Are you asking the right questions of your Millennials? Leaders who complain about the difficulty of motivating Millennials may not be asking the right questions. Millennials are inspired by purpose and they want to work for companies and leaders who share similar values. Many companies don’t articulate their organization’s vision (WHY you do what you do). It is often unclear to Millennial employees how the company makes a difference in the world nor how their role fits into the overarching purpose of the organization. This is a missed opportunity.
Millennials are currently the largest generation in the workforce and are needed to protect the future growth of your company. They are the next leaders and need as much clarity as possible about the company’s vision so they can carry it forward. When Millennials are aligned with the company’s values they are tremendous brand ambassadors. With a clear vision employees become raving fans.
According to research cited by Daniel Pink in his New York Times best-selling book, “Drive”, motivation has three elements.
- Autonomy (the desire to have power in one’s life)
- Mastery (to fulfill the urge to get continually better at something that matters)
- Purpose (to fulfill the yearning to be in service to something larger than ourselves)
These three elements of motivation apply to all generations, particularly Millennials! Millennials have been able to articulate their expectations for fulfillment and balance in their lives and careers. Previous generations hoped to find careers that would be fulfilling. Millennials are committed to finding fulfillment. Often that leads to career hopping or becoming an entrepreneur.
If your company wants to keep talented Millennials, improve your company’s culture. Articulate your company’s purpose clearly so that your people can deeply engage with your vision. Give Millennials the opportunity to hitch their wagon to your star.
If you or someone you know needs help with solving human problems, call us today!
Contact Lidia directly at (913) 681-6068 or Lidia@ReThinkLeadershipNow.com