Motivating the Millennial Employee

People are either uncharacteristically critical or exaggeratingly ecstatic about working with Millennials, a generation of individuals who were born during the period between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. As this generation starts to enter the workforce, a literal torrent of articles on hiring and working with Millennials began to be published. Most of the articles are critical of this generation considering them, “entitled indolent slackers” with “little to no work ethic” while having “no respect for authority.” This is a tad exaggerated, but the opposing argument which posits Millennials as the potential saviors of the world, is also equally hyperbolic.

As a Millennial, I could spend considerable amount of time defending myself against the arguments levied on my generation, but that would be exhausting. I could also spend the same amount of time proclaiming our potential to change the world, but I’m also too jaded for that. Rather, I think the schism between these two arguments, and a large chunk of the criticism directed towards Millennials, is rooted in the way my generation values work and how that differs from the expectations of a typical employer.

According to Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, contemporary workers are not as motivated by money or a potential IPO than previous generations. Kanter writes in a blog post for the Harvard Business Review's website, that new employees can’t let themselves “think about an IPO. It’s too remote; it distracts them from doing the work, and the work is the important thing.” Rather she points out that employees are more motivated by OPI – the Opportunity for Positive Impact – than money.

Kanter breaks down OPI into what she calls the ‘Three Ms’ – mastery, membership, and meaning. She claims if companies strive to create an environment that allows employees to develop the necessary skills to be masters of their job while participating within an office community, then they are creating a productive and happy work environment for their employees.

For the newly employed worker, and largely the millennial generation, money falls behind these three motivational factors. Not to say that money is not important, we all have bills to pay, but it is not a primary motivational factor nor as Kanter calls it a “source of sustained performance.” Rather employees who seem the most happy and productive are employed in organizations that foster the ‘Three Ms’ into their corporate ethos.

This seems to be the origin of frustration that many employers have when hiring and working with Millennials. Accusations of profound laziness are not entirely correct. Though, I am sure there are a more than a few notable examples of the “Lazy Entitled Millennial.” I am also sure there is an equal amount of hard working and brilliant Millennials entering the workforce. The fundamental problem is not with this emerging workforce, rather, it is the way companies, employers, and largely society dictates the reasons for working. No longer is simply a paycheck or the promise of a bonus sufficient to motivate employees. To get that there must be more. There must be attempts at creating an environment that encourages mastery and community, while reinforcing that an employee’s efforts are for a larger purpose. It is with these ‘Three Ms’ that companies might be able to properly motivate and work with the millennial employee.

Are you struggling with motivating your Millenial employees? How has your organization attempted to cater to the desires of the Millenial workforce. We would love to hear your comments below.