Advice on How To Attract Millennials to Your Organization

12/10/19

Is your company having a hard time closing the skill gap? Would you benefit from being able to hire more millennial aged employees?

At APICS Greater Detroit we are passionate about serving our local supply chain community. We do this by supporting professionals with the information and education needed to stay competitive in today’s ever changing world.

Read more below to learn tips on attracting and retaining Millennial aged workers.

Per the National Association for Manufacturers (NAM) 3rd Quarter Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, “For the eighth consecutive quarter, the inability to attract and retain a quality workforce remained manufacturers’ top business concern.” As the need for quality employees increases, the make-up of today’s workforce is changing.

Pew Research shared that Millennials (U.S. Census Bureau defines as anyone born between 1981-1996) are expected to overtake Boomers (born between 1946-1964 ) in population in 2019 as their numbers swell to 73 million and Boomers decline to 72 million. Generation X (born between 1965-1980) is projected to pass the Boomers in population by 2028. Attracting and retaining skilled Millennial workers is a key strategy for companies to be successful in the coming years.

The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center recently published the following insights on what Millennials value at work and how to adjust your company to the changes in the workforce.

What Do Millennials Value?

Per the MI Manufacturing Technology Center, Millenials value the following when it comes to their place of employment.

Meaningful work. Individuals want to feel passionate about their jobs, as if they are making a meaningful contribution to the organization and to the greater good. Regardless of the position or industry, workers want purpose in their jobs and to feel like they are truly making a meaningful impact.
Collaboration. Rather than working in independent, isolated silos, younger generations prefer to work collaboratively. By sharing ideas and working together as a team to identify and enact solutions, each individual feels more involved, all while getting to know fellow workers better.
Staying connected. New generations grew up surrounded by advanced technology. These digital natives thrive when given the opportunity to use different types of technology and largely expect employers to rely on digital forms of communication to connect with workers.
Social justice. How does your company give back to the local community? What does your company stand for? When Millennials are job searching, these are important questions they need answered before deciding what kind of organization they want to work for.
Diversity. Young workers want to know that their organization actively supports diversity of thoughts and experiences. They want to feel as if alternative ideas and processes will be welcomed and respected, rather than ignored in efforts to maintain the status quo.
Education. Millennials want to learn. This curiosity is maximized in a job setting, where workers often are interested in upskilling and furthering their knowledge in order to reach their full potential in their roles, all while opening up new opportunities for future growth.
Skepticism. Distrust of authority is a common feeling among young people. To ensure workers understand all leaders’ intentions and goals, transparency is key.

Tactics to help you attract and retain the younger generation:

Review your company’s current culture to ensure it reflects the values above. Make adjustments if needed and highlight these values in your recruitment efforts.
Increase retention of younger workers by establishing a co-mentoring program that is collaborative with expectations that both parties can learn from each others experiences and talents.
Implement a feedback program to foster continuous improvement ideas and give younger employees opportunities to provide innovative solutions to business problems. This helps all teammates feel invested in the company’s success. Providing ways to share feedback increases collaboration and keeps newer employees engaged.

APICS Greater Detroit is committed to helping local supply chain professionals by offering globally recognized certification classes start in January 2020:

Advance your career in 2020!

Learn more about all of our programs at our website at: www.apicsdet.org.