How to make the most of managing your millennial talent

Attracting and cultivating the best millennial talent can be easier said than done, but there are some positive steps companies can take to position themselves for success

Developing the right practices to attract and manage the best millennial talent to your business is essential in this day and age. Each day we face a myriad of corporate pressures, which mean it is essential to always be on the lookout for the best and brightest in your field.

However, attracting, managing and retaining top professionals can be challenging for any organisation. It's a highly competitive world out there and businesses that hope to secure the services of this discerning group need to be prepared. Here we offer advice on some of the best steps that companies can take, when managing and nurturing millennial talent.

Invest in the latest technologies and ideas

Companies that embrace the latest innovations and are open to investing in new technologies to make their processes and the lives of their workers more efficient and easier will be the ones best placed to attract top millennial talent.

Millennials expect their employer to be digitally savvy, with a focus on connectivity and interoperability in IT, as well as making use of new innovations like machine learning, AI and data analytics to identify new business opportunities and ways to improve existing products or operations.

Businesses that fail to adapt to the changing landscape of emerging technologies run the risk of being branded as 'stuck in the past', and this is a problem that could alienate many top millennial performers.

Accept that 'churn' is inevitable

Not every member of staff that joins your business will be with you forever; this is a simple fact that organisations have to understand. In years gone by, the likelihood of securing a 'job for life' was far greater than it is today, with many millennials now simply not accepting the concept at all.

Not only is this due to rising levels of competition in many industries to attract the best talent, it also comes as a result of many millennials' desire to experience a wider number of roles and sectors throughout their career.

As a result, businesses must realise that keeping hold of their best millennial workers will require just as much effort (if not more than) as attracting them in the first place. It never pays to rest on your laurels, and that means constant attention should be given to making your business as attractive to this group as possible.

Offer flexibility and opportunities to advance

Many millennials expect flexibility in the way they work and believe that maintaining a positive work-life balance should be as high a priority for their employer as it is for themselves.

As a result, practices like the ability to work outside of the office, to have flexible working hours and to have a certain level of autonomy in how they manage their workload and set out their day is important to millennial workers.

At the same time, offering the opportunity to pursue enhanced career development, to learn new skills and to experience other areas of your business should be viewed as a key part of your staff management programmes – the ability to advance quickly in their career is a common requirement among this group of professionals.

Be transparent in your culture and build your brand

Creating a welcoming, transparent and purposeful brand identity is essential to boosting your attractiveness to millennials. The ability to stand out from the crowd and to showcase your unique identity and purpose is essential to successful engagement with this group.

Make sure that your online presence is slick and professional, with a website that highlights your commitment to being an inclusive and progressive place to work. It also pays to publish your company philosophy, as many millennials wish to work for an organisation that shares their own outlook and ideals.

Finally, business leaders should actively engage with the wider workforce when making key decisions. Keeping individuals informed and giving them an active say in future business decision-making is a great way to show your appreciation and to actively bolster millennial engagement.