Managing the Millennials, 2nd Edition

Introduction

Close Encounters with a Different Kind

Raise your hand if you have ever had an encounter at work with a younger employee that left you completely puzzled. Relax. You are not alone!

There are currently four generations at work (Builders, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials), and three of the generations have been playing nice together for well over a decade. Therefore, our attention will focus on where most of the angst lies—between the new kids on the block (Millennials) and the other age cohorts.

We are constantly amazed at how the topic of “Managing the Millennials” resonates with people. Standing in line for a latte, on a plane, or at a cocktail party, when we talk about our research, it creates a buzz. Although interested in hearing about our findings, people are even more eager to tell their own story. Odds are that if you bought this book, you have your own story. You have lived it, and you have experienced the tension.

A few years ago, we began to notice a growing frustration among managers and business leaders with integrating younger workers into their organizations. Activities that in the past had been relatively straightforward—like recruiting, retaining, and rewarding—now seemed more challenging than ever; and we were not the only ones who noticed. Newspapers, journals, magazines, niche publications, 60 Minutes, and even movies have captured the phenomena of the Millennial in the workplace. The stories portrayed reactions that ranged from amazement to ...