It’s commonly referenced that as a millennial I will have 5-7 careers in my lifetime. These reports on millennials in the workplace state that we are willing to leave a career – substantial salary and all – simply for the pursuit of something more engaging and fulfilling. Millennial career hopping does not necessarily have to be the case especially if organizations continue to change the way they manage their workforce.
The realization that money is no longer the only way to motivate and retain employees is becoming more apparent each year. By creating a social workplace, millennial workers no longer feel the need to look for something better. If you plan to attract and retain millennial employees, you must create a culture of participation by following these two steps:
Step 1: Be Social
Enhance your culture with more opportunities for two-way dialogue. This will transform employees from passive recipients to active participants. These conversations – online or face-to-face – will lead to relationships, and relationships lead to affinity. Online dialogue resonates with millennials and helps them understand how they fit into the overall scheme of an organization. By enhancing your culture with online dialogue you will create opportunities for millennials to feel valued.
Step 2: Trust Your Employees
A true social enterprise is about more than just introducing online media and networking tools. It’s about providing purposeful programs that actively invite participation. Your employees want to be heard and reassured that there is no penalty or consequence for being open with their thoughts – this is especially true for millennials.
This post was previously published on TemboSocial.
