Managing Millennials

“RU free 2 meet Fri? B/C if UR not, Mon is OK w/me.”

Most people in the workplace today probably wouldn’t send an e–mail spelled that way. However, for a good portion of the younger people just starting their careers, it might be perfectly normal. It’s how they’ve grown up doing it.

Everybody needs a little training on professionalism when they first enter the workforce–attire, demeanor, communication, et cetera. However, HR professionals today are saying that the newest generation, the millennial generation, seems to need more help than others.

Not that it’s their fault. Millennials grew up in a time when workplace philosophy was shifting dramatically towards the casual–suits and ties had all but disappeared, flex–time and telecommuting were becoming all the rage and work–life balance was becoming increasingly more important.

They also grew up in a time where evolving technologies, like cell phones and PDAs, affected communication much more than for any other generation. On top of that, the prevailing educational philosophy during the 1980s and 1990s promoted flexibility in learning, so they may not have had as strict of an environment in school as is required in the workplace.

One of the ways companies can smooth over the Millennials’ transition into the workplace is through orientation or training courses that spell out what’s expected of them. It could help them avoid mistakes and be more successful more quickly.

And, BTW, it could B good 4 UR company 2.