Five Tips for Training Millenials
There are three specific generations at work in today's businesses: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millenials. Generation X is only about half the size of the Baby Boomers, and many of the Boomers are approaching retirement age. This means that Millenials have the opportunity to get promoted much sooner in their careers than their predecessors and will need guidance and mentoring to get to where they need to be. If you're from an "older" generation and you've hired some millennials, you may be a little surprised by how different they are!
Let's take a look at who we're talking about... Millennials were born between 1981 and 2000, and there are about 80 million of them making up 41% of the US population. About half of Millennials are currently in the work force, and the rest of them are coming up fast. These young people have never known a world without computers. They have never had to get up to change the channel on the TV, and they are extremely resourceful in finding information. Millennials often don't have patience for outdated training techniques. Here are five tips for helping them succeed:
1. Tell them WHY Millennials are used to teachers giving them a rubric, which explains exactly what they're being evaluated on and what the expectations are. In a training environment, they want to know precisely what they need to learn and how it applies to their job. Without a reason, they'll tune out the material. Tell them ahead of time what their learning objectives are, and show them how this information will improve their performance. If they buy into the reasons for training, they're more likely to interact and succeed.
2. Appeal to their tech-savvy nature
Millennials have never known an educational environment without technology. Their teachers had PowerPoints and Smartboards, YouTube and digital media. Videos were Hollywood-quality. Computers were in every classroom. If you want to reach them, give them opportunities to interact online and allow them to access learning from their smart phones or laptops.
3. Give them great visuals
Millennials value and expect visually appealing presentations. They have grown up with PowerPoint, video, and websites, which include lots and lots of visual images. There is a delicate balance between using enough visuals to add interest and support the content, and using too many that will overwhelm the senses, but finding that balance is crucial. Consider interactive visuals where the student can click on different parts of the picture to learn more. Demonstrate processes with an eye-catching infographic.
4. Give them feedback
This is the generation that grew up with trophies for every kid on the team. They're used to video games where they score points. They need to know they're doing a good job and have a way to prove it. Include in your trainings ways to earn badges or activities that show them they're on the right track. Give them a quiz to pass. Allow Q&A sessions at the end of your training. If Millenials know they're on the right track, they're more likely to stay the course and learn.
5. Keep it short and sweet
Millennials have grown up in the age of television, where every 20 minutes of programming is broken up with commercials. Their attention spans are generally not very long. Keep your trainings to 20 or 30 minutes of easily digestible information. Need more? Then break it up into another session. Don't overload them in one sitting. And for the best results, include some way of interacting with the material, rather than just lecturing them.
There are great strengths that come with the Millennial generation: they are confident, goal-oriented free-thinkers. They embrace new technology. They're not afraid to speak up and frequently participate in community activism. They thrive on being part of a team, and they are generally more accepting of people who are different than the generations before them. With the right kind of training, you can mold your Millennials into rock star employees!
At the Heumann Connection, we can help: www.HCeTrainings.com
