I recently posted a question on LinkedIn asking people how they work with millenials.  One person responded saying “they don’t stay on track and need to be reminded all the time.”  This seems to be a common problem among the millennial generation.  Fortunately, it’s possible to keep them motivated and on track.

Tips for Working with Millenials:

–Encourage them.  Even if they’re getting off track, encourage and compliment them when they are on track. Millenials tend to respond well to praise.
–Ask for their input.  Give them a task, train them, but then ask them if they can think of a better way to accomplish it. If they think that they have some sort of control over the task, they will be more motivated to finish it.
–Create relationships with them. If they have an emotional connection to you, they’ll want to impress you.
–Create groups. Millenials tend to be very social, so if you pair them up with someone else to finish a task, they might have more fun doing it.
–Provide structure.  Give them a task and let them know how you want it done. 
–Provide a sense of comfort.  Make them feel at ease and their true talents will start to show.

These are just a few tips and honestly, they would probably help you work with any person, not just millenials. 

If you’re a volunteer manager and you need help working with millenials, Andrew just made a great presentation that will help you immensely: