“Millennials in the workplace” is one of the most widely discussed topics for many business professionals. As an instructor on Hospitality training, part of my role is educating businesses and young professionals about how to best utilize Millennials in the workplace.
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited conducted their fifth annual Millennial Survey of over 7000 Millennials from 29 countries in September and October 2015. This survey helped bring to light the Millennials’ values and ambitions, drivers of job satisfaction, and their increased representation in senior management teams [1].
That said, we can begin to raise questions about Millennials in the workplace such as:
How do we work with them? What can we do to better understand them and retain talent?
1. Build Trust Early
Millennials, born between 1977 and 1992, have become the dominant workplace segment. As they settle into their careers they are bringing forward issues of work/life balance and an expectation that their companies will share their personal values. Over 40% of Millennials express a lack of loyalty to their current employers. The survey identifies a perceived lack of leadership-skill development as one of the Millennials’ key concerns.
Notably, more than half of the Millennials surveyed indicated that they wouldn’t work for a company that did not share their vision for the future. According to the survey:
“Millennials have chosen not to undertake a task at work because it went against their personal values or ethics”.
In regards to the Hospitality industry, establishing good relationships with both clientele and staff is integral to creating a successful business. With Millennials making up a large portion of the workforce in hotel management and tourism, learn to apply and appreciate their talent as you build trust.
2. Share Their Vision
Throughout my career and Hospitality training, I have witnessed a change from Management to Leadership. There is currently a growing trend shifting from a focus on individual achievement towards team performance and project development. Organizational structure has flattened and employees have been empowered to make decisions at much lower levels within almost all organizations.
The business model of the past which placed responsibility for decision making with the privileged few at the top, only made sense when just a few people had access to the important knowledge and information. Today, the internet grants access to information for everyone and the body of knowledge available is expanding exponentially.
More and more decision making is being distributed meaning that organizations need to promote a work culture of transparency and shared knowledge.
3. Promote Growth and Transparency
As Millennials progress in their careers, they are bringing their personal convictions to more senior positions. They’re demanding that businesses shift its purpose to become more ethical and socially focused. As a result, how a business treats its staff and the positive impact business’ have on the environment and social well being are increasingly becoming more important measures of corporate performance.
The survey has some key advice for employers who wish to engage their young professionals. Focus on career development through mentorships and leadership training. If they need additional education or training, provide incentives such as grants or funding to help nurture their talent.
As such, employers who provide opportunities for growth in a job environment means that their staff are more likely to respect and reflect their employees’ values and purpose.
Working With and Hiring Millennials
Recognizing and understanding the shift in business priorities is key for new employees wishing to succeed in today’s business environment.
As young professionals, Millennials will be doing much of the hiring in the coming years. Many of those hired will be Gen-Z or the iGen and what is sometimes called the Post Generation – the generation that came after the internet, after 911, after mobile computing. Millennials will be looking to “pass the torch” to the Gen-Zs.
The applicants they hire will be people they can work with, people who share their convictions for developing social and environmental responsibility. The people they hire will understand that there is a new measure of corporate success and it’s not all about the money.
As some of the most well-educated professionals, Millennials are a powerful asset to any business in any industry.
Getting Educated: Schools for Hospitality Training
Need training programs for your Hospitality business? Brighton College is one of the few academic partners with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI).
Offering certifications in Foodsafe Level 1, Serving it Right and First Aid level 1 upon completion. As a global certification, you’ll be eligible to work in several different sectors around the world.
Learn more about our Hospitality Programs
Want to learn more about the industry and the training required to enter the workforce?
Join a free information session by registering online or call 604-430-5608 for more details.
Sources:
About the Author
Barry Morgan is a Hospitality and Tourism instructor at Brighton College. Drawing on his career as a senior hospitality industry executive, Barry brings first hand experience with hotels, private clubs, and life to his classroom.
When not teaching Barry provides consulting services to the Boards and General Managers of private golf, yacht, dining, and athletic clubs across Canada. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and swimming in the ocean as well as gardening, cooking, and wood carving.
Learn more about our programs or come in for a free information session.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel !
