Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2016 - 15

HAVE YOUR
MILLENNIALS
CHECKED OUT?

Engagement is at the heart of organizational
performance. Without elevated levels of
engagement, organizations can experience
diminished returns on investment, high
turnover rates and reduced morale
and productivity.
According to the 2016 Gallup report
"How Millennials Want to Work and
Live," only 29 percent of millennials are
engaged, meaning they are emotionally
and behaviorally connected to their job
and company. This makes millennials
(the largest segment of our workforce)
the least engaged generation in
the workplace, with 71 percent of
millennials predominately not engaged
or actively disengaged.
But is this surprising? Let's think about
this for a second. Millennials are on the
bottom-rung of the corporate ladder,
claiming many entry-level positions.
Fresh-faced employees must "pay their
dues" and work hard toward establishing
a solid work ethic and sound decisionmaking abilities before being granted
more challenging roles.
Think back to when you were entering
the workforce. How would you rate your
engagement level? Did you have the
most exciting job in the company - let
alone your dream job? Odds are your
answer is "no." While this is a determining
factor in engagement levels, we must
also take into account the values of
the millennial generation. Millennials
are seeking more than a job that pays
the bills, they are seeking meaningful
opportunities to expand their skillset
that align with their core values.

While millennials can come across as
relentlessly demanding, the reality is that
they just want a job that feels worthwhile
- and they will keep looking until they
find it. Gallup estimates that millennial
turnover due to lack of engagement
costs the U.S. economy $30.5 billion
annually. This is a call to action for
organizations to ramp up engagement
strategies that target millennials or risk
a turnover cycle that drains company
time, money and resources.
Learning and development can help
drive millennial engagement across the
organization. Here are a few strategies to
reel millennials in before they check out:

Prepare to engage on Day 1
The official start date of employees is
just as important for the company as it
is for the individual. This day represents
the first chance organizations have to
effectively engage employees in the
company culture and their job. Through
onboarding practices, job rotations or
mentoring relationships, it is critical for
organizations to engage employees in
their early days with the company, or risk
leaving them behind.

Regular meetings with management
Opening up the communication channels
between manager and employee is crucial
for effective performance management.
Millennial workers are more engaged than
non-millennials when their managers
provide
frequent
and
consistent
communication and feedback. Fortyfour percent of millennials who hold
regular meetings with their managers are
engaged, according to Gallup.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - FALL20 1 6 I WWW.TRAININGI NDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

MILLENNIAL TURNOVER
COSTS THE U.S.
ECONOMY $30.5
BILLION ANNUALLY.
Identify opportunities to impact company culture
Many organizations donate, volunteer or
raise awareness for charities or non-profits.
Providing opportunities for millennials
to contribute their input on where the
company should focus their efforts can
help them find deeper meaning and
satisfaction in their job and company.
Millennials can help lead service efforts
on behalf of the company, refining project
management skills and working for a
worthwhile cause.

Acknowledge employee accomplishments
throughout the company
Companies that celebrate the work and
accomplishments of their employees
create a positive workplace culture.
Organizations can spread the word
via the company intranet, a dedicated
employee newsletter or at company
events. These announcements reinforce
that the company notices hard work and
appreciates the efforts of its employees,
which can ultimately motivate employees
to work harder.
At the end of the day, engagement is a
two-way street. While organizations must
provide development opportunities, it is
up to the employee to "grab the baton"
and engage in their job and company.
Employees can either choose to engage
or remain actively disengaged.
Michelle Eggleston, CPTM, is the editorial director
for Training Industry, Inc. Email Michelle.

| 15

- MICH E L L E E G G L E STON, CPT M

GEN WHY

http://www.trainingindustry.com/ezine.aspx

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2016