No one would ever lead a seminar called, How to Get the Most out of Your _______ Workforce (insert LatinX, African-American, Asian, Gay, Female or the subgroup of your choice). Most of us recognize that each of those groups is made up of individual human beings, and that everyone in a given group doesn’t behave the same way nor is motivated by the same things. Yet, many consultants are perfectly happy lumping all Gen Zers, Millennials or Gen Xers into the same bucket.
As experts in Human Resources (HR), the Davidson Group is passionate about creating strong work environments for all employees. There are over 71 million Millennials in the United States. They are currently between 25 and 40 years old. Keep reading to learn about motivating Millennials in the workforce.
Yes, some Millennials may have experienced a different type of parenting than other generations. Think about helicopter moms, bicycle helmets and how everyone gets a trophy. But when Millennials join your organization, they are really looking for the same things that previous generations were looking for. They want interesting, challenging work in an environment that is safe, positive and rewarding.
The six primary categories of motivators that determine whether a job is “interesting” to an individual haven’t changed and these motivators can be measured in job candidates to ensure a good fit for your organization. These motivators are listed below.
- Utilitarian – is this individual motivated by money?
- Individualistic – is this individual motivated by the pursuit of power and influence?
- Theoretical – is this individual motivated by a natural pursuit of knowledge?
- Traditional – is this individual motivated by the desire to maintain unity, order and tradition?
- Aesthetic – is this individual motivated by the pursuit of form, harmony and symmetry?
- Social/Altruistic – is this individual motivated by an inherent love of people and helping others?
Rather than focus on what they need to do to attract and retain Millennials based on age-based stereotypes, organizations should focus on simply building a great organizational culture. They should hire people whose motivators align with the position for which they are hiring them and the culture that they wish to reinforce. If an organization is built on trust, mutual respect, managerial credibility, opportunity and fairness, it will attract and retain great workers of all ages.
Contact the Davidson Group for a review of your organizational culture and hiring practices.
