Just like Benjamin Button, the face of the working world is ageing backwards. As newer and younger workers enter the workplace, others retire to make way for these future leaders and managers of today have the important task of nurturing the next generation of workers to ensure the continued success of their company.

Millennials are a massive part of this shift in generations.

It’s certainly a significant task, but a quick Google search of the term ‘millennials in the workplace’ can easily make you fear the worst: this is a generation with a reputation for job-hopping and a distrust for corporate hierarchy, after all.

But is this reputation accurate? In order to nurture the employees of today into the leaders of tomorrow, it’s essential to gain an understanding of what drives and motivates them to perform to the best of their ability.

 

They value different skills

 

Millennials are often characterised as preferring collaboration and teamwork when it comes to making decisions, but this doesn’t mean they’re reluctant to lead. According to research from Fortune, upwards of 20% of millennials surveyed saw themselves in a CEO role in the future – some within a ten-year timespan. However, when asked about the qualities that make for an ideal senior leader, members of this age group listed strong interpersonal skills as the most valued attribute, placing great importance on the ability to have an impact through both communication skills and emotional intelligence.

By contrast, CEOs of today point to critical thinking and business acumen as the key traits of a successful leader. Rather than focusing on the few who fit your profile for the next promotion, consider extending your criteria and raising an awareness to your team of the key aspects you know to be important for a leadership role – you never know who may rise to the occasion.

 

Loyalty through investment

 

When it comes to career progression, millennials are branded as fickle and changeable, unable to stay in one job for longer than a few years. While this generation have the recession and the death of the “job for life” to thank for this reputation, it’s also not untrue that millennials are quick to pack their bags if something isn’t right. If they are to mould leaders from their millennial employees and create a robust succession plan, managers must demonstrate the value of their employees’ contribution; they must ensure potential leaders are presented with the chance to learn and develop their skills further.

By investing in their employees, managers inspire them to take control of their own professional development and rise to the top of their game.

 

Feedback is a must

 

Having grown up with social media platforms at their fingertips, it’s undeniable that millennials have come to expect a certain level of instant gratification upon completing a task, but this doesn’t mean you have to start up an internal social media platform and “like” everything they post. Instead, managers must understand the importance of performance reviews and regular one-to-one’s in which they provide guidance, reassurance and constructive feedback that will help them in their journey.

Remember, when it comes to identifying future leaders, you may want to focus on potential over performance. While their track record may be a measure of their ability to complete tasks on time to a high standard, it doesn’t necessarily indicate great leadership. Use your one-to-ones to look beyond their work into their attitude: a successful leader will not only demonstrate efficiency, but the desire to grow, help others and influence all levels of the business.