Thriving as a Millennial Manager in an Aging Workforce

Over the past few years, numerous articles have been written on the differences that millennials bring to the workforce. Diana Labrien’s post on Lifehack is one of the ones that garnered the most attention. Many pundits have argued that millennial employees are lazy and entitled. The growing prevalence of millennial managers turns this discussion on its head.

As baby boomers continue to retire, millennials will play a greater role in management. However, many of the people they manage will be older than them. This can create friction and even resentment that previous generations did not contend with in the same way. Millennial managers need to understand their own biases and the perception of their generation as they develop their own management styles.

Here are some unique tips that millennials should follow as they rise through the ranks of their organizations.

Emphasize the economic benefits of promoting work-life balance

Kelly Holland Pointed out that millennials feel particularly stressed about their lack of work-life balance. One is CNBC poll found that 35% of millennials said that this has become more difficult. Most of them cited increased responsibilities at work as the prime reason.

This is an opportunity for younger managers to change the expectations of the workplace. Millennial managers that are seeking more time in their personal lives have earned some flexibility to do this. They can also set the tone for their employees to do the same.

Is this possible without sacrificing productivity and organizational profits? Absolutely. A number of countries that expect workers to put in fewer hours each week actually have better productivity. This is because workers are less fatigued and can get more done during the workday when they feel more energetic.

This will not only relieve some of the burdens on the manager but also improve their standing with their millennial subordinates. Even older workers are likely to get behind the idea once they recognize the benefits and are assured that productivity will not be stifled.

There are a number of ways to do this. One is by understanding the importance of automation. There are many great project management tools, such as Basecamp and Trello that help manage workflows and minimize wasted time. You can also invest in a program to learn to be a better project manager, such as taking the steps to get a PMP certificate.

Prove that you understand the importance of the bottom line

There is a stereotype that millennials are too idealistic. Some people believe that they don’t respect the importance of fiscal prudence or the concerns of shareholders. This generalization is, of course, unfair, but millennial miniatures will still have to work hard to overcome it.

If you have been appointed to a managerial role, you must demonstrate that you understand that the bottom line is important. This means you will need to make some hard decisions at times. You may be required to terminate employees that can’t meet their projections after all other avenues have been pursued. You may be required to encourage partnerships with companies that don’t reflect your own personal ideological views.

Making these hard choices is difficult for anybody, but millennial managers will need to show they have the tenacity to do so.

Show appreciation to your older colleagues

Another partially earned stereotype of millennial managers is that they think they have everything already figured out. They dismiss the wisdom of more experienced colleagues. You need to refrain from any insinuation is that you don’t appreciate the insights of your older peers, no matter how subtle those suggestions may be.

It is a good idea to network with people of all generations in your organization. Make sure they realize that you value their experience and take their advice to heart. At the same time, it is important to be sincere with your overtures.

Accept accountability when needed

There is one final stereotype of millennials. Older workers believe they are narcissistic. One of the tendencies of narcissists is that they always blame somebody else for their mistakes.

You need to debunk this stereotype by taking responsibility for your mistakes. This is difficult for anybody but can be even harder for millennials.

Millennial managers must learn to be team players

Older workers often think that millennial managers see themselves as lone wolves – too idealistic, entitled and arrogant to conform to the company’s expectations. The good news is that hard working millennial managers are more than capable of dispelling these perceptions. However, they need to invest the time and energy in meeting organizational goals and showing that they acknowledge their own shortcomings.