Recruiting and Keeping Millennials

By Kristen Harper, Controller and HR Manager at Kenton Brothers

There are approximately 54 million 18 to 34 year olds in the job market today. This group of individuals is classified as Millennials.

It seems society has put a lot of emphasis and thought into what makes a millennial “tick” from an employment perspective. This group of individuals has a higher digital connection than previous generations and is usually tied to social media outlets. Many Millennials like flexible schedules, working from home and lots of time off.

Simon Sinek explains in this YouTube video the difficult situation Millennials find themselves in. His theory is based on how they were raised and what they were taught in school and sports. And now they’re trying to get a job, or keep a job, and struggling. The video has over 9 million views and makes some very good points. If you have 15 minutes, we encourage you to watch it… it might help you support Millennials on your team more effectively with a better perspective.

Companies Have to Do Things Differently

Companies are finding they need to change strategies, policies and procedures to adapt to the desires of Millennials so they can keep their work forces intact and growing. Having a meaningful job and feeling they’re contributing is just as important to many Millennials as their compensation. Accepting that Millennials like constant change and aren’t looking for a lifetime career is something employers are learning to adapt to as well.

Millennials like direct, immediate feedback, not traditional performance reviews, and they thrive on personal development and clear cut paths to climbing the ladder.

How Are We Supporting the Millennials at Kenton Brothers?

Kenton Brothers has taken great steps to create personalized career paths within our organization to show every employee how they can become the CEO some day if they so aspire. We’ve created quarterly team building events, staff breakfasts, potlucks and more to promote engagement and stronger team values. Our culture is like a family where we support, guide and provide assistance on both a business and personal level, and we’re embracing continual recruitment in our organization.

Kenton Brothers has found that with all changes we’ve implemented, we’re hiring and building relationships with many Millennials that are doing great things in our business every day!