Six tips for dealing with younger employees and five tips for serving younger customers that I hope will be helpful to you as well.
Last time, we covered what American sociologist Jean Twenge called Generation Me. This time, we'll continue with Twenge's book. We're going to focus on how the sociological imagination can help us in our work and our lives.
That is, if we already know the distinctive collective personality of Generation Me, how do we deal with Generation Me if we are employers, or if we are businesses?
1. If your employees are Me Generation
If your employees are Me Generation, you'll notice a few things about them. They have high expectations for the future, often higher than what they can achieve. They don't seem to care about other people's opinions and always go their own way, but in reality they are very sensitive to criticism. They have no respect for authority and will not easily accept advice from others.
What do you do if you are an employer?
You have to start by getting your head on straight. You have to realize that younger employees may have very different values than you do, and you can't condemn them or expect them to change, you can only learn to communicate with your own employees in a more relaxed way.
Next, I'll tell you a few practical tips on how to deal with young people.
First, praise works better than criticism. This generation has grown up with praise, they are not used to being reprimanded and criticized, and talking about responsibility is useless to them. If you can make young people feel that they have been chosen for a special mission and that their talents and efforts are appreciated, they will be motivated. Even if you must criticize them, learn to praise before you criticize. If you meet resistance when you criticize them, don't be in a hurry and continue to explain and communicate patiently. You'll find that young people don't refuse to criticize, they're just not used to the way it's done.
Second, bluntness works better than euphemism. When young people communicate with their elders, they are often confused because elders prefer to express themselves euphemistically, confusing young people. This is not the way young people are used to communicating. Communicate with young people, must be straightforward, honest, tell them exactly how to do, tell them your truest thoughts.
Third, short meetings are more effective than long meetings. Never open a long meeting with young people, they simply can not sit. They can't sit still for long, boring presentations that put them to sleep. Be short and interactive. Don't forget that this is a generation that grew up watching computers and cell phones and playing games, and they prefer to be participants rather than spectators.
Fourth, give young people jobs that require more flexibility and initiative. They usually have friends from different backgrounds, they like freshness and excitement, and they don't want to do things by the book. If you need to deal with culturally diverse clients, if you need to break the mold and innovate, give it to young people, and you'll find that they'll do it with aplomb.
Fifth, flexible working helps attract young people. Salary is not the only, or even the most important, factor in attracting young people. Work-from-home options, flexible commutes, the availability of daycare, and generous maternity leave policies (including for male employees) all go a long way toward increasing employee loyalty.
Sixth, understand your younger employees. It's not that they're not trying, they're just confused. No one told them how to get from school into society, no one told them that the workplace is so competitive. High housing prices, rising costs of daily life, and opportunities for advancement are all challenges that young people have to face. Changing situations in different places, you would be just as anxious if you were in their shoes.
2. If your customers are "Me Generation"
Having talked about how to deal with younger employees, let's talk about how to deal with younger customers. If your customers were younger, what would you notice about them that's different from older customers?
They would prefer products with personality. They are less likely to worship name brands and more likely to trust their own judgment and aesthetic interests. They will form different cliques, some of which you may never have encountered before - for example, you may find urban guys who like makeup and girls who like boxing.
What are the products and services that millennials want more of? I've come to you with 5 more specific suggestions for you to consider.
First, life coaching. One of the most embarrassing things that young people encounter is that what they are taught in school hardly matches what they need in the workplace and in life. Big to choose a specialty, study abroad, find a job, small to the workplace dress, interview, go abroad luggage are loaded with what things, all need someone to give them as a counselor. With the development of big data, the brokerage business that relies on exchanging information to make money will gradually be replaced, but the coach who relies on experience and service to provide young people with all kinds of planning and accompany them to exercise their life ability and workplace ability will have a broad market.
Second, social service. Although young people are more energetic, but compared with the older generation, on the contrary, more lack of socialization opportunities. Internet dating services and speed dating will continue to flourish, and services that match people according to big data and personality will be especially prosperous. Only online socialization cannot meet the needs of young people, how can we allow young people to have a variety of communication opportunities offline, in the way they are accustomed to, for them to establish a different circle, will certainly be liked by young people.
Third, the singles market. More and more young people are choosing to live a longer single life, so various markets for single life will flourish. For example, nowadays, most of the food packages are designed according to the family, if it is for the single life, then there should be smaller portion packages.
Fourth, the childcare market. The cost of childcare will continue to climb, nurseries and kindergartens will be in short supply, the nanny market will continue to be lucrative, and educational products for children will remain a huge and expanding market, and the competition to get into the best schools will only continue unabated in the coming decades.
Fifth, niche markets. The luxury market will shrink, both because young people don't have a lot of money left over, and because young people care less and less about status, position, and brand. What young people want is cool. Niche markets will become mainstream. Once the niche products have become the mainstream products, they are not cool, and they can no longer attract young people.
Zero-second thinking
1. Employees are of my generation, giving 6 points of advice, more praise and less criticism, bluntness, short meetings, flexible working hours, and so on. Get to grips with these traits and see these boundaries.
2. Specific products and life advice 5, life coaching, parenting services, singles services, social services, personalized goods, in line with these five categories, do not worry about making money.
3. The above said, really fit the times, for the understanding of the future development is really beneficial. Standing in the actual position, combined with a look, a different perspective, rub out a different spark and inspiration.