5 Development Opportunities to Provide for Your Millennial Employees
When you ask Millennials what they look for in their jobs, one common answer is opportunities for development and growth. As my whitepaper explains, Millennials crave change, growth and challenge. If you’re thinking about ways you can provide development opportunities or want to expand what your business already provides, the following five tips should help.
1. Training programs and leadership conferences: Millennials love when their employers are invested enough in them to train them for “greater things” and to let them represent their business in the outside world. On a personal level, Millennials also see such programs and conferences as valuable networking opportunities. They can connect with folks who are able to further enhance their professional development.
2. Classes: There are so many classes out there that you and your Millennial employees can most likely source something that suits both of your preferences. Think online classes, community college classes, courses your company itself offers, and classes that Millennials can teach. That’s right; letting them teach, or help teach, shows your faith in them and inspires confidence.
3. Personal projects: Does your employee want to take a photography class or work on developing an app that isn’t official company business? You might want to let her. Passion takes workers a long way and aids growth in new and unexpected ways. These projects can be individual, collaborative, or both. They give Millennials more of a sense of accomplishment and boost creativity.
4. Interim positions: Millennials grew up in an era of instant feedback. Rather than expecting them to wait five or ten years for a new job title, create in-between titles and positions. Clarify the tangible stepping stones between positions, and make the steps even more distinct.
5. Cross-training: Show Millennials in advertising roles what life is like in sales. Not only does cross-training lead to better communication and more sharing of ideas, it’s a great way to keep Millennials’ brains sharp.