7 Efficient Ways Companies Can Accommodate a Younger Workforce

With Millennials now entering middle-age, they are quickly advancing as the workforce majority with a projected presence of 75% by 2025. Additionally, trailing ever-so-closely behind is the highly collaborative Gen Z. Even those with a neutral stance on generational differences should take notice -and action- in order to properly harness the power of this younger and decidedly pragmatic demographic.

The eventual retirement of older generations is inevitable which leaves many of those born between 1964 and 1980 (aka Gen X) in positions of leadership. This group was mostly mentored by their elder counterparts based on the necessities of their time, yet simultaneously influenced by the fast and drastic changes occurring in today’s workforce.

With this in mind, how can those in established leadership positions reframe their expectations of a quickly evolving professional landscape?

For one, younger employees no longer feel obligated to confining their days in cubicles and working 9-to-5 schedules. Instead, they prefer to work beyond workplace norms such as telecommuting or working from locations other than the office. And this has slowly become the “new normal” for many companies and employees.

Generation Z has been described as even more insistent and complex than their slightly older counterparts. For them, new methods and procedures need to be outlined in order to attract them to companies and engage them in new types of work.

The following are some reasonable and inexpensive changes that companies can make to create an inviting workplace for the next-gen workforce.

1. Embrace New Technologies

Statistics have revealed that Millennials will represent 75% of the workforce by the year 2030. As they are the most technologically adept generation, their impact in the business world is undeniable. For the retail industry, namely wholesale distribution, employees need remember that the millennial workforce prefers to process data quickly with advanced technology and conduct real-time analysis on trends. This represents a challenge for most wholesalers, given that they operate on old and outdated management systems. Possible solutions would be investing in CRM systems, to enable them to have a direct and real-time relationship with customers and partners, enable them to have all the data on Smartphones rather than on desktop, invest in cloud-based applications and opt for online commerce as this is a real trend which is only growing.

2. Promote Creative Collaboration

Companies don’t necessarily need to make their companies look like Google’s or Apple’s office where there are slides and sleeping pods. Of course, Millennials are fond of human interaction and are eager to show off their creativity at any given opportunity. Whether a company has a local office or running a remote staff, promoting a creative environment combined with opportunities to be creative will make younger workers understand that they are part of something larger. Embracing these tactics will increase engagement and motivation to participate in the day-to-day operations of the company.

3. Offer Younger Employees a Chance To Showcase Their Personality

To do this, a company needs to revamp its hiring processes and hire a recruitment agency. One of the traits that any HR company needs to be on the lookout for is what’s known as hyper-customization – which is a tendency for extreme customization — ranging from playlists to clothing to education. Millennials (and now members of Gen Z) who are applying for jobs are now equipped with varying niche degrees and certifications, so it’s not going to be easy to compare candidates. Instead of focusing on GPA’s and academic performance, companies need to look at a candidate’s personality and outlook, and how it fits their company. Rather than focusing on what they’ve accomplished in college, give them a chance to show you who they are now.

4. Straightforward Communication Is The Key

According to three national studies, when millennials were asked how they want to communicate with bosses and co-workers, 84% preferred face-to-face communication over any other channel. This is quite surprising given that millennials and members of Gen Z are virtually “glued” to their Smartphones at any given time, even preferring texting to speaking. However, the recent increase in platforms such as Zoom, which blend “in-person” with virtual communication may be helping to further the cause. The good news is that younger employees tend to be more open to feedback.

5. Encourage Independence Within The Workplace

This may sound contrary to the first point, which is to encourage collaboration, but millennials and Gen Z’ers thrive on independence as well. Therefore, while teamwork is paramount, it would be a big mistake to assume that younger employees aren’t capable of working alone. In fact, they actually believe in the adage, “If you want to get work done right, do it yourself”. A finely tuned balance between independence and collaboration will give millennials enough motivation to get the work done.

6. Acknowledge That Millennials Will Have Side Gigs

Some companies have made the mistake of firing employees for having “side gigs” or jobs other than the one with their company. It’s called moonlighting, and it’s often taboo in the workplace. Yet even before Millennials took over the workplace, moonlighting was already an issue, so why make this a big deal? Generations who are newer to the workforce are known to have side jobs or gigs on top of their full-time income for several reasons; the main one being to help them reach their financial goals faster. If an employee is working for a website design firm and works part-time as a baker, there’s no issue at all because these are two different industries. Yet, if he or she works part-time for another similar firm, then that’s a conflict of interest. All in all, companies should be lenient and more accepting of the fact that millennials may have more than one job. As long as it doesn’t affect the quality of their work and the integrity of their employment, companies can safely turn a blind eye against moonlighting.

7. Provide Perks

It’s known that younger employees tend to prosper on perks and benefits, and this goes beyond any typical company benefits. Whether it’s providing them with healthy snacks, free gym memberships, or even something practical as on-site laundry, Millennials want to work where they feel they’re appreciated by their employers. Perks are one way of getting them to feel that way. Practicing employee recognition and rewards systems (in addition to perks) has also had a fairly large impact on motivating younger employees to collaborate and to show their personality in the workplace.

It is safe to say that within the next few years, we’ll be seeing entire companies run by the next generation of the workforce. Accommodating these changes will help companies adjust to the different needs of a younger workforce without the necessity to drastically change physical or financial infrastructures. To put it simply, these changes are not going to greatly impact a company’s bottom line, but they will improve its stability.

Original article written by George Foster, career writer and HR Manager at Day Translations. Updated/Edited by Fred Coon, CEO at Stewart Cooper & Coon.

Fred Coon, CEO

Stewart, Cooper & Coon offers Human Capital Strategy Services to both individuals and corporations. Our staff is dedicated to our clients’ success via innovative job search processes, employment management strategies, and state-of-the-art technologies. Contact Fred Coon – 866-883-4200, Ext. 200

© 2004-2023 Stewart, Cooper, & Coon, Inc. All rights reserved. Limited to personal use and allowable only if this copyright message is left intact. Any duplication, alteration, or publishing of this content without express company permission is prohibited. Contact fcoon@stewartcoopercoon.com.