Have you noticed that your younger employees tend to ask for feedback on a regular basis? “Am I doing a good job?”
“What do you think of this?”
“I have an idea but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
“I never heard you say you liked it so I assumed you didn’t.”
If it drives you nuts, or if you think it’s because they aren’t confident enough to make decisions on their own, perhaps it would help to know why this generation seems to need more feedback, more often. If you are not used to providing this level of guidance, it can be frustrating.
Your Millennials Love Feedback Because…
There are two main reasons millennials typically like feedback in the workplace. The first can be traced back to their childhood, and the second to something we all probably use every day.
What are they?
First….
You get a trophy!
And YOU get a trophy! Borrowing from the famous Oprah line, this generation grew up in the “everyone gets a trophy” era, simply for participating. From sports to school events, trophies were not just given to first, second, and third place, but to everyone who participated.
So when a generation is used to receiving praise simply for showing up, and they enter the workforce where they suddenly have to ask for feedback to know if they are doing a good job, it can be a difficult transition.
Though not everyone needs a trophy or feedback just for coming to work, it is always good to explain the feedback process from the beginning. Will you have weekly one-on-one meetings? Monthly? Full staff meetings? Do you provide employee gifts based on performance? As long as you explain the process upfront, your employees will know what to expect and will not be looking for constant praise (or trophies).
And second….
Millennials are growing up in the age of instantaneous feedback.
With Facebook and other social media sites, their friends can “like” what they do with just a click of a button. That public display of “approval” then radiates into their offline lives.
If my boss isn’t telling me they like what I’m doing…do they like it at all?
It is not surprising that a generation who grew up always having the opportunity to post, tweet, like, and share information would want that same instant feedback from their bosses. Again, as long as you are open and honest about how you plan on providing feedback to your employees, they will know that work-life does not always provide the level of acclaim that Facebook does. Communicating that is key.
The bottom line: most millennials want to do a good job, and want to know that they are doing a good job.
Most of the time, they won’t assume, which can actually be a good thing for your business. If there are any issues you can confront your employee right away; don’t be afraid to provide feedback, as it helps them grow as a professional. As with all other managerial leadership techniques, every person is an individual so the best practice is to ask them how they would like to receive feedback.
You are the business owner, so it is important to make expectations clear and set a precedent from the beginning if you do not plan on providing constant feedback. Tell them that you will let them know if and when you need something done differently, instead of constant praise for when things go well. As long as you consistency reigns, feedback won’t be needed as much as you, and your millennial employees might think.
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