How to Manage the “Generation of Talent”

A few months ago, one of the Furia Rubel account managers wrote a blog entry in reference to Ken Jacobs’ article on Managing Up featured in PR Tactics, Public Relations Society of America’s award-winning monthly newspaper. Jacobs has since written another interesting piece on Managing Millennials which was recently featured in Al Croft's Management Strategies for Public Relations Firms monthly newsletter. As an intern at Furia Rubel and therefore the youngest member at the firm and classified member of the millennial generation, I found it appropriate to take my turn and comment on Jacobs’ most recent article.

Jacobs is the principal of Jacobs Communications Consulting, and believes that ‘Generation Y’ is a force of talent that cannot be ignored. The term “Millennials” refers to individuals “born from 1978 through 1999 and are the largest (at 80 million strong) and fastest-growing group of workers in the U.S.” Jacobs also believes that “they are the bulls-eye target in the quest for the talent that we so desperately need.”

Some of the talents and values Millenials possess include being “highly self-driven, socially responsible, and truly comfortable with and influenced by technology.” Of course, I found his reports on my generation’s talents to be accurate and flattering! However, Jacobs’ article is mainly helpful for business owners or managers to attract, understand, and motivate “this important workforce group.”

For example, the article states that most Millenials can “blow you away with their ability to multi-task.” Hence, it is important to “leverage this ability by granting them independence and assigning them multiple tasks with short-term goals and interim deadlines.” Also, it is very important to create a work environment that fulfils the Millenial generation’s need for a “sense of community, team collaboration, and fun.” Doing so will guarantee your employees will produce a “higher output of work” and a stronger “loyalty for your company.” Perhaps, putting in the effort to create an appropriate environment can “retain them just a little longer and attract more of them to your organization.”

To read Jacobs’ suggestions on how to successfully create this kind of work environment, and the rest of his very functional advice for managing younger employees, read his article Managing, Mentoring, and Motivating Melennials: How To Get The Best From Them. Jacobs can also be reached at ken@jacobscomm.com and his website is www.jacobscomm.com.