If you are a baby boomer or a Gen X-er (or even Gen Z!), it might feel challenging or confusing to engage with millennials at work.
They have different tech habits, different expectations around communication, and different ideas about the role of work in their life. If you are from a different generation, millennials might feel like aliens, and managing them can be a perplexing and even irritating task.
But worry not. In this article, I’ll give you a breakdown of what millennials value and what they want out of work so you can become a pro at managing them.
Who Are Millennials?
The millennial generation (also known as Generation Y) is made up of individuals born between 1981 and 1996.
Millennials are tech-savvy. These digital natives came of age with the internet and they typically prefer texts or emails over phone calls.
The majority of millennials tend to value experiences over things and want to create meaningful lives filled with memorable experiences. This pours into their work too—millennials don’t want to be another cog in a machine; they are seeking purpose through their work.
Millennials are the most racially diverse generation of Americans compared to those that came before, and they had a large hand in electing Barack Obama, the first black president. They put a much greater value on social justice than previous generations.
They currently are the generation that makes up the largest part of the workforce with around 50 million full-time workers in the US, accounting for over 35% of the workforce.
8 Things You Must Know About Managing Millenials in the Workplace Today
Work has come to mean something different to millennials than it did to generations past. Here are some of the pillars of what millennials expect and want out of work. Consider this your cheat sheet for understanding and managing millennials.
Millennials need work-life balance
Millennials don’t want to burn out or overwork.
In the 2010s, everywhere you turned, people were talking about “hustle culture.” Experts speculate that the term cropped up as a response to the Great Recession of 2008. And the mindset took hold that if you want to get by you have to grind, put work at the center of your life, and trade leisure for side hustles.
But then the pandemic happened. And people got to take a breath and re-evaluate. And a lot of millennials realized that hustle culture wasn’t lifting them toward happiness, but sinking them into burnout.
Now, the pendulum has swung in the other direction. We are in an age of boundaries and self-care where millennials value their personal well-being above all else (including their company’s well-being). Asking a millennial employee to “take on for the team” may not bode well.
Surveys suggest that one of the top things millennials care about at work is that their employer values their well-being. They want to be treated as human beings and not metrics or productivity machines. It's crucial for their job satisfaction.
If millennials are burnt out, they might take matters into their own hands and “quiet vacation,” which is where they take time off work without telling their boss. Or they may “quiet quit,” where they become completely disengaged from their work and do the absolute minimum to get by.
One work-life pillar for millennials is flexibility. 74% of millennials want a flexible work schedule. As an employer, it may benefit you to offer more flexibility to your workers as long as they get their work done.
What you can do as an employer:
One switch you can make is to prioritize quality output over hours and a fixed schedule. As long as the work gets done, here are some approaches to consider:
Give employees more flexible schedules around what hours they work
Create more opportunities for remote work
Offer more PTO (some companies offer unlimited PTO)
Make your standard work week fewer than 40 hours (some companies have a four-day work week)
Millennials value personal and professional development
Personal development is in the millennial zeitgeist, and it has seeped into how they view every aspect of their life.
Millennials want to learn new skills, develop their mindset, and advance their careers. So, if you don’t invest in their career development opportunities, your employee retention rates may take a dip.
What you can do as an employer:
If you can help your employees grow, you’ll be in good shape. Here are a few ways to do that:
Hire in-house coaches
Create mentorship programs
Offer access to online courses, workshops, and training programs
Pay for attendance at industry conferences and events.
Millennials don't plan to be at your company for life
The average boomer spends 8 years and 3 months in a role. For generation x it’s 5 years and 2 months. How long do millennials spend in roles on average?
Only 2 years and 9 months!
Millennials don’t view jobs the same way older generations do. It’s not a place to stay forever. Jobs for millennials are often stepping stones for their careers.
Millennials don’t want to grow with their companies. They want a mutually beneficial arrangement. You scratch their back while they scratch yours.
There are a few reasons for this. For one, there is less upward mobility in companies than in the past, partially because churn is down and partially because boomers are retiring later than older generations. This means if a millennial wants to grow, they often have to look elsewhere.
And secondly, employees are more empowered and purpose-driven than before. So they are beginning to prioritize themself in a new way.
That said, it is possible to win their loyalty by creating a culture that radically values its employees. Buffer, for example, has a notoriously impressive people-first work culture with a 4-day work week and a required minimum 3 weeks vacation per year. And it’s no surprise that 49% of Buffer employees have been there for over 5 years, and 39% have been there over 7 years!
What you can do as an employer:
Take on people-first values so that millennials feel respected and genuinely love to be a part of your company. The higher their job satisfaction, the longer they’ll stay.
Here’s an article about what makes a workplace toxic—check it out to check your blindspots and learn what not to do.
It’s also helpful to accept that employees will leave for greener pastures. But if you build genuine relationships and stay in touch with people after they leave, your paths may very well cross again.
Millennials expect hybrid work
Since the world went remote during the pandemic, many millennials aren’t willing to go back to fully in-person work.
In fact, 64% of millennials want their work to be at least hybrid.
They value flexibility, autonomy, and efficiency too much.
In this day and age, there are effectively endless companies that millennials could work for. This means that if you don’t offer hybrid options, there are plenty of other companies that will, and this could be a deal-breaker for many millennials.
What you can do as an employer:
If you’re an in-person office, try allowing for one day per week to be remote.
If your office is already hybrid, consider polling your team and seeing if people want to work remotely more often. If the answer is yes, you could experiment with one more remote day per week.
Millennials prefer email over phone calls
Phone calls are a no-no for millennials. They tend to prefer asynchronous communication (like using Slack or email).
Unplanned phone calls or popping by their desk too often might make them feel anxious or annoyed.
This is partly because they value deep work and don’t want to be jarred out of their focus. And because many millennials find phone calls to waste too much time.
But another reason millennials hate phone calls is because they find them to be awkward. 81% of millennials feel apprehension and anxiety before making a phone call, and feel like they need to muster courage get through the experience.
What you can do as an employer:
If something can be communicated in an email, then use email. If typing it out feels complex, try a Loom video message or an audio message.
If it’s urgent, then write “URGENT” in the message and tell them when you need a response.
Millennials expect leadership to be transparent
Another priority for millennials is for management to be open, honest, and clear.
They want to know how the company is doing financially. They want to know the internal structure and how decisions are made. They want clear expectations and feedback from their bosses. They want communication norms and work-life policies to be overtly spelled out. They want clarity on potential career paths in the company. They want straightforward information on how compensation and bonuses are determined.
Part of the reason millennials want transparent management is because many of them were impacted by the 2008 recession. And for those who were burned by a skidding economy, disingenuous mortgages, or student loans, their trust was damaged.
Studies suggest that after 2008, more people started to believe that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” as well as that “hard work offers little guarantee of success.” All of this points to degradation of trust in those with wealth and power.
At the same time, thanks partially to thought leaders like Brené Brown, there has been a cultural movement to embrace vulnerability in work relationships and to desire it in leadership.
Simply put, millennials want their leaders to be honest, vulnerable, and transparent.
What you can do as an employer:
Create a feedback system that employees feel encouraged to use. Whether they give feedback through surveys or in 1-on-1s, empower their voice and make sure to listen.
Encourage an open-door policy where employees can come to leadership at any time to open up about concerns, offer suggestions, or ask for guidance.
Host regular all-hands meetings to make sure everyone is in the know on company updates, strategic directions, and performance metrics.
Hold consistent town hall meetings to create a communication channel between leadership and employees on company performance, KPIs, and challenges.
Millennials want feedback (but can be sensitive to it)
Many boomer workers or gen x-ers feel like millennials are too sensitive to receive feedback.
This isn’t entirely true. Research does indicate that millennials are more sensitive and can react negatively to critical feedback. And researchers speculate (but this is unproven) that parents of millennials raised them with constant praise, so when millennials aren’t praised for their efforts at work, it can feel like an attack to their worth.
However, numbers suggest that the vast majority of millennials want to receive feedback at work—both positive and negative. This is in large part because it helps them feel secure that they are on track to advance their career.
You should give feedback and direction to millennial workers, but the onus is on you to be more empathetic, gentle, and encouraging with your communication to ensure it is understood and applied to have the desired impact on the business.
What you can do as an employer:
Research indicates that millennials want to receive negative feedback “with empathy and concrete evidence to support it.” So, if you can give feedback with kindness, encouragement, and specificity, it can help them receive it as a learning experience.
Here is one framework you can use to deliver feedback:
Context: Talk about the specific moment and situation you are referring to
Observation: Explain factually what happened.
Result: Talk about any impact their actions had on you, team members, clients, or projects.
Expected next steps: Talk about what they can do next.
Millennials care a lot about diversity, equity, and inclusion practices
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, in the workplace refers to policies and procedures that encourage representation and participation of people of different genders, races, ethnicities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, and classes,” according to UPenn College of Liberal and Professional Studies.
Millennials have always valued DEI. But when George Floyd was killed in 2020, DEI (and other social justice initiatives) became a collective priority that is only getting stronger.
To be a company that values DEI means being fair and unbiased in pay, recruitment, and promotion. It also means creating a culture where people are treated respectfully and where discrimination (including microaggressions) is snuffed out. And it means creating a work environment where people of all backgrounds feel belonging and empowered to share their talents.
The key to valuing DEI is to mean it. It can’t just be a matter of checking a box, because millennials can smell performativity from miles away.
What you can do as an employer:
Here are four practices you can put in place, in order of positive ratings from employees:
Set up policies so that everyone gets treated fairly in hiring, pay, and promotions
Of employees who work for an employer who does this, 72% say it’s very/somewhat positive
Create opportunities for affinity groups or employee resource groups
60% say it’s very/somewhat positive
Create visibility around the salary ranges for all positions
60% say it’s very/somewhat positive
Create a paid position whose main responsibility is promoting DEI
60% say it’s very/somewhat positive
Host trainings or workshops on DEI
57% say it’s very/somewhat positive
4 Crucial Insights About Millennials’ Work Ethic
Some managers from older generations fail to understand the motivations and work ethic of millennials. As the generation that demands more from their workplace than those who came before them, motivating millennials and understanding their work ethic can be a puzzle at best and infuriating at worst.
But the truth is, millennials don’t lack work ethic. They just have different motivational levers than older generations.
If you can understand how millennials think and what motivates them, you’ll see they can work just as hard as other generations.
Millennials are motivated by meaning
64% of millennials want to make the world a better place.
But many aren’t content with doing that on nights and weekends. They want their work to be an outlet for their sense of purpose and to feel like it’s having a positive impact on the world in some way.
Millennials aren’t as willing as older generations to view work as a necessary evil that will pay the bills. They don’t want to be faceless workers on an assembly line. They want their work to matter.
What this means for those managing millennials:
Ideally, you can give your millennial workers assignments that they care about and that they feel good at (IE, work that hits their ikigai).
But depending on their skills and interests, this isn’t always 100% possible.
However, you can give meaning to their work by tying it to the company’s goals and mission.
Let each employee know how their tasks and projects fit into the company goals and KPIs. And let them know how the company’s goals and mission can impact society on a greater level.
Now, their tasks are no longer mundane and isolated. They are tied to a bigger mission that, hopefully, they believe is helping the world.
Millennials want to feel valued
Millennials want to be seen. It feels meaningful for them to feel acknowledged and recognized. And in fact, feeling unrecognized by leadership is the biggest driver of employee burnout.
They want to be acknowledged not only for their successful accomplishments but also for the effort they put forth.
If you can notice the small, hard-to-notice things, it will go a very long way.
Compliment them for the extra thoroughness you noticed in their last report. Or for how much they had to step outside of their comfort zone in the last project
Think of it this way—the more you put your attention on something, the more it will grow. So, the more you recognize your millennial employees’ efforts, dedication, and initiative, the more effort, dedication, and initiative they’ll put forth into the next project.
What this means for those managing millennials:
Make it a habit to casually appreciate them. It can go a very long way to say something like, “Hey, I just want to tell you that I noticed the extra attention you gave to that project. I really helped, and I see the work you’re putting in.”
Set up regular feedback sessions. Make it a habit to go over feedback in your 1-on-1s. But don’t just give constructive feedback, tell them what they’re doing well.
Create events to celebrate employees for their teamwork, growth, and achievements. You could even set up a system where anyone can nominate another teammate for recognition.
Millennials like to collaborate
88% of millennials prefer their work environment to be collaborative rather than competitive.
This means their greatest motivation might not be to beat their colleagues or be the best.
Their work ethic may instead stem from the synergy of building something with a team. From playing their unique role and trying to do their part to support their teammates.
This also means that the more belonging and connection they feel at the office, the more invested they’ll feel in the company and the more engagement they’ll bring to their work.
What this means for those managing millennials:
Here are a few ideas you could try where they make sense for your workplace and goals:
Create team projects where employees are tasked to build something with one or more collaborators.
Create an identity for different teams within the company. Whether a team name or colors, this can give a sense of shared identity.
Avoid pitting employees against each other. If you do find competition to be a compelling motivator, then focus on pitting your company against the state of the world.
Millennials might not respond well to authority
Many millennials have lost trust in authority figures. On average, younger generations have less trust in business leaders than do older generations. So if you tell them to do something in a way that is too demanding or authoritative, it might ruffle feathers.
This doesn’t mean you need to cede your authority. But softening your language can go a long way.
For example, instead of “Send me the report by the end of the week,” you could try “I’d like you to work on the new report this week. Do you have the bandwidth to take it on?”
Notice how the second option gives them an opportunity to say no. Framing a request or assignment in this way will give the employee more agency; they’ll actually be more bought into the project because they feel like they agreed to it (or even chose it), rather than got assigned to it.
On a similar note, 72% of millennials want to be their own boss. And for those who do have a boss, 79% would like their boss to be more of a coach or mentor figure.
Most millennials don’t want you to be an authority telling them what to do. They want their own autonomy, and for you to encourage and motivate them.
What this means for those managing millennials:
Give them choices about their work as often as you can. Do you want this project or that one? What angle do you want to take? Make this project your own. Making choices gives them autonomy and a feeling of greater ownership over their work.
Use collaborative language instead of directorial language when giving assignments. Here’s a new project idea—what do you think?
Always try to give the “why” behind the task when you give assignments. This gives your employee context, which helps them feel included in the process and makes them more likely to buy in. This project will help boost our audience relationship, which will ultimately help our bottom line and support us in bringing this product out into the world.
Takeaways on Managing Millennials in the Workplace
If you were born in an older generation, the millennial workforce might feel like a different species to you. But they are also people who want to do good work. They just have a different way of communicating and different motivational triggers.
The more you can understand their language, the better you’ll be able to manage them.
Here are a few takeaways to remember:
Healthy work-life balance: Millennials prioritize their personal well-being over all else
Personal development: They want to learn, grow, and advance their careers
Transparency: Millennials value openness and clarity in leadership
Feedback sensitivity: They may require more empathetic communication
Diversity and inclusion: A fair, inclusive workplace is an ethical imperative
Meaningful work: Millennials are motivated by purpose and positive impact
Recognition: They want to be acknowledged not just for their achievements but also for their efforts
If you are a manager or company leader, and you want to upgrade your company culture so that your employees (millennials and otherwise) want to stick around as long as possible, you may consider bringing on in-house career coaches.
You can read more about the benefits of in-house coaching here.
And you are more than welcome to book a consultation with me here to see if it feels like a good fit to bring on in-house coaches from the International Association of Career Coaches.