Biz tip of the week: Understanding millennials in the workplace

Working with and motivating millennials can be challenging for some businesses.

Simon Sinek is a published author and has interesting insights on working with millennials in this video interview. Here is an excerpt of what he said:

Older generations often label millennials as having a sense of entitlement, being self focused and lazy. Sinek says millennials are a product of several primary factors:

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• Parenting: Millennials were told by their parents that they could achieve anything if they want it bad enough. They received participation trophies and were rewarded for coming in last place. They were placed in an honors class not because they deserved it, but because mom complained. Then they are thrust into the workplace and realize they can’t have anything they want. They get nothing for coming in last, and mom cannot help them get a promotion. In an instant, their self image is shattered. Sinek states this is no fault of their own as millennials were simply dealt a bad hand.
• Technology: Engagement with social media and texting releases dopamine, the same chemical which makes us feel good when we smoke, drink and gamble. Dopamine is highly addictive, especially in adolescents. Dopamine helps millennials deal with pressure and stress and makes them feel accepted. This addiction to electronic stimulation may prevent them from building deep and meaningful relationships.
• Instant gratification: Millennials grew up in a world of instant gratification as they can watch movies anytime, anywhere. They can order anything on Amazon and have it there the next day. They can instantly find the answer to virtually any question on Google. Millennials never learned to be patient, so this skill must be developed in the workplace. According to Sinek, some things like deep, meaningful relationships and job satisfaction require patience to develop. There is no instant solution.

Watch the entire video at tucne.ws/hkb for more insights. This may help you create a work environment perfectly suited to maximizing the potential of your millennial employees.