3. Keep them in the know. All workers rate being kept informed high in their priorities, and Gen Y is no exception. Schedule regular meetings to review projects, adjust work-goals, and answer questions. Keep the pace fast. Explain the big picture and discuss your corporate strategic plan. It helps for them to understand the “30,000 ft. view.”
4. Let everyone teach. The best way for people to learn is to teach others. Generation Y employees learn well from each other, and they are often highly effective on-the-job coaches. You also extend your training dollars this way since one employee can take a course and then come back and teach others.
5. Encourage ongoing learning. Encourage Gen Y to set their own concrete learning objectives. Provide access to the materials they need to meet their learning objectives at their own pace.
6. Show them a growth path. The type of Gen Y employees you want will be unhappy if they think their jobs are dead end. They don’t see the point to experience just for its own sake. They want to be going somewhere. Either put them on big, multifaceted projects or move them laterally through different departments.
In summary, to get the most out of young workers you have to engage them. Keep them in the loop. Give them an environment that lets them expand and use their skills. Help them grow by allowing them to take on additional responsibilities and authority.
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