How to Recruit and Retain Millennials

Millennials approach their jobs and careers with a different set of expectations. They want to learn and develop, both professionally and personally. They want to understand how their careers are going to grow. They want to have work-life balance (for real), and they want to have meaning and purpose in their careers, even if they have to sacrifice compensation to get it. Let’s look at the most effective ways to recruit and retain more millennials.

Improve Your Culture

Millennials value corporate culture, diversity and inclusion more than any prior generation in the workforce. This generation has very different wants from their career experience, and it doesn’t come down to just the dollars and cents. Though millennials will have a financial income goal in mind when selecting a new employer, they truly desire a team of diverse skillsets, a company culture of comradery and an opportunity to grow both as an employee and as a person during their time with an organization.

Offer Professional Development

By continuing to develop, millennials will increase their own value within your organization. It’s important to understand how your team learns best, structuring your development programs accordingly. If you are still using old-fashioned teaching modules, or all-day seated seminars in a conference room, you’re sure to lose at least the millennial generation’s attention. You can use technology, engagement strategies and hands on learning in your professional training programs to foster retention and expand your team’s knowledge base.

Demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility is the way of thinking where companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and missions. Millennials want a collaborative environment where giving back to the community and environmental perspectives are both integrated and honoured. Ask your current employees, especially your millennials, what they're interested in socially, and get them involved in the decision-making process.

Find Balance

Millennials grew up watching the “hustle hard, no time off” mentality, and they are demanding a healthier work-life balance for themselves. Millennials want to work for an organization that prioritizes the happiness and the health of its team, and they’re willing to sacrifice some compensation for it. Work-life balance could include company-sponsored gym memberships, flexible schedules, working from home, or support with childcare.

If you have an outstanding culture, you offer professional development, and you demonstrate corporate social responsibility, your millennial employees are going to sing your praises. If you’re looking to hire a professional recruitment firm to find, screen and interview quality millennial talent, we’d love to connect. Let us help you to grow your team.