The Challenges for Organizations in Inserting Millennials into the Era of Strategic HR Management

The success of organizations is strictly linked to how the resources they have available are managed. In this article, we intend to address the virtuality’s and potentialities of Human Resources of the Millennials Generation..

Much has been said about Generation Y, which is the Millennials Generation. A generation that aspires for balance between personal and professional life, is always looking for recognition, is impatient, is informed and with great ease in the use of new technologies and means of communication.

Some of the main characteristics of generation Y are:

⇒ Desire for flexibility and autonomy at work;

⇒ Valuing the balance between personal and professional life;

⇒ Need for purpose and meaning at work;

⇒ Preference for teamwork and collaboration;

⇒ Intensive use of technology and social networks.Intensive use of technology and social networks.Intensive use of technology and social networks.

Given these characteristics, organizations need to position themselves in order to offer conditions and benefits that attract and retain Millennials.

Some of the best practices that can be adopted are:

1. Offer flexible hours and/or home office: many Millennials value flexibility at work and may feel more motivated and productive if they could work different hours and locations.

2.  Invest in development and training programs: Millennials are constantly looking to learn and grow professionally, so companies that offer training and development opportunities are more likely to attract and retain these professionals.

3.  Value diversity and inclusion: generation Y is usually more committed to social and humanitarian causes. Companies that adopt inclusion and diversity policies can gain positive points with these professionals.

4. Provide a collaborative and innovative work environment: Millennials like to work in teams and exchange ideas and experiences. Companies that encourage collaboration and innovation can attract and retain these professionals.

5. Adopt modern and integrated technologies: Millennials are digital natives and highly value the use of modern and integrated technologies at work. Companies that offer efficient work tools that allow interaction and efficient communication have a better chance of attracting and retaining these professionals.

With Millennials entering the labor market, several questions arise, around their values and how these values can influence organizations, very marked by a strong formalism.

Organizations need to give space to these people. One of the ways to create this space is to give internship opportunities to those who have no experience, to offer conditions for a bigger and better involvement and confidence to those who are already in the market, encouraging them to expose their perspectives and innovations. This way they will be able to confirm all these characteristics that, well used, explored, and recognized, can add a lot of value to the world of People Management and to Organizations in general.

In short, companies need to adapt to the values and demands of Millennials to attract and retain them in the labor market. This may require significant changes from the traditional practices and policies of organizations, but investing in this generation can bring important benefits for companies, including greater innovation, productivity and competitiveness.

For more information, please send an email to  [email protected]