How to – Leverage the Younger Worker If you didn’t catch the recent episode of 60 Minutes on CBS that highlighted the challenge of the Millennial (born 1980-1993) workforce, then you might have heard people talking about the challenge of attracting, retraining and working with the newest entries into the workforce.

Many Baby Boomers winced when they heard how they would have to change if they wanted to leverage the skills and talents of these workers. Take heart, older workers – it does not mean you have to allow yoga class and parties to take center stage. You don’t have to change everything – but you do have to change some things. Select a few from the following list to get started:

• Break down the silos, functions and hierarchies that exist within your business and replace them with a talent marketplace: a free flowing, market driven work environment where your talent flows to where the customer need or the value creation potential is greatest.

• Replace your current systems with sophisticated systems that deploy your human capital with optimal efficiency and impact, and which give you the quality and responsiveness of data that you can act upon immediately. Upgrade and update your firm’s HRIS system, website, job posting and application process and have a speedy intranet that employees can access from home as well as the office.

• Celebrate the ideas of your people in relation to helping the business add value and grow. Recognize and publicize people’s contributions and accomplishments. Spread the applause around.

• Transform how you communicate with people. Utilize the technology people are using (can you underwrite some IPods?) It’s been said that a podcast has more potency, relevance and impact than any company newsletter ever has or will. Communicate in the ‘language’ of your employees and their medium of choice in order to be heard.

How do YOU feel when you come to work? If you are excited about the mission and see that the values of the company are palpable when you enter the building, there is a better chance that your workforce will too. Do you feel better by being a part of things? Do they feel cooler by being part of your team? Creating that sense of belonging and pride is one way to leverage the talent of the younger worker.

Labels: management, Millenial, Workforce, young

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