Whether they’re being painted as “industry killers” or mythologized as spoiled and lazy, millennials are used to facing sweeping criticism by now. But it’s time we realized that millennials will inherit the earth. They already make up the largest portion of the U.S. workforce. I’m talking especially to you, agency owners.
Millennials are a large generation of people born between 1981 and 1996, thus ranging in age from 23 to 38. They grew up during a time of massive technological influence, from cellphones to social media. But many of them also came of age during the Great Recession, which forced them to think about money and relationships differently than a lot of us.
While millennial preferences have caused a lot of head-scratching in the agency world, there doesn’t seem to be any solid way to figure out what makes all millennials tick. It’s an exercise in futility to make broad assumptions about what kind of people they are.
That said, I’ve noticed some traits that many millennials seem to have in common. My agency also recently surveyed 1,000 agency employees to learn more about this generation’s mindset. I draw upon my own experiences, our research and other sources to help agency owners understand how to manage millennials.
Free To Be ‘Generation Me’
As agency owners, it’s not always easy to adapt to the millennial way of work and life. This generation takes flexible hours very seriously, and the 2017 Deloitte Millennial Survey suggests that this flexibility contributes to higher productivity levels and company loyalty. Still, that doesn’t mean you should stop managing them. It’s more about providing autonomy while ensuring that your team members understand that it’s still on them to keep the agency running. After all, millennials still need and want paychecks.
Perhaps it feels unnatural to take a step back, but it may be necessary to effectively manage many members of this generation. Try the following to help your millennial employees shine.
1. Create True Transparency
I’ve noticed that too many agency owners hear “Be transparent” from their millennial employees and assume it means that they want a full report explaining the agency’s bottom line in great detail. But from what I’ve seen, that doesn’t seem to be what many millennials want in terms of transparency. To them, real transparency appears to mean increased context fueled by the desire to engage and connect with those around you. Another Deloitte study about the millennial mindset seems to confirm this: “Don’t shy away from direct and transparent communications that drive away ambiguity, but remember to keep it baloney-free. … Remember that no news is not better than bad news with many in the millennial generation. And disingenuous or hypocritical communication will likely not go unnoticed.”
So next time, tell your millennial employees why you scrapped their ideas or project suggestions. Tell them what could be improved or how their efforts have helped the business grow. And don’t be afraid to be honest about why a competing agency might have won that valuable client (and what the team can do collectively to get better).
Finally, get to know your millennial team members as people, not just as employees. Ask about their interests outside of work, and inquire about their weekends on Monday mornings. These little connections can add up.
2. Help Them See How They Fit Into Your Agency
People today have a lot of options in front of them, and for that reason, many millennials seem to struggle to make important decisions about their future. With too many choices, millennials may feel confused about their identity and purpose.
And thanks to social media platforms like Instagram, younger generations spend a lot of time comparing their lives to those of their peers. As a result, it seems that the grass tends to look greener on the other side. Perhaps this is why millennials are often called job hoppers.
With all this in mind, leverage the compassionate side of leadership by helping address millennials’ insecurities and concerns. Show them how their roles and your agency’s vision align, and they may be more likely to stick around.
3. Make Space For Side Projects
Millennials are an entrepreneurial generation, and even if they have no plans to start businesses of their own, many of them want to feel entrepreneurial within their job environments (this is known as intrapreneurship). A great way to give them such freedom is by letting them take on side projects for your company. While initiatives like Google’s “20% time” policy have waxed and waned in popularity, making space for employee creativity can help your millennial workers stretch their abilities and stay engaged.
You may need to add stipulations, however. For example, make sure team members aren’t doing things on their own time that could compete with your agency, such as taking on certain kinds of freelance work. But don’t require them to explore ideas only within the confines of their roles. See what they come up with and how it could help improve your agency.
Anytime there’s a massive generational shift in the workforce, there will likely be a period of discovery and experimentation for business owners and leaders. But working with millennials doesn’t have to be hard. Just consider their desires alongside your needs as an agency owner.
