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Mind the Millennial Mindset

April 8, 2019Lori Rohrbach

Millennials have a huge impact on the workplace. This demographic cohort, born between 1981-1996, accounts for 50% of the workforce now and will grow to nearly 75% by 2025

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My step-daughter’s husband, Drew, is a Millennial. He is a 28-year-old go getter who dreams of owning his own business. He works in sales for a company that does promotional products and print apparel. In terms of generating revenue, Drew is far and away the company’s most valuable employee. He manages large accounts from coast to coast and is connected to his customers 24/7, via his phone and his laptop, whether he is in the office, commuting, or at home.


Lately, Drew’s job has been on shaky ground for one reason: his Baby Boomer boss wants him in the office by 8 a.m. sharp every morning. Drew has trouble managing that (now that he has a child and a wife who leaves the house at 5 a.m. to run her own business) and believes his boss should be more flexible.


Drew’s attitude toward work/life balance is shared by most Millennials. According to people who study such things, work/life balance is more important to Millennials than climbing the corporate ladder, salary increases, and quirky perks like ping pong tables in the break room. One reason is that Millennials don’t want to follow in the footsteps of their Baby Boomer parents. They remember how their moms and dads had little control over how and when they worked and had to wait until retirement to focus on accumulating life experiences missed during their earning years.


For dual-career millennial couples striving to enjoy gratifying careers and a fulfilling personal/family life, striking a satisfying work/life balance can be exasperating. This is especially true when ever-increasing job demands coincide with major life events, such as marrying, home ownership and having children.


The bottom line is, helping Millennials to achieve work/life balance can be a hugely competitive advantage for employers. That means finding creative ways to enable Millennials to have control over how and when they work through flexible policies and programs.


And more thing, don’t use the “M word” when addressing Millennials. Drew says they don’t like it.


Author: Beth Ann Bachmann

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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