3 Mistakes Employers Make when Hiring Millennials

The millennials have a bad reputation in the professional world, often accused on job hopping, poor work ethic and overinflated self-esteem. But with their high turnover rates, it is not only important to adjust our views of millennials’ work-style, but also to adjust our hiring processes and management styles (read: Companies' Desperate Bid to Attract Millennials by Rebranding Job Titles).

Here are three common mistakes managers make when it comes to hiring millennial employees:

They do not care about employee’s motivational fit

Motivational fit refers to the degree of alignment between what a person expects from a job, and what the job can actually offer. There are two primary groups of motivational fit factors:

• Intrinsic factors: The factors that are related to the work itself. This could be asking questions about the person’s preferences around task variety, autonomy or feedback.

• Extrinsic factors: The factors that are related to the work environment. This could be about the schedule, commute, or the physical work environment.

Motivational fit is a good sign of whether an employee will enjoy the environment and be a productive team member. This can reduce the chances of turnover.

They do not provide new hires opportunities to develop their skills

A study said that 44% of millennials were ready to leave a job because they weren’t given the opportunity to develop their skills. This is important not just for the generation, but all employees should feel that they are using all their skills to their maximum potential. Here are a few ways to help develop millennials:

• Give real-time performance feedback
  Immediate feedback and coaching are a growing need from millennials. They want to know about their progress. Set up a program to allow immediate feedback to them.

• Provide opportunities outside employees’ current roles
  Allow them the chance to work with other members of the organisation. Allowing employees to cross-train will enhance their knowledge of the organisation and can develop an employee for a bigger role in the future.

Organisations have “outdated” culture and not adapting to the current culture

No one can stop change from happening, and as millennials presence in the workforce increases there will be a shift in the organisation’s culture. Millennials prefer to find a culture that aligns with their views. Here are the traits that attracts millennials to organisations:

• Flexible scheduling
  Having hours based on core times and flexible time bands. A study by Bentley University found that 77% of millennials believe that a flexible schedule would make them more productive (read: The Pros and Cons of Flexible Working Hours).

• Remote working options
  Having the choice to work from home or from a remote location as needed.

• Company perks
  Providing perks like health club memberships, casual dress codes, and family friendly policies will attract millennials. Even the smallest perk can go a long way.

These are just a few things that you can target and focus on when hiring not only millennials but top talents too.

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This article is adapted from 3 Mistakes to Avoid when Hiring and Retaining Millennial Employees