The Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, have the lowest resistance to waiting to level up professionally. They have grown up at high speeds and for them immediate satisfaction is the norm. With an average workload of 12 to 18 months in the same business, as well as less loyalty to an employer than previous generations, Millennials are always on hand to go further if promotion does not seem to approach.
Maintaining workers from all generations is important. However, as the exponential growth in Millennials’ turnover is significantly associated with replacement costs, the eyes of human resources should focus exclusively on preserving the future workforce. Milennials are a force to be taken into consideration, at a rate that represents 50% of the workforce by 2020 and 75% by 2025.
What can human resources managers do for a generation that does not really like waiting?
People are more interested in what happens when they wait than how long they wait.
Do not allow your new recruits to get bored. Maintain their energy and enthusiasm by encouraging initiatives among workers, for example, volunteering. Be clear about the potential of the job. The first year is crucial as new employees are then weighing up whether they are worth wanting to stay or move on. You do not have to guarantee them immediate promotion. It takes time to improve their skills, deepen their knowledge and prove their value. However, if they are not given any kind of feedback or perspective, they are most likely to think they are stuck in a deadlock.
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The greatest influence on our feelings about expectation exerts the extent to which we think it is fair to expect.
The traditional theory of justice is based on “I come first, I move first”. This principle is generally accepted by more experienced workers, but it is at the heart of the gap between generations about what justice is.
Millennials do not think age or years of experience are fair criteria for professional promotion. As HR people, you need to set objective promotional criteria to show fair and consistent practices in selecting the most skilled person.
Also, think about becoming an “educational” company that will recognize the potential of Millennials and finance their professional development as the budget allows it. Innovative companies are expanding rotation for new employees because directors and Millennials can mutually determine which sectors are best suited to harness employees while serving the needs of the company.
A long and unpleasant wait can prevent a person from even going into the process of waiting.
Customers evaluate if they are going to have a positive experience before they even go into a store. In the same way, Millennials tend to have increased expectations about the expected experience offered by the workplace before they even get to its door.
Many candidates form the first impressions of a workplace based on their experiences on social media platforms. They will apply for a job, and thus into the process of waiting to level up in a company, only after being satisfied with the quality of the promotional videos, websites and other employer branding policies.
The challenge of the Human Resources department is to strike a delicate balance between respecting all generations and co-existing with the new facts. A good start for those in charge of the sector is to understand how employees are now responding to waiting (attracting applicants), staying in it (retention of employees), and the sense of pleasure during this process (incentives for employees).
Inspiration: www.shrm.org
