Your Boss Fears You, So Leverage It!
Good news millennials, your boss fears you!
That’s right, he/she knows that you demand work that has meaning, are wildly influential on social media, and will leave for greener career pastures the minute they present themselves. These trends are reshaping today’s workplace. If you don’t find yourself in a job that offers meaning, you have two options: leave or help your boss create a millennial friendly workplace. So that millennials don’t become known as the ‘quitting generation’, let’s focus today on some tips for helping bosses who fear millennials.
If your boss fears you, help him/her find a social mission that aligns with the business mission.
In the pre-millennial era, companies would donate to an array of random causes that didn’t have any bearing on their core business mission. Today, companies are winning over millennials by donating to causes that tie directly to their business mission. For example, Patagonia donates exclusively to environmental causes. As a result, they’ve attracted and retained a strong cohort of millennial employees. So, if your company isn’t doing this, help them explore ways that they could support social organizations that tie into their core business.
Help them tell their story.
Even though your boss fears you, underneath that rough exterior, they want to share the story of their community impact. You can help by offering to write a blog post, press release, or craft a video that shares a story of your company’s community impact. If you really believe your company is making nothing but a negative impact on the world, then it’s probably time to make like a millennial and leave.
Talk to them about B-Corp Certification.
This is like the ‘certified organic’ for businesses outside of food. It’s a tough process, but if you can encourage your company to do this, you’ll make them a magnet for millennial employees.
Ask about paid volunteer time off.
Most companies that are good at recruiting millennials are offering this nowadays. Basically, they provide some quantity of hours that they’ll pay employees to volunteer in the community. If your company isn’t offering this yet, remind them that companies of all sizes are now promoting this benefit and that millennials are beginning to expect it.
Help your HR department craft its millennial messaging.
Millennials want work that has meaning and they need to be able to see that early on. Too many great businesses lose out on top millennial talent because they cannot explain their community mission clearly and concisely. Offer to help your company craft the messaging that prospective hires will see.
Stress the importance of authenticity to your company.
Millennials have tools, like social media, that allow them to spot and expose fakers from a mile away. Help your boss avoid social shaming by encouraging them to create social good for the right reasons. For example, you could interview your team about their charitable interests and help craft a giving program that matches that.
It’s clear your boss fears you, so use that to your advantage by applying some of the suggestions above. You can help create a workplace that is fear free and open for millennial impact.