Millennials in the Workplace-Whose problem is it?

Before you start writing your comments criticizing me for writing another article about Millennials ruining the workplace, read on. I am taking a whole different approach with this article. I find these so called problems to be more stereotypes than actual fact.

As someone who has and does manage Millennial workers, I do not believe the issue lies strictly on the shoulders of the Millennials, the issue is ours as leaders.

If a business does not adapt to the changing marketplace, it becomes irrelevant and goes out of business. I would contend that this same philosophy extends to leadership, if you do not change with the market you too become irrelevant as a leader.

Let’s look at a few of the stereotypes associated with Millennials and see who’s problem it really is, theirs or ours?

1) They are entitled – They do not want to pay their dues. Although it may be true that some Millennials want to advance quicker in their careers and feel they deserve to, many of us today still tend to live by some archaic belief that “they have to pay their dues like we did”. Companies have different criteria for advancement now. Organizational structures have evolved, so has the business world, so should you.

2) They are “Job Hoppers” trying to get that promotion– Studies show that Millennial workers would in fact take lesser pay to work in an employee focused organization that values their employees and shows it through company culture.

So logic would say that if this is the case, then the Millennial workers are leaving to find a better work environment, not for a promotion. You may have to actually engage them on a personal level and create a positive open work environment you know that Emotional Intelligence thing you keep reading about.

3) They question authority – This is a myth. The truth is that they want to have things explained to them and they want to understand the reasoning behind the actions. They want input into the plan. 

Your ego interprets that as questioning your authority. The days of “Because I said so” or “ That is the way it has always been done” are gone. Take a few minutes to discuss the plan with them. Open your mind and your ears, you may just learn something that makes your team better and betters you as a leader.

4) They think they know everything - They don’t want input – This is another myth. They don’t want to be micro-managed nor do most people. My experience tells me that Millennials do in fact want input and feedback. The difference is that they do not want it once a year during an archaic process know as the annual review. 

They want immediate and consistent feedback. I can hear you now, “I don’t have time to coddle them. I think they call that coaching, try it, it might make your team better.

I think you can see from the few examples above that I feel strongly that the so called problems with Millennials lie on our shoulders not theirs. As a leader I want people on my team who can bring new, fresh ideas, who are willing to challenge me to be better and yes they might just know something I don’t.

We can be mentors to the Millennials, trust me they want mentors, but they can also mentor us on the things we can do better as well. We can all learn something new, if you stop learning you die.

It's easier to not take responsibility and hide behind these stereotypes than to change and adapt. Managers and bad leaders do this.

As a leader, you can choose to adapt and be effective or become irrelevant. I chose to adapt, what do you choose?