The Millennial generation has surpassed Gen X and the Baby Boomers in the American workforce in numbers, and with that comes needed change to the way we work. A demand for mobility is evident from this mobile generation and it’s more comprehensive than you may think. Like it or not, Millennials demand mobile as a healthy and useful part of their total communication plan. Here’s how to make the shift to a millennial magnet workforce.

Learn the best ways to manage Millennials in the workplace!

Mobile Recruiting

According to Glassdoor, nearly 50% of job seekers think mobile devices will be the most common way to search for jobs in two years or less, yet 90% of the Fortune 500 company career sites do not support a mobile application process. Stats aren’t necessary to show you that Millennials are glued to their smartphones, but we’re sure you’re catching our drift. The point is: the largest segment of your potential talent pool is on mobile. Therefore, if you are not – you’re missing out on making a strong presence on mobile. Keep in mind that even Google dings you for not being on mobile anymore. It’s time to go responsive.

How to Fix This:

Conduct a mobile audit on your website, career’s page, application process and recruitment channels and advertisements. Once you’ve completed this, you need to start looking internally. Enterprise technologies have mobile applications in order to speed up change management and productivity among the workforce, from performance management (hey!) to project workflows and onboarding. Enlist your internal marketing department and web development team to get caught up to 2015, erm 2016!

Talent Mobility

You can go to where the Millennials are, but if you don’t have the credibility they’re looking for to back it up… then your mobile presence is pointless. Millennials demand mobility through your organization. They are job hoppers who want to be promised a chance at career growth opportunities. Did you know the average college graduate leaves their first job within one year? Your company has very little time to make an impression. While we’re not promoting you cater to Millennials’ unrealistic demands, we do have to mention that portraying the room for career development and growth opportunities can’t hurt. Millennials don’t want to feel like they’re bound by red-tape. And as the want-it-now generation, we can’t help but understand their immediate need for career mapping.

Here’s How to Fix This:

While not every Millennial is going to walk in and own the place within the first year, they are going to be interested in growth opportunities. If they peg your organization as stagnant or realize they’re never going to move up… they will bounce. Use technology, particularly tech that is accessible on a smartphone to tell them how they’re doing, where they’re headed and that shows them a clear path of succession within the organization.

You have very little time to make an impression on your candidates. Make it last, like this…

Mobile Tool Adaption

Powered by technology, 41% of Millennials in a PWC survey exclaimed they would rather communicate electronically than face-to-face or over the phone. While not the majority, employers can’t ignore that much of their workforce works best through the wire. Your tech choices may be up for discussion when a Millennial is deciding between more than one job opportunity. In fact, 59% say that an employer’s workplace technology of choice is a deciding factor in job selection. Not only do Millennials care about workplace tech, but 78% of them want to be able to access personal technology at work. And for good reason… to be more effective:

“In response to this, some employers are already adapting their IT policy to appeal more directly to millennials, for example offering a choice of smartphones as an employee benefit and actively encouraging business focused use of social media at work.” – PWC, (@PWC_LLP)

How to Fix This: Rework your social media policies at work, but make sure to send out guidelines and best practices for your employees to represent your company in the best light. Don’t forget, you can implement a BYOD (bring your own device) policy as well to increase productivity for Millennials who object to working with your systems. Remember, it’s better to have brand ambassadors than frustrated workers.

Mobile Feedback

Contrary to popular belief, Millennials aren’t looking for constant praise, but they are looking for constant feedback. And what better way to provide that than with a mobile-capable performance management tool?

Millennials grew up with the Internet, which offers instant gratification and quick feedback, and they expect that in other aspects of their lives. ‘That’s just part of the changing ethos, especially with younger workers… If you get into the habit of regular feedback, it’s not confrontational; it’s just the ebb and flow of conversation and a constant tweaking of how you work with somebody.’” – Jacquelyn Smith, Business Insider

How to Fix This: Not letting subpar performance fester is the sign of a great manager. So to, is giving credit when and where it’s due. Use a performance management system that operates on more than an annual basis. Millennials may already be gone by the time you give them feedback. Find a real-time solution that allows cyclical feedback between them and you.

Not letting subpar performance fester is the sign of a great manager. 

Real-time performance management that functions on mobile devices is a feedback-loving Millennial’s dream. See how implementing our cloud-based performance management tool can help you give Millennials the feedback they want in a method they prefer… all to improve productivity, save time and money and ultimately create a better functioning Millennial workforce.