Millennials are a coveted species in the modern business world due
not only to aged Boomers and aging GenXers, but also because they are
the first generation to be hatched into the digital world having known
no other. They intuitively embrace technology, and it seems as if the
only way they know how to think is outside the box. They are also known
for their willingness to jump ship in an eye blink to what they perceive
as a better workplace.
Video: Discover what’s inspiring your employees every day.
As a result, retaining younger talent has become a pressing need as they account for an increasing percentage of the global workforce. And job one in succeeding at keeping Millennials happy at work is providing them with greater flexibility within their working lives. To do that, says Mike Fitz, Vice President of Business Solution Commercialization at Sprint, your business must take an inherently different approach to pleasing Millennials, whether it involves the structure of the workday or the technology you ask them to use.
“Because Millennials are so connected, their work-life balance is blurring,” Fitz says. “They bring new expectations with them to the job.” Even simple fixes such as allowing personal cell phones and getting rid of mandatory work desks can make it more pleasant when coming into the office. But deeper strategies to keep Millennials engaged mean creating opportunities for them to grow within the company, rather than looking for challenges elsewhere.
How Millennials are changing the way your business works.
Engagement beyond Millennials
From Fitz’s perspective, the talent retention game today goes beyond just Millennials. In the next few years, Fitz predicts that companies will need to think about engaging the contractors and temporary employees who have become integral to the company’s operations and will comprise 40 percent of the American workforce by 2020, according to software company Intuit.
For many businesses, this poses the unique challenge of making non-employees feel welcome enough to help innovate as part of the team. Unlike company initiatives mandated by those in the C-suite, many of the most effective strategies that lead to employees feeling connected to their jobs begin at the local level, according to Gallup, which completed a multiyear study, "State of the American Workplace," last year.
But for large and mid-size companies, figuring out how exactly to engage employees at all levels presents the biggest challenges. Until recently, companies were more focused on looking outward for growth than brainstorming internally about how to keep employees happy. In the last 10 years, many have realized that anything from seeking internal feedback to flexible workplace initiatives can play a major role in employee engagement, and help them grow by tapping into homegrown talent, say experts.
When Fitz needs to meet with some of the 400 employees who report to him, he taps into the same technology capabilities that he’s helped champion to Sprint’s own clients. He uses Cisco’s videoconferencing platform, which allows him to see his reports “face-to-face” while collaborating on presentations, without flying around the country. For Fitz, it’s a chance to keep even his most distant reports engaged by using virtual whiteboards or peering over the same reports. “No matter where I live, I can’t be in the office with all of them,” he says.
While this isn’t entirely new technology, companies that have made an effort to adopt these simple solutions are finding that their employees are more engaged. Even small fixes can turn tuned-out employees into satisfied ones who enjoy doing their jobs. Employees who feel a profound connection to the company can drive innovation and move the company forward, according to Gallup.
For companies like Sprint, having engaged employees who are thinking about their job doesn’t just impact the day-to-day atmosphere, it’s also a nod toward the bottom line. Gallup’s findings showed that despite engaged workers being more productive, more profitable and having less turnover, only one in three U.S. workers actually are engaged at work. Globally, only one of eight workers feel engaged at work. More importantly, companies with the most engaged employees had 147 percent higher earnings per share, according to Gallup’s findings. On the other hand, disengaged employees not only hinder productivity but can also spread the same negative attitude to other employees—especially after the six-month honeymoon period of starting a new job is over. “Engagement drives productivity,” Fitz says. “If you want your company to be productive you need to embrace that mantra.”
Video: Discover what’s inspiring your employees every day.
As a result, retaining younger talent has become a pressing need as they account for an increasing percentage of the global workforce. And job one in succeeding at keeping Millennials happy at work is providing them with greater flexibility within their working lives. To do that, says Mike Fitz, Vice President of Business Solution Commercialization at Sprint, your business must take an inherently different approach to pleasing Millennials, whether it involves the structure of the workday or the technology you ask them to use.
“Because Millennials are so connected, their work-life balance is blurring,” Fitz says. “They bring new expectations with them to the job.” Even simple fixes such as allowing personal cell phones and getting rid of mandatory work desks can make it more pleasant when coming into the office. But deeper strategies to keep Millennials engaged mean creating opportunities for them to grow within the company, rather than looking for challenges elsewhere.
How Millennials are changing the way your business works.
Engagement beyond Millennials
From Fitz’s perspective, the talent retention game today goes beyond just Millennials. In the next few years, Fitz predicts that companies will need to think about engaging the contractors and temporary employees who have become integral to the company’s operations and will comprise 40 percent of the American workforce by 2020, according to software company Intuit.
For many businesses, this poses the unique challenge of making non-employees feel welcome enough to help innovate as part of the team. Unlike company initiatives mandated by those in the C-suite, many of the most effective strategies that lead to employees feeling connected to their jobs begin at the local level, according to Gallup, which completed a multiyear study, "State of the American Workplace," last year.
But for large and mid-size companies, figuring out how exactly to engage employees at all levels presents the biggest challenges. Until recently, companies were more focused on looking outward for growth than brainstorming internally about how to keep employees happy. In the last 10 years, many have realized that anything from seeking internal feedback to flexible workplace initiatives can play a major role in employee engagement, and help them grow by tapping into homegrown talent, say experts.
When Fitz needs to meet with some of the 400 employees who report to him, he taps into the same technology capabilities that he’s helped champion to Sprint’s own clients. He uses Cisco’s videoconferencing platform, which allows him to see his reports “face-to-face” while collaborating on presentations, without flying around the country. For Fitz, it’s a chance to keep even his most distant reports engaged by using virtual whiteboards or peering over the same reports. “No matter where I live, I can’t be in the office with all of them,” he says.
While this isn’t entirely new technology, companies that have made an effort to adopt these simple solutions are finding that their employees are more engaged. Even small fixes can turn tuned-out employees into satisfied ones who enjoy doing their jobs. Employees who feel a profound connection to the company can drive innovation and move the company forward, according to Gallup.
For companies like Sprint, having engaged employees who are thinking about their job doesn’t just impact the day-to-day atmosphere, it’s also a nod toward the bottom line. Gallup’s findings showed that despite engaged workers being more productive, more profitable and having less turnover, only one in three U.S. workers actually are engaged at work. Globally, only one of eight workers feel engaged at work. More importantly, companies with the most engaged employees had 147 percent higher earnings per share, according to Gallup’s findings. On the other hand, disengaged employees not only hinder productivity but can also spread the same negative attitude to other employees—especially after the six-month honeymoon period of starting a new job is over. “Engagement drives productivity,” Fitz says. “If you want your company to be productive you need to embrace that mantra.”
Hello, my name is Mohd Azahar. I'm a self-employed Pivrate from the India.
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