As a college professor, I am asked constantly how to deal with the work ethic (or lack thereof) and the entitled attitudes of Millennials, the newest generation entering the workplace. According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials are those individuals born after 1980 ― the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. In less than five years, Millennials will make up almost half the workforce.
The Millenial Workforce
In the popular press, Millennials have earned a reputation for being lazy, immature, narcissistic, and entitled kids who have grown up with technology and revolutionized communication through texting and social networks. Some call this generation “trophy kids,” referring to the way “helicopter parents” have placed them on a pedestal, nurturing their self-esteem and demanding trophies for seventh place. Some press has been kinder to this generation, labeling it confident, expressive, open to change, and dedicated to philanthropic causes (although some caveat the philanthropy, suggesting they do this for self-serving reasons ― i.e., something else to add to their resume to help get into the college of their choice).
Much of the purported research conducted on Millennials examines a limited subset of the population ― predominantly college students from affluent, suburban, white families ― essentially neglecting the experiences of minorities from poor communities with fewer opportunities. Furthermore, research on generational differences tends to downplay the individual differences that typically play a more significant role in workplace behavior.
There is some research that examines a more representative sample of Millennials that details some of their shared experiences we should take into consideration in the workplace. For example, in 2010, the Pew Research Center released data that showed Millennials are more ethnically and racially diverse than any previous generation. They are also less religious, more liberal, and the most educated generation in U.S. history. Seventy-five percent use a social networking site, 20 percent have posted a video of themselves online, and almost 40 percent have a tattoo. Sixty percent were raised by two parents, and in general, they place parenthood and marriage well above career and financial success when evaluating priorities. Millennials also indicate that what makes their generation unique is their use of technology.
Of particular concern for Millennials is the shrinking labor market, which has left a highly educated population with fewer options for employment. Indeed, 37 percent of Millennials are unemployed or absent from the workforce. As a result, many Millennials are staying with their current employer out of necessity. What that means for business is that this generation of new hires will need to be developed in-house to maximize their effectiveness within the organization.
Unfortunately, many organizations today are facing financial constraints that limit expenditures for HR programs. That means we have to think more creatively about how to deliver quality development opportunities with limited resources. One option is to take advantage of your current resources ― the experienced, senior leaders in your company ― and implement a mentoring program.
From Boomer to Gen Y: What’s Working in Multi-Generation Workforce Management
Traditional Mentoring: Career and Social
Traditionally, mentoring is an interpersonal exchange between a senior, experienced colleague (mentor) and a less experienced junior colleague, with the mentor providing support, direction, and feedback regarding career plans and personal development. Mentors typically provide two basic types of support: career and social.
Career support focuses on advancing the employee’s career by giving him or her exposure and visibility, job coaching, and challenging assignments. A mentor might let a mentee take the lead on a larger-scale project that stretches his or her skill set. In the process, the mentor would offer coaching and advice on how to meet the project’s demands. Perhaps most important, mentors can provide career support by introducing mentees to influential networks of senior leaders who can help them successfully navigate the corporate culture.
Social support, on the other hand, focuses more on the interpersonal relationship and building the mentee’s confidence. Mentors may offer counseling and friendship, giving advice to mentees on how to deal with the many personal and social challenges within the workplace.
Research demonstrates that these traditional types of mentoring programs have distinct benefits for both the employees who participate and the organizations that maintain the program. Specifically, employees who participate in mentoring relationships tend to earn more money and receive more promotions than those who are not involved in a mentoring relationship. Mentored employees report greater levels of both job and career satisfaction. Organizations also benefit from having more committed employees and lower turnover. One recent study showed that having a mentor reduced the odds of turning over by 38 percent. This is an especially important statistic to consider when retaining key employees is a concern.
Whereas the benefits of these traditional programs are clear, new platforms may provide similar benefits with fewer resource commitments and more engagement of the Millennial generation. In a 2010 Harvard Business Review article, Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd describe three innovative approaches to mentoring designed specifically for Millennials. Of course, these programs could be implemented across the organization to reach any group of employees.
Dr. Allison Burgess Duke is an Assistant Professor of Management and the Director of the Master of Human Resources program at Lipscomb University. Prior to joining Lipscomb, Allison was HR Manager at Aspect Communications and Progeny Marketing Innovations. Her research has been published in Leadership Quarterly, the Journal of Business Ethics, the Journal of Applied Psychology, the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Management Decision, Social Influence, and the Journal of Applied Social Psychology.