Millenials are all grown up — and they’re ready to boss you around.
Earlier this year, millennial employees, those born between 1980 and 2000, surpassed Gen X to become the largest generation in the US labor force. And, already, one-fourth of millennials are managers.
‘Millennials are the generation assuming management roles the fastest.’
- Jason Dorsey, millennials expert
“Millennials are the generation assuming management roles the fastest,” says Jason Dorsey, a millennials expert, adding it’s causing a fundamental shift in corporate leadership and decision-making.
A new survey by Future Workplace and networking site Beyond showed that 83 percent of respondents have seen millennials managing workers older than they are.
But a whopping 45 percent of baby boomers and Gen X respondents thought that millennials’ lack of experience could have a negative impact on a company’s culture.
“There’s a lot of frustration,” says Dan Schawbel, research director at Future Workplace. “Every generation thinks they should be the leaders.”
Forty-four percent of millennial respondents viewed themselves as being the most capable generation to lead in the workplace, but only 14 percent of all survey respondents agreed with that sentiment.
Regardless, Dorsey stresses it’s necessary for older generations to realize they’re not working for their sons or daughters, but a qualified employee.
“It’s really important for older workers to see this not as a threat, but as an opportunity,” he says. “Millennials need older workers to be successful.”
Below, Dorsey and Schawbel lay out five smart ways to avoid conflicts with your fresh-faced millennial manager.
Be their mentor
“Millennials look to you for mentoring, even though you report to them,” says Schawbel. “They are looking to you for advice because you’ve been there longer — and that’s what they’re missing.” He recommends asking HR to create a reverse mentoring program, where older and younger generations are paired up and meet every two or three weeks. “This is where the generations can come together for the benefit of the company.”
Upgrade your texting game
Millennial bosses want short, constant and casual communication with their team. “If you don’t use text messaging, that’s a huge problem,” Schawbel says. “Texting is the new voice mail. Instant messaging is up there, too — especially in tech companies.” Keep your texting fingers nimble rather than waiting for your boss to return your voice message.
Stay up on social media
The good news: No one expects you to have a thousand followers on social media. However, millennials do want you to understand how social media works. Pick one or two platforms to be comfortable with, says Dorsey. He suggests creating a basic LinkedIn profile and building a network on it. “It costs no money and shows that you know how to use social media and that you’re up on the times,” he says. Bonus points if you expand your repertoire to Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
Give feedback — all the time
Although older workers are used to an annual review, millennials yearn for ongoing feedback, says Dorsey. They’re also more focused on outcomes, while older employees are into the process. “That’s important, because the process exists for a reason and that’s to reduce errors,” says Dorsey. If your manager is thinking about tearing up the status quo in their first month on the job, explain the thinking behind the old way to help them gain much-needed institutional knowledge.
Dress for the job you have
You don’t necessarily have to crib your boss’ outfit, but take a look around the office: If you’re the only person wearing a suit, it’s time to rethink your wardrobe. “Dress as formally as comfortable [within the office culture],” suggests Dorsey. But don’t push it to sweatpants status: “You still want to show respect.”