This document discusses strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining millennial talent. It begins by providing an overview of the different generations currently in the workforce. It then examines what millennial employees want from their companies and managers. The document outlines best practices for recruiting, onboarding, developing, and engaging millennial employees, such as providing meaningful work, ample feedback, and flexible work arrangements. It emphasizes that organizational changes may be needed to adapt to millennial expectations and that reverse mentoring can benefit both millennial and older employees. The goal is to implement next-generation development strategies to build a workforce prepared for the future.

1. Making the Most of
Millennial Talent
Presented By:
Tracey Wik Vice President

2. Who am I?
Tracey Wik
Vice President
Development
Solutions

3. Different Yet the Same
Fundamentally people want
the same things, no matter
what generation they are
from.
1 You can work with (or
manage) people from all
generations effectively
without becoming a
contortionist, selling your soul
on eBay, or pulling your hair
out on a daily basis.
2
Source: Retiring the
Generation Gap How
Employees Young & Old Can
Find Common Ground
Jennifer J. Deal Center for
Creative Leadership
33

4. The Generations at a Glance
The Greatest
Generation: Those born
before 1928 “saved the
world” when it was
young, in the memorable
phrase of Ronald
Reagan. It’s the
generation that fought
and won World War II.
The Baby Boomer: This
label is drawn from the
great spike in fertility that
began in 1946, right after
the end of World War II,
and ended almost as
abruptly in 1964, around
the time the birth control
pill went on the market.
Generation X covers
people born from 1965
through 1980. The label
long ago overtook the
first name affixed to this
generation: the Baby
Bust.
The Silent
Generation: This label
describes adults born
from 1928 through 1945.
Children of the Great
Depression and World
War II.
The Millennial
Generation: This label
refers to those born after
1980 – the first
generation to come of
age in the new
millennium.

5. The Greatest Generation
• Born before 1928, (estimate 50
million)
• Depression and World War II
• Company Man – Don’t question
Authority
• Dedication – Sacrifice – Thrifty
• Nuclear Family
• Command & Control, Hierarchical
style

6. The Silent Generation
• Born between 1928 – 45,
(estimate 60 million)
• Depression – World War II &
Korean War
• Company Man – Loyal & Don’t
question Authority
• Nose to the Grindstone – hard
working ethic
• Nuclear Family
• Command & Control, Hierarchical
style

7. Baby Boomers
• Born between 1946 – 64, (80+
million)
• Post War Prosperity – “Anything is
Possible…”
• Anti-Establishment
• Were Promised and Fulfilled the
American Dream!
• Highest Divorce Rate in History –
typical 2nd Marriages
• Driven to Succeed on their Own
Terms – think Steve Jobs

8. Generation X
• Born between 1965 – 80, (only 51
million)
• Watergate – Vietnam War – Can’t
trust anyone
• Question & Mistrust of Authority
• Shaped by Watching TV and seeing
Politicians Lie and Parents laid off
• Latch-Key Kids (Day Care)
Generation – Technology oriented
• Work-Life Balance important –
Skeptical & Cynical

9. Millennials
• Born after 1981, (75+ million)
• Digital Age – Internet Connectivity
• Greatly indulged by Affluent,
Fun-loving parents
• “Drop-Down and Click Menu” driven
= Demand list of Options
• Grew up as “Gamers” – Driven to
Win; Collaborative & Achievement
oriented
• Hard Workers but need Immediate
Gratification & Feedback

10. How Millennial Are You?
Take our 14 item quiz and we’ll tell you how
"Millennial" you are, on a scale from 0 to 100,
by comparing your answers with those of
respondents to a scientific nationwide survey.
You can also find out how you stack up
against others your age.

11. What Millennials Want From Their Company
Develop my
skills for the
future
Have Strong
Company
Values
Offer customized
options in my
benefits package
Allow me to blend
work with the rest
of my life
Offer a clear
career path
Source: Mentoring Millennials
Harvard Business Review Meister &
Willyerd May 2010

12. What Millennials Want From Their Boss
Help me
navigate my
career path
Give me straight
feedback
Mentor and
coach me
Sponsor me for
formal
development
programs
Allow me to have
a flexible
schedule
Source: Mentoring Millennials
Harvard Business Review Meister &
Willyerd May 2010

13. How Millennials Want to Be Developed
Technical skills
in my area of
expertise
Self-
management
and personal
productivity
Leadership
Industry or
functional
knowledge
Creativity and
innovation
strategies
Source: Mentoring Millennials
Harvard Business Review Meister &
Willyerd May 2010

14. • Chief Executive’s “Best Companies for Leaders” survey
• This Global Leadership Research project is the premier effort
toward identifying and recognizing excellence in leadership
development

15. One quarter of organizations
surveyed believe it is critical to focus
on the development of Millennials

16. How to put
this
information
into action

17. Attraction vs. Promotion
How to attract, develop and retain the Millennial Generation for your organization
Recruiting: New Approaches
1
Onboarding:
Intensive and Sustained2
Development:
The Social Professional3
Organization Change:
Reciprocal Advantages4
Next-Generation Development:
Bigger, Better, Faster5

18. Recruiting Millennials
The effort to engage millennials begins in the most obvious recruiting
arena, the university. Larger organizations maintain a strong recruiting
presence to millennials by:
Refreshed
Branding Social Media Inclusion
Set Goals1
Involve “real“ work2
Significant Development Support3
Meaningful work
experience is a key
concept. Best-practice
programs collaboratively:

19. Onboarding Millennials
To introduce Millennials to the life of the organization, the best programs strike a careful
balance between purpose-built learning experiences and challenging, productive work.
Providing flexibility, ample feedback, and tangible evidence of progress are key factors in
sustaining engagement.
Learning
Experience
s
Ample
Feedback
Challenging
Productive
Work
Evidence of
Progress

20. Coaching / Mentoring continues to be the
most cost-effective practice for development

21. Development of Millennials
Chally Best Company for Leaders Survey found that the majority of the
organizations surveyed say that the development and retention of the Millennial
Generation is of critical concern for their organization.
Educating ourselves
on how to reach this
generation
Education
1
Develop a more
formal career path
with advancement
opportunities
Career Paths
Actively acknowledge
the behavior & thought
patterns of the
Millennials
Behavior
Review policies,
benefits and cultural
practices to support
this age group
Culture
Use Social Media to
communicate
with Millennials
Using Social Media
Flexible work hours,
privacy accommodation
for working mothers, and
being part of decision
making process
Flexible
2 3
4 5 6

22. Organizational Change
In the broadest sense, however, a commitment to developing talent reaches beyond one-way
training activities, or even programs that give employees a truly collaborative role.
Learning
experiences
Ample
Feedback
Challenging
Productive
Work
Evidence of
progress

23. Reverse Mentoring
In the broadest sense, a
commitment to developing talent
reaches beyond one-way
training activities, or even
programs that give younger
employees a truly collaborative
role.
Managers come to understand the
attitudes, motivations and cultural
norms of Millennials
Learn practical, technical and social
skills – and often profit from informal,
unfiltered bi-lateral feedback
Millennial mentors gain the professional
benefits of contact with senior
managers, plus a gratifying level of
visibility
1
2
3

24. An Evolving
Workplace
Next-Generation
Development
Bigger, Better, Faster
• WHAT we Want from the
Workplace is the same – HOW we
want it is different
• Millennials are having a positive
impact on our culture and by 2025
will represent 75% of global
workforce

25. Bibliography

26. Q & A
Tracey Wik
312.291.6544
traceywik@chally.com