Many studies highlight that millennials are driven by a desire to make a positive difference in the world. Consider developing infographic-style posters and social posts to help keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s mind and support training. Be sure to recruit millennial employees to serve on communication committees to gain their perspectives, and ensure that your safety communication efforts hit the right notes. Use the platform to discuss your safety program and engage workers in the conversation. Conduct polls, share photos and stories that demonstrate your commitment to safety, and encourage participation in a conversation. Not only do you engage your current employees, but discussing safety on social media can also help attract new employees to your company.

• Though Millennials approach work differently than other generations, they are no less committed to getting the job done, and do not expect everything handed to them by employers.
• For example, some companies have employee benefits like generous vacation and sick leave, paid parental leave and health insurance.
• Popular literature claims that more so than in previous generations, they multitask, and view time as a valuable resource that should not be squandered (Deloitte 2009).
• Millennials value others’ input but are no more likely to seek advice when making work decisions than Gen X. And, even though they think gaining consensus is important, more than 50% of Millennials believe that their leaders are most qualified to make business decisions.
• Beyond an open and transparent environment, Meadows said it’s important for business owners to keep their millennial employees interested.

Millennials may discover that newer technology is not always the most efficient, nor the best media for developing and maintaining workplace relationships (compared with face-to-face interactions with coworkers and customers). Millennials’ interactions with others in the workplace may also change the way older generations, and Millennials themselves, perceive and use CITs. Uncertainty is inherent in the diffusion and implementation of technologies in organizations, and organizational members typically look to reduce their uncertainties about these processes by consulting with influential others, or lead users (Rogers 2003). This is a role in which Millennials may proffer significant contributions to their organizations and coworkers.

Keep engagement high now and in the post-COVID-19 future:

Millennials are well-suited for this leadership role for several reasons. First and foremost, they are passionate about promoting workplace safety. They believe that it is their responsibility to ensure that their colleagues are safe, and they are willing to put in the time and effort to make this a reality. You may have heard a lot about the characteristics of millennials in the workplace; the terms “entitled,” “lazy,” “narcissistic,” and “disloyal job-hoppers” often come up. Yet, research supports the idea that millennials are not so very different than the previous generations, at least when it comes to what millennials want in a job. But while safety is a priority for most of us, millennials are helping take it to new places.

These attitudes and aptitudes should make virtual organizing and telework attractive to Millennials. At the same time, Millennials desire high levels of supportive supervision and structure at work (Ondeck 2002), both of which may be difficult to obtain in geographically distributed and technologically mediated settings. Next we discuss Millennials relative to virtual organizations and telework, their use of CITs and CMC to break down organizational boundaries, and how organizations might tap Millennials’ technology-related expertise for their strategic advantage. The new generation introduces its challenges to the workplace, but it also brings unique assets that should not be ignored. Embrace models of management that value efficiency and contribution while also being flexible. Be a positive force in their lives and offer opportunities to grow as workers and human beings.

Ohio Roofing Contractor Settles with DOL, Agrees to Pay $730,000 and Enhance Safety Measures

Almost half of early baby boomers (48 percent) in the same age group worked in 1968. Among 18- to 21-year-olds today, 58 percent were employed during the prior calendar year. At the same age prior generations were much more likely to have been employed. Among millennial 18- to 21-year-olds in 2002, 72 percent reported working in the prior year.

Safety Training and Technology Can Use an Upgrade

Many are postponing big life decisions like buying a house or starting a family, and adopting behaviors that save money (and help the environment) such as buying second-hand clothes or not driving a car. In the end, what’s important when managing millennials in the workplace is to listen to your team members’ individual needs. So, keep asking your team members what they think is best for them and advise them accordingly. Meaningful working relationships make for easier retention and higher productivity, and your team members will thank you for it, whether they’re entitled millennials or not. Also, millennials want to feel their work has a purpose that goes beyond their own self-development. Make sure you explain how each project contributes to the customers’ lives or the company as a whole, whenever possible, and never leave your team members solely with mundane tasks.

Transparency expected

Furthermore, interactions and relationships in the workplace are influenced by numerous individual differences in communication, and these have been found to affect coworkers’ satisfaction and productivity (Jablin and Krone 1994). Millennials are making their mark in various job categories, including OHS. They are known for their diverse skills and technological savvy, which makes them well suited for leadership positions in this field. In addition, this generation is not afraid to take https://adprun.net/how-millennials-are-changing-approaches-to/ a stand when it comes to ensuring a safe work environment. On another note, a report from the American Psychological Association indicated that millennials rank personal safety as the leading cause of stress in the workplace as they place more emphasis on safety than any of the generations who came before them. The millennial generation is quickly becoming a driving force in the workplace, and their impact is particularly evident in the field of occupational health and safety (OHS).

It is imperative that managers are trained to care about employees as people and set expectations of ethical and inclusive behavior. If your organization has not addressed the above items — wellbeing, ethical and transparent leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion — recently, it’s time to start having these conversations with your leadership team. They aren’t topics just for “young people.” Each topic is also relevant for older generations. An E-PTW is a work authorization software and system that can synchronize operational, maintenance, scheduled, and unscheduled work between organizations, while providing control over contractors. This technology helps organizations work efficiently and accurately, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to workplace safety and performance. Unlike the paper-based work permit process, oftentimes cumbersome for fieldwork but also time-consuming, this system provides total control over the operation and enables a safe workplace to prevent the occurrence of tampering and backdating practice.

An example is millennials’ workplace safety training, which can look vastly different from the training methods of old. The fact that millennials are having conversations about workplace safety and it is such a concern to them is beneficial to all employees. While some older workers who have been working behind a desk for 25 years might scoff at the notion of “safety training,” in today’s world you simply cannot afford to ignore the risks. Use this new energy and commitment to your advantage, stay updated on trends in the field, and develop a culture of safety that works for everyone. Employers that wish to engage millennials and Gen Zers need to show them how they can make a difference in their present roles.