Millennials in Charge: How They’re Changing the Workplace
For a long time, baby boomers have been the largest generation in the workplace. But the next big generation – those born after 1980 – will soon surpass that group.
As millennials move into leadership roles, what will their management style be?
They’re expected to bring a striking change in corporate America, with a focus on collaboration and transparency.
Hey, what happened to the ladder?
Millennials – aka Generation Y – are changing the rule book.
Previous generations of boomers (born 1946-1964) and Generation X (born 1965-1980) have dutifully followed the traditional top-down corporate structure.
But Gen Y is demanding something different.
You may have noticed some companies are adopting a flat organizational structure. This means fewer titled roles and a more democratic approach. The corporate ladder is sometimes giving way to a corporate “lattice.”
In small organizations, this is easier to do. Larger companies, or those with a traditional bent, will have a harder time flattening – or “delayering” – their company.
Because flattening means fewer management positions, leadership will emerge in other forms. Millennials often believe you don’t need a title to be a leader – it can come from heading a project or campaign, or even taking an active role on your team.
In their minds, anyone can be a leader if they have the desire.
This may be a painful change for some industries, such as oil and gas, where a traditional hierarchy is heavily engrained. It also may cause some heartburn for other generations who are used to looking to someone with a title to make decisions.
Let’s take a vote
With the millennial leadership brand, it will be less about one person’s final say and more about collaboration.
Tradition calls for involvement on a need-to-know basis.
But this style of command and control doesn’t work for millennials. They want openness, collaboration and transparency across the company.
The millennial model has no hidden agendas or secrets, and encourages open access to meetings and information.
Millennials are digital natives
Millennials are the first generation to have access to digital technology their whole lives.
Technology has helped accelerate transparency because it cuts through levels of bureaucracy. Soliciting input from the entire organization is easy because there’s a way to contact anyone, anytime and anywhere. No more running it up the chain of command.
Millennials are used to collaboration and getting input from all parties. They grew up in a culture where they had a say in everything from dinner to the family’s vacation destination.
They are more inclined to inspire people, whereas Gen Xers and boomers are more inclined to persuade. Millennials will carry the torch, but they want everyone to be enthusiastic and 100 percent on board. The motto will be: Succeed or fail, we’re all in it together.
Millennials ooze inventiveness
Trying different methods of accomplishing tasks comes naturally to a millennial.
For example, a millennial wanting to fill a position may look across the organization rather than take the traditional approach of tapping the next in line.
They are more conceptual than practical. They’re risk-takers who are not worried about making mistakes or failing – that’s not on their radar. This generation was raised being told everything they did was wonderful and everyone contributes to the cause. There were no all-stars on their youth sports team, and everyone received a certificate for participation.
Millennials aren’t afraid of futuristic concepts. Boomers and Gen Xers may see that as an impractical waste of time, because they prefer to deal with what is, rather than what might be. But being free to play the “what if” game can be a catalyst for great creativity and may produce something very valuable.
The only constant in life…
A desire for new experiences satisfies a millennial’s thirst to be challenged. It also means they don’t shy away from change.
Millennials thrive on fresh goals and challenges to keep them motivated: new products, new campaigns, or a new organizational chart. And they’ll impose those desires on their employees.
This could be met with an initial pushback by boomers and Gen Xers. Trying new ideas, a need for change and getting buy-in from everyone could be seen as indecisive or a lack of experience by these two groups.
But millennials will dismiss it and move on. They’ll lead the march for the rest of the organization and encourage people to develop and make changes.
If people don’t like change, have stagnated or failed to embrace technology, then they’ll likely be pushed out.
But it’s not about age with millennials. It’s about skill set, passion, energy and excitement for the workplace.
Off the clock? On the clock? Just get the job done
Although Gen Xers brought work-life balance to light, the idea doesn’t make sense to millennials. It’s not two different planes to them.
Work doesn’t shut down at 5 p.m., and life events happen throughout the day.
Have a doctor’s appointment at 1 p.m.? Go. Want to be home to supervise the painter on a Monday? Do it.
They won’t be looking over your shoulder. If you’re productive, they’re not going to care where you are – or what you wear.