Generational Differences: Imagine Optimum Performance From Your Millennial Employees

Millennial employees seem to want something different than their coworkers, don't they? This is one of the biggest challenges in the workplace today; knowing what this generation wants from work that makes them enjoy giving their very best. It can get the best of Baby Boomer managers wringing their hands and saying prayers. Most research agrees on the areas of a job that will inspire Millennials and keep them at your company longer. They want to learn and will be more accepting of your advice if you know and understand what they respond to and use it to train and mentor them.

Here are four tips for inspiring Millennials to give their absolute best on the job:

Tip #1. Show Them Why. Be sure to tell Millennials how their specific work creates the product or service that helps people and fulfills the company purpose. First, you need to be clear about why you are doing what you do and to share it often. Then, help them see how they are an important part of this primary purpose of your organization and how they make it active on a daily basis. They look for relevance and meaning in their work and need to know that it is a priority for the company leaders as well.

Tip #2.Offer Opportunities to Contribute. Offer them real opportunities to problem-solve with their colleagues. It is true - early on they will tell you how things can be done faster and cheaper. They are not just showing-off but, may have some concrete suggestions that will improve the bottom line. Be open and treat them as peers, not as "wet-behind-the-ears". Being valued and respected will bring out the best in them.

Tip #3. Give Them Rewards. When they do make a contribution, make sure that they are rewarded. It's a video-game thing!; they work at it, they score and they get immediate feedback in points and the points get them a prize! No kidding, this works for them.

Tip #4. Help Them Develop Networks. Millennials are free-agents when it comes to their careers; they are assembling skills and contacts that will help them become more valuable to you and get them where they want to go. They want to be leaders and managers some day. If your company is providing them social and professional relationships within the organization and the industry, they will value their job and stay with it longer. These points are particularly important to Millennials but, you may find that all of your employees respond favorably to these priorities and are meeting their maximum potential!

And, that's a good thing!

So, put these priorities to work and see how they improve your Millennials' performance.