by Jesi Tassava, Executive Assistant at Tassava Consulting
Most Millennials like myself, have grown up surrounded by technology. We can easily adapt to the ever changing technological age. Keeping businesses up-to-date is important in order to appeal to the changing population. This can make Millennials assets in the workplace. However, our knowledge and need for the latest technology may seem scary to many hiring professionals. This is why it is important to become familiar with the best ways to train millennials in the workplace.
Millennials thrive on the use of technology. Training us through educational videos, internet postings and social media will be the best way for us to learn. Handing us a big stack of papers will both turn us away from your business and prevent us from learning to our full potential. If the training tools used are up to date, we will be more excited about your company. You have to remember that being in front of a computer, phone or tablet are where we feel comfortable. Giving us the opportunity to learn in our comfort zone will help us feel well-situated in our new workplace. Allowing us to learn and engage using technology is where you will connect with us the most.
When it comes to videos, oftentimes, the training videos used are reenactments of situations that are almost laughable. These become hard to take seriously (I have sat through a few too many of these). Training videos used to teach Millennials about the workplace should use the latest technology and should be entertaining and engaging, while still being informational. Using different forms of media such as animation, educational videos and engaging exercises, can help appeal to all different learning types. Variety will keep your training curriculum unique and exciting. It can be a tough balance, but it can be done.
Examples of Existing Businesses
The salon franchise, Phenix Salon Suites, understands that forcing Millennials to watch a lecture in a meeting room is not going to be beneficial. Therefore, Phenix Salon Suites aims to engage their new hires in the area they excel most at. They then give them the complimentary education to help them in excelling even further. Coldwell Banker has a unique training opportunity for up and coming leaders in which employees are able to network with one another, use live meetings, web sessions and utilize social media to share resources. These are just a few examples of businesses who are appealing to Millennials with their training techniques.
Resources
There are many options out there that can be used as training tools for Millennials. Technology constantly changes and new resources are always being developed. Make sure to keep an open mind when finding the right resources for your business. Apps such as Explain Everything or subscription sites such as VideoScribe (which is also available in app form) allow the user to be creative. They also provide a very user-friendly interface with many capabilities.
Don’t be afraid of using technology as a learning tool! It will be beneficial…I promise.
Sources:
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7120-small-business-employee-training.html