Managing and communicating with young people can seem confusing or even challenging for someone who comes from a different generation or who hasn’t worked with 16-24-year-olds before. As an employer hosting a young person through the Maine Career Exploration program, you can create a positive work experience. Here are some helpful tips on creating a positive workplace.
Outline Your Expectations
This may be their first job! If they have not been involved in a workplace environment before, they may not understand certain things that you consider to be common knowledge – like how to answer a phone. Different workplaces have different expectations and guidelines—you will both be happier if you set clear expectations at the start. Younger generations love feedback – good or bad. Tell them when they’ve done a good job and offer advice when they missed the mark. Always respect the intelligence of your young employees and talk to them like you would anyone else.
Clearly Explain “Why”
To young workers, one of the most unmotivating types of work is what they perceive as busy work. If you tell them to do something without clearly explaining your reasoning behind it, they are going to wonder what the point of it is and may not be as motivated if they personally conclude that it is unimportant. Every job has elements that aren’t fun, but learning to do them anyway is an important part of any job and by taking a few minutes to communicate the “why” can help them to stay motivated knowing that their work matters. The last thing you want to do is give them tasks to do with a “because I said so” attitude as this can be insulting and demotivating to someone who just wants to know some simple context to their task. Remember, they want to develop leadership skills, such as communication, management and critical thinking, and will look to you as a mentor.
Let Them Know You Care
Young people want to know that they matter and that the work they do for your company is truly useful. They want to be treated like young adults when working for you. Individualism and personal identity are important aspects in the culture of younger generations, and many large companies that fail to accommodate for this tend to have bad reputations in online communities. You do not need to nix the rules to make young employees happy, but by just taking the time out of your day to communicate with them openly and personally, you can make them feel cared for. Let them know that their voice is heard by asking for their opinion on things and by reinforcing the idea that your workplace is a safe environment where they can develop their skills without a fear of shame or humiliation.
It's better to ask questions than make assumptions. If you assume that the young person is headed to college or knows “what they want to do” – you could be wrong and find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.
Embrace the Differences
Gen Z is quite different from older ones. They have been raised with technology like cell phones, Wi-Fi and social media their entire lives and may have a different relationship with it. This can be a great asset; ask for their opinion or help with social media marketing. Our culture has changed significantly in the last few decades, and younger generations can provide insight that could benefit your business. Embrace the differences and you can learn from each other.
For more information about the Program and hiring Maine's younger workers, visit our website here.