the 5 keys to engaging millennials

Engaging Millennials

The 5 Keys to

Is there anything more important than ensuring

your millennial employees are completely engaged?

So how can you fully harness the insane

potential that your young employees are ready to unleash- given the right

conditions?www.E3.solutions

Simply focus on the following 6 areas:

Communicationwww.E3.solutions

Communication consistently ranks as the

most important leadership trait, yet it is also the one

most lacking amongst leaders today.

The way millennials communicate is

instantaneous and they expect, and need, clear

communication and immediate feedback.

However, according to a recent Gallup report:

Managers aren't providing the feedback millennials

want or need.www.E3.solutions

Only 21% of millennials meet with their manager on

a weekly basis.

However managers that meet with their direct

reports on a consistent basis see engagement

scores more than double (44% as opposed to 20%).

So check-in with your millennials at least once a

They also need to know what their work priorities

are and why it's important to the big picture.

Don't ever assume they have those answers!

And as their manager don't be afraid of over communication!

Remember, the quality and frequency of your

communication with your employees has a direct impact on their level of

engagement and performance!

Connection

Millennials are connected to everything and everyone.

They want and expect their boss to be more than a

delegator of orders!

Remember 1 out of 2 employees will leave their

job because of a lousy boss- one they didn't

feel any connection to.www.E3.solutions

Not to mention that leaders with strong personal ties to

their direct reports have employees with far higher engagement rates than

those that don’t.www.E3.solutions

To connect with your millennials, create greater trust and loyalty by being

more authentic.

Great leaders don’t fret over public opinion and

neither should you.

Let go of who you think you should be, and just be

yourself.

You will gain their trust and respect in the process.

Be vulnerable and Show them the real you.

We all have the same fears of not being good enough,

smart enough or worthy enough, so why pretend you are the exception?

Focus on your social and emotional intelligence.

How are you coming across?

Are you seeing yourself in their shoes?

What are they feeling?

Really listen to them, focusing on their tone and body language, and what's not being sad as much as

what is.www.E3.solutions

Carve out some time each week to grab lunch or a

coffee with your key team members.

Find out what they enjoy doing outside of work and

get to know them personally.

Let them know that you and the company care for

As their need to belong is met, they will give more of themselves, which, in turn, fuels their next need: their

need to contribute.www.E3.solutions

Contribution

We all want to be doing something significant with our lives and have those

efforts recognized.

According to Gallup's latest report on millennials:

Young employees find purpose to be more

important than paycheck.www.E3.solutions

If your millennials have no idea how their work makes

a difference than you'll probably be looking for their replacement in the

very near future.www.E3.solutions

Employees are happiest when they know they are making a difference and helping others, however, their contribution often

goes unnoticed.www.E3.solutions

This can quickly lead to resentment and disengagement.

Don't forget that for the last twenty years we've rewarded them for

everything- including twelfth place finishes.

So recognize and publicly celebrate their

accomplishments whenever possible.

You could also share a client's story that shows

them how they made a difference in someone

else's life.www.E3.solutions

Freedom

Self-direction is the key to performance, creativity and

engagement.

Employees are far more loyal and productive in

workplace environments that respect their freedom and encourage their self-

expression.www.E3.solutions

Millennials get this better than the rest of us, yet we are still stifling their creativity- holding onto outdated management

theories that don’t work.www.E3.solutions

To ensure they feel a sense of autonomy:

Remind them that everything they do is their

choice.

Choice is power, and when your junior workers believe they have a choice they will become more engaged in

the process.www.E3.solutions

Align their choices with their values, not their fears.

When we choose from fear, our actions lack power.

When we choose from our values our actions have

more power, more meaning and more energy.

You can also give your employees more flexibility

to accommodate their schedules.

Self-direction is the key to performance, creativity and

engagement.

Who works 9-5 anymore?www.E3.solutions

And decentralize whatever authority you can so your

workers have more decision-making power.

This will empower your team members and make your company much more

efficient.

Growth

If your millennials feel they aren't making progress in

their personal and/or professional development

they will soon become disconnected and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Ensure that each employee is constantly challenged so

that they can grow.

Talk to your millennials about their career path and

provide ways they can develop their leadership

skills.www.E3.solutions

More than six in ten millennials (63 percent) say their “leadership skills are not being fully developed” according to a report by

Deloitte.www.E3.solutions

If you can’t offer them onsite leadership

development then let them attend conferences

or workshops that will develop them so they can advance in their careers.

You could also encourage them to attend a

local Toastmasters club- or better yet- start one at your

company.www.E3.solutions

You can also help your millennials grow and build confidence by ensuring

they focus on their unique strengths and capabilities:

If your millennials feel they aren't making progress in

their personal and/or professional development

they will soon become disconnected and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Focusing on their weaknesses is the

quickest way to disengagement land.

Another way to promote growth is through

modeling.

Have inexperienced employees watch other

colleagues with similar skills perform more advanced

tasks.www.E3.solutions

Seeing others with similar abilities succeed at a task

will help them develop positive, “can-do” beliefs.

Finally, optimize the working environment so it inspires

high productivity.

Make sure it’s a vibrant, energetic, stress-free

workplace where employees get the food, exercise, rest and water

their bodies need so they can perform at their best.

Conclusion

The most engaging leaders are unleashing the

full power and creative energy of their millennials by focusing

on these five areas:www.E3.solutions

Communication Connection Contribution

Freedom Growthwww.E3.solutions

Great leaders know that what really motivates

millennials – once their basic financial needs have

been met.…www.E3.solutions

….is their desire to learn, grow and develop as leaders, connect and

collaborate with others and contribute meaningful work.

To become a more influential leader click here and download your free

Leadership Workbook

the 5 keys to engaging millennials

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