Much has been written recently about the next generation of workers who are in the process of entering the IT department today (I have done my part!) However, what is missing is a basic understanding of what an IT Leader should do. once they are there.
Ron Alsop who writes for the Wall Street Journal has taken the time to learn what this coming means for us all and he wrote a book with the answer in it titled The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennium Generation Shakes the Workplace. He has some suggestions on how to manage this new type of IT worker.
One of the main differences between millennials and the workforce today will be seen in company loyalty – basically nothing will. Millennials have high expectations about what companies must provide (fast promotions, flexible work schedules, etc.), but companies must expect very little loyalty in return.
The current economic climate does not last, Millennials will leave unqualified jobs in an instant. Most companies are aware of this and have high retention in their list of problems when dealing with this generation of workers.
You might think that the trophy kids will survive for the same reason that most workers today don’t leave: it’s scary out there without work. However, you are wrong. Millennials have their parents to come back. They haven’t burned their bridge behind them and they know that they can always return home briefly if things get tight.
The good news here is that Millennials have been raised to work hard. Competition is in their blood. If a job involves them, then they will want to work hard for it. The company must show these new workers that their work will ultimately make a difference and that the company appreciates their work.