IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT

Supervising Similarities, Distinctions, and Realities

Dale Carnegie Training®

White Paper

The New Boom. Millennials. Echo Boomers. Call them what you will, the
generation born between 1980 and 1996 are influential by virtue of their
sheer numbers, but also because of their remarkable cultural and
technological impacts on society. By 2015, millennials were projected to
eclipse the baby boomer generation in size.1 It’s no wonder, then, that
organizations and their leaders are realizing the importance of
understanding how to engage millennials in the workplace. According to a
recent report, millennials could become the most productive generation
with the right combination of management and motivation.2

Engagement is the employee’s commitment to

his or her organization and the willingness to
perform beyond expectations.

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IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT • DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING WHITE PAPER

Decoding Engagement

Over the course of two years, Dale Carnegie Training and MSW Research undertook a sequence
of studies to build a deeper understanding of employee engagement, beginning with an introductory
study in 2012. In May 2013, a follow-up study focused on the banking industry, while later that same
year, two studies engaged a more in-depth analysis of issues and realities that affect employee
engagement. The overall focus for each of these studies was the realization that engagement has
profound effects on both the organization and the individual employee. On one level, employee
commitment to the organization and willingness to perform beyond expectations extends far beyond
the feeling of job satisfaction. Further, the key to unlocking employee engagement is ultimately the
key to organizational improvement in retention levels. It also impacts the bottom line.

In 2014, a new study examined comparative trends among Dale Carnegie graduates in the United
States and in Canada, to see how these graduates measured against the general population. More
recently, the research turned to the question of how millennials compare to the “older” members of
the workforce (non-millennials) and to understanding how managerial millennials interact with non-
managerial millennials and non-millennials. This more recent research informs this paper.

Millennials are:
 born between 1980 and 1996
 over 75 million strong
 racially diverse
 often politically, religiously, and conjugally unattached
 linked by social media
 affected by debt
 optimistic

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IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT • DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING WHITE PAPER

Why Millennials?
The question is: Why this interest in the millennial generation? One series of reports notes that millennials
have had immediate and long-term effects on society and have caused massive shifts in opinion on social
issues over the past decade. Other research points to their distinct generational identity when it comes to
how they interact with each other and with other generations.3

Millennials—those born between the years of 1980 and 1996—were projected to number 75.3 million by
2015. The generation continues to grow through additions to the population through immigration. Trends
that are discussed in relation to millennials include the facts that they are racially diverse, relatively
unattached to organized politics and religion, linked by social media, burdened by debt—especially student
loan debt—distrustful of people, and in no rush to get married, but otherwise they’re optimistic about the
future.4

Understanding the differences between millennials and non-millennials in the workplace and how to
engage employees who are part of the millennial generation can lead to increased effectiveness in
supervising and mentoring, which in turn can lead to workplace satisfaction, retention, motivation, and
ultimately greater productivity. This white paper answers these and other questions, providing managers of
multigenerational teams with ways of thinking that can inform management strategies when dealing with
both millennials and non-millennials. The findings of this study point to specific insights that are instructive
in this way.

Specifically, our study set out to look at:

 Whether the drivers of employee engagement vary by generational differences

 If there are generational differences in the drivers of engagement, whether management
and communication styles should be adapted accordingly

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 IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT • DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING WHITE PAPER

Summary of Findings
From the findings of this study, we also examined:

 Whether millennials are more or less engaged with their companies than non-
millennials

 Whether and why millennials are more or less satisfied with their jobs, immediate
supervisors, and senior management, compared to non-millennials

 What millennials are looking for in training and development

Our findings pointed to important generational distinctions within our participant population, providing
insights about important factors for engagement and what it takes to engage people born in different
eras.

Here are some of those findings:

Of the 300 study participants, 50 percent were millennials, with the other 50 percent being older
non-millennials.

o Also, 100 worked for companies with between 50 and 499 employees, while 100
worked for companies with between 500 and 999 employees, and 100 for companies
with 1,000 or more employees.

o All participants worked full time.

o And the population was made up of 50 percent men and 50 percent women.

Millennials differ from older, non-millennials in important ways, including:

o They are significantly more likely to be fully or partially engaged than older non-
millennials (with 86 percent of millennials versus 75 percent of non-millennials).

o Millennials who were also Dale Carnegie Training graduates were significantly
engaged.

o Millennials feel less valued, confident, and connected.

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IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT • DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING WHITE PAPER

Summary of Findings Continued

But while millennials chart their own courses on multiple levels, they also share several
noteworthy commonalities with non-millennials:

o Millennials and non-millennials share a similar likelihood to recommend their workplace to

friends as a possible place for employment. See Figure 1 below.

o BUT the research revealed another key generational difference in engagement:

Millennials are much more likely to recommend their company for purposes of doing
business than non-millennials, with 85 percent of millennials saying they would be likely
to make such a recommendation versus 74 percent of non-millennials.

Older - Non-Millennials (50-65 Yrs Old) 38 35 12 15

Millennials (18 - 34 Yrs Old) 39 39 15 7

Definitely will recommend Probably will recommend

May/may not recommend Probably/Definitely will not recommend

Figure 1. Employee Likelihood to Recommend Company to Friends as a Place for Employment

(Basis for Deriving Employee Engagement)

The significance of this finding seems to point to a recurrent theme often indicated in millennial-focused
research: a desire for balance between individualism and loyalty. This present study suggests that for
millennials, engagement might be linked more effectively to both personal gain (derived from recognition
for bringing business to their employer) and a sense of fulfillment (derived from helping others find a good
business partner) and loyalty. These emotional and functional attributes important to millennials are
addressed in a later section of this report.

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Training Makes a Difference

When it comes to addressing feelings of inferiority and incompetence, the research indicated that training
substantially increased positive trends among participants.

 Perhaps in an effort to help them feel more valued, confident, and connected, millennials want
courses in leadership, public speaking, self-confidence building, and team management.

 Also, millennials specifically want online training courses that offer flexible hours, and content that
keeps participants engaged.

The research also uncovered functional and emotional attributes that were above average in importance to
respondents who were millennials, including:

A workplace environment in which

o they are given help or support when needed
o there are incentives for higher performance
o there are flexible hours to allow a work-life balance
o they can look forward to going to work
o they are trusted to do their work and more
o they can work with limited oversight

A supervisor who
o communicates openly and honestly
o recognizes their contributions
o is trustworthy and trusting
o treats them with respect
o helps them learn a lot
o sets a good example
o gives them reason to have confidence in that supervisor because of his/her leadership
ability
o demonstrates interest in the personal lives of people on his/her team

The importance of these findings cannot be overstated. For employees across generational divides, the
findings are similar and indicate a desire to work with a leader who is a person of integrity and sincerity.
The ideal leader, for millennials and for workers representative of other generations, is someone whose
leadership is as much about professional competence as it is about interpersonal connectedness.

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IGNITING MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT • DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING WHITE PAPER

How Employers Can Bridge the Gap

The research also pointed to several functional and emotional attributes that millennials expressed as
important in their work environments but missing from their employers. See Figure 2 below. Millennials
want:
 to be able to do work that’s varied and interesting
 to work with senior management members who are honest with employees
 to work for a company that encourages open communication between employees and management
 an immediate supervisor who cares about their personal lives and the effects that has on their work
 a good work-life balance

Functional Attributes
Above Average Importance /
Above Average Delivery 28. I am given help or support when I need it.
31. My immediate supervisor communicates openly and honestly.
DELIVERY (% Agree Completely)

31 32. My immediate supervisor recognizes my contributions.

28 41. My company provides incentives for higher performance.

40 41

38, 36, 26 30 26. I do work that varies and is interesting.

30. Senior management is honest with its employees.
36. The company encourages open communication between employees
Above Average Importance /
and management.
Below Average Delivery
38. At my company I am able to learn and develop beyond my current job.
IMPORTANCE (% Extremely Important)

“Me”-Related Emotional Attributes

Above Average Importance /

Above Average Delivery 1. I have flexible hours in case I need to take care of personal responsibilities.
DELIVERY (% Agree Completely)

4 3. I trust my immediate supervisor.

1
11. I look forward to going to work.

11
3

2 5
2. I have confidence in the leadership ability of my immediate supervisor.
5. My immediate supervisor cares about my personal life and the effects it has
8
on my job.
8. I am satisfied with the amount of input I have in the decisions that affect my
Above Average Importance /
work.
Below Average Delivery

IMPORTANCE (% Extremely Important)

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The good news is that supervisors and senior managers can make a big difference by seeking to close the
gap on things that are important to millennials but that they find missing in the workplace. This can include
helping ensure they are doing work that varies, and providing them with the ability to learn and develop
beyond their current job. It can also involve ensuring there is focus on honesty and open communication
among all levels of employees and senior management and that supervisors share a genuine interest in the
personal lives of all team members.

The findings of this research also point to a list of important approaches and initiatives that a company can
undertake to keep both millennials and non-millennials engaged. Among these, are:

 Establishing an environment characterized by effective employer-employee communication

 Building a system of incentives, employee perks, awards, and recognition
 Ensuring value in employee compensation and benefits packages
 Developing challenges and an interesting slate of diverse tasks for team members
 Building an environment in which there are friendly interactions among team members
 Providing training and development

The Significance of Millennial Engagement

Earlier research by Dale Carnegie Training and MSW Research points to drivers of engagement in the
broader workplace, including employee feelings about their relationships with their managers and whether
they feel proud of their employer organization. These common trends bear similar significance among both
millennial and non-millennial employees but take on additional meaning and relevance among millennials.

The reality is that while statistical trends relating to multigenerational workforces are important, equally
important is the insight that pathways to engagement often transcend generational differences.

If you are looking for ways to build employee engagement across multigenerational teams, Dale Carnegie
Training can help build effective workplace environments typified by effective communication, value
recognition, and motivation.

www.dalecarnegie.com

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2
Based on population projections by the U.S. Census Bureau in December 2014.
See the 2014 ebook, Motivating Millennials by Hoopla Software.
www.dalecarnegie.com8
3
See the NPR Special Series New Boom and the story, “Why You Should Start Taking Millennials Seriously.”
4
According to the Pew Research Center’s 2014 article, “Millennials in Adulthood: Detached from Institutions, Networked with Friends.”

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