Case Study 1Who Is Training Whom The Effectofthe Millennial Generation rev PDF

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Case Study on the effects of 5 generations in the workplace today and how Millennial generation is changing corporations. ...

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Running head: CASE STUDY 1: WHO IS TRAINING WHOM? THE EFFECT OF

Case Study 1: Who Is Training Whom? The Effect of the Millennial Generation Launa Carbonell Barry University

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CASE STUDY 1: WHO IS TRAINING WHOM? THE EFFECT OF

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Case Study 1: Who Is Training Whom? The Effect of the Millennial Generation In the United States, there are approximately 73 million millennials who were born between 1980 and 1986 ("Millennials work and live," 2019, p. 4). Millennials want good jobs, regular paychecks and they want to be emotionally connected to them. Millennials want things now, and they do not want to wait. They are like microwaves, they want everything immediately. As management shifts to younger generations, companies must focus on ways to enhance skill sets, address the challenges of managing multiple generations, and retain and engage employees by understanding which workplace benefits they value most. So, as millennials are added to the workforce, companies will require a culture change to attract and retain them. We know that turnover in general for an organization is costly, however it is estimated that Millennial turnover due to lack of engagement can cost the U.S. economy $30.5 billion annually ("Millennials work and live," 2019, p. 8). The stakes have never been higher. We must take a closer look at the Millennial generation, and understand what they expect, and how organizations can adapt engagement strategies to give younger employees the best opportunity to excel on the job and feel part of a meaningful mission. For the first time in the nation’s history, four generations are working side by side in the workplace. The diverse perspectives, motivations, attitudes, and needs of these four generations have changed the dynamics of the workplace setting. Millennials have a different attitude toward work. They are ambitious and hardworking but value work/life balance. They value the freedom to set their own hours, and they want flexible work schedules with work-from-home options. They also thrive on diversity, challenge, responsibility, and creative input. They do not like to be micro-managed. Challenging

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assignments will motivate this generation. The idea of being able to do their work from anywhere, anytime, is something that essentially appeals to this generation. Millennials like coming together to socialize and make friends with co-workers. Their communication is basically in snippets through texting, instant messaging, e-mail, and Facebook. All generations have unique characteristics, but the Millennials may be the most studied generation in history, as well as the least understood generation. There is a huge sense of entitlement. But, whose fault is that? Millennials were raised by “helicopter parents” who gave them a lot of attention and validation. They also grew up with all of the latest and greatest technology and received information and responses immediately. Millennials are flexible to change; however, they do not take critical feedback positively. Though they are anxious to make an impact, all they want to hear are words of praises and encouragement. Millennials are the future of the business world. They have likable qualities and traits that can support good performances in an organization. However, as an employer, tweaks will have to be made to make sure the organization continues to run smoothly when Millennials are required to work with multiple generations. Millennials live and breathe technology. They have never known a world without the Internet and social media. They’ve grown up sharing their life stories on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other sites. They’ve always been able to interact with others regardless of location, at any time, and they get their information on-demand. Students today, know more about technology than their parents, teachers and even most employers. Millennials want to be heard and want communication that builds loyalty and trust. They need you to be honest and upfront with them. Previously, companies could have the attitude that

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‘You don’t need to know that. You just do your job. Millennials need a bigger picture. They need to know how what they do is important and how it fits into pushing the business forward. Technology is going to keep evolving. The millennials and younger generations will always embrace and welcome it. Companies are going to have to adapt, while keeping in mind the other generations that are also working there. Training is key, and organizations must realize the importance of ensuring that they are engaging all participants and understanding the different ways in which people learn and retain information. Just like the five senses of hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell are the primary means we use to gain new knowledge, we rarely experience with one sense alone. Our senses work together to give us a total picture of our experiences. The same is true for the Millennials. They want to learn by using a variety of methods like technology, entertainment, teamwork, structure, and even experiential activities to keep them engaged, entertained and at the top of their game. Millennials are a unique generation with different learning styles, expectations and more advanced technological skills than earlier generations. Millennials aren’t just walking through the front door, they’re already in our organizations so businesses must be proactive and understand their behaviors, attitudes and beliefs and create a more engaged workplace, so they can thrive. Just like in law enforcement, many organizations have not restructured their training platforms, but are learning very quickly that the old forms of training are not the most effective and that change needs to occur to ensure that all employees are being trained to incorporate lectures, technology, entertainment, individual, teams, and instructors that are part of the Millennial age group.

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When designing the training curriculum, make sure it is challenging and provides them with growth, development and leadership opportunities. Make sure that it is fun and most of all, be flexible. I agree that Millennials are a special breed with very different expectations, however, Organizations need to ensure that all generations have the opportunity to work with, interact with and train the new Millennial generation. Obviously, they must be open minded and be willing to learn and implement new methods of engaging, supporting and training the Millennials, and as long as they are willing, let them continue to train. The Baby Boomers and Gen X employees have years of hands on experience, knowledge and wisdom in their field and that cannot be duplicated or replaced, so there must be a happy medium and willingness to change, learn and adapt on all levels. They want to be led with honesty and integrity. I also agree that the Millennials are amazing and the force behind ensuring that we all stay up with technology and education. The more qualified the Millennials are, whether it is in the Police Academy, Fire Academy or in our Organizations, the better they will serve their communities, their co-workers and their employers.

CASE STUDY 1: WHO IS TRAINING WHOM? THE EFFECT OF References How millennials want to work and live. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238073/millennials-work-live.aspx Millennials in the workplace: Characteristics, pros and cons. (2019). Retrieved from https://sharelookapp.com/blog/millennials-in-the-workforce-characteristics-pros-and-cons/ Noe, R. A. (2017). Employee training & development. (7th ed.) Chapter 1

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