Millennial Allegiance How My 2-Week Temp Job Turned Into an 11-Year Career

Millennial Allegiance How My 2-Week Temp Job Turned Into an 11-Year Career In the business world, the millennial reputation is mixed. Were known for our talent but also our turnover.The median job tenure for a Gen. Y employee is just two years, according to a PayScale report a far cry from the seven-year average for baby boomers. Another studyfrom Elance-oDesk found that 53 percent of hiring managers found it difficult to find and retain millennial talent.Ive watched friends change jobs and often entire careers several times before their 3othbirthdays. As for me, however, Im in year 11 of my first job. I was 19 years old when I took a two-week temp position working for a data company, which became part of Nashville-based tech firmEdgenet. At the time, my intent was to make some quick cash while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. Well, I happened to really enjoy my stint at Edgenet, and the rest is history.Ive been asked mora than a fe w times why I havent explored new opportunities. In the tech industry, after all, competition is pretty fierce for the best perks. And while all-day snack bars and game rooms get the cool factor, for a lasting work environment, its important to make sure that connections to employees run deeper than games and free food. (In fact, the ping-pong tables in a tech firm has become a stereotype and not a good one.)From a millennial perspective, here are my tips to help employers conquer the great divide between Gen. Yand the other generations.1. Give Us FlexibilityMillennials idea of work doesnt always fit into a 9-to-5 schedule. We have busy lives in and out of the office, so we value the ability to manage work life and home life interchangeably. Promoting a strong work/life balance and offering remote working opportunities go a long way in showing your Gen. Y employees that you value them. A take time off when you need time off policy and even something as simple as encouraging employe es to take personal calls at work (my office has special pods for that right outside the conference room) shows the company values all of your time, not just on-the-clock hours.2. Dont Let the Work Environment Become StaleIn fruchtwein millennials eyes, change is excitement, and its something were used to. We went from VHS, landlines, and dial-up to on-demand streaming video,smartphones, and Wi-Fi all before many of us were out of our parents homes. We grew up on change, and we thrive on it.In my 11 years with Edgenet, the company has evolved dramatically. The company hastaken me along for the ride, giving me opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. With each promotion, Ive learned something new, which is essential to keeping the attention of the most educated generation to date. I even had the chance to move across the country to Nashville and reenergize my personal and professional lives.3. Be Honest With Your EmployeesIf there was ever a time to be completely op en and transparent with your employees, this is it. Millennials value being in the know, and, thanks to the Internet, we expect it. This goes for the workplace, too. We appreciate open and honest lines of communication between all levels of the company, and we expect to be held to the same standard. Sharing plans for the business and giving us the opportunity to offer input and be taken seriously in doing so is invaluable to earning our loyalty.4. Open the Door for progredienzMillennials often want to know where we fit in the big picture. If we dont see a clear path to growth and a desirable role, we already have one foot out the door. Be frank with your employees about their long-term potential within your company, and listen when they express their desires for change, whether its more responsibility, the chance to try a new role, or an idea to move the company forward.Become a trusted mentor to your employees and guide them along their professional journeys to reach their goals. Even if those goals dont happen to be at your firm, letting us know that youll help us get to where we ultimately want to be is an incentive to stick around.5. Show Your AppreciationMillennialswant to stand out and feel valued as individuals. Our professional selves and work selves are intrinsically connected, and we find excelling at work to be personally gratifying. A handwritten note or some praise for great work in front of peers lets your employees know that their hard work and talent arent going unnoticed. Share how the work we do makes a difference to the company. If we feel valued and connected to firm goals, we have purpose and thats something were constantly thirsting for.Millennials may get a bad rap for corporate loyalty, but because we are relative newcomers to the workforce, businesses are still trying to figure out how to work with our generation. You can easily win the allegiance of this generation as long as you pay a little attention to our quirks.