Millennials are taking over the workforce, and your help desk is no exception. Employees between 18 and 35 are the fastest-growing generation, well on their way to making up at least half of your employees.

If that sounds scary, it shouldn’t. The truth is that the new wave of millennials could bring amazing things to your team and your business, as long as you put in a little effort to get to know how they think and how they like to work.

A little understanding goes a long way, and a well-understood millennial can help you create the kind of fun, engaging culture that ConnectWise has thrived on from day 1.

When They’re Happy, You’re Happy

Happy employees work harder and dedicate themselves more fully to the best interests of your help desk. For millennials, the key to contented staff is respecting their work-life balance. When these younger employees feel supported in their pursuit of a healthy personal life alongside their work life, they’ll work harder and you’ll see better results.

When your team is truly engaged in their work, whether millennials or not, they’re making a commitment to the quality of the entire department. Instead of coasting by on bare minimum work, these happy and supported team members feel a sense of belonging, which lowers your turnover rate and saves you time training new staff.

So how do you keep millennials engaged?

1.     Make Connections

Give your team opportunities to spend time together outside of work. When your staff can make connections and create a culture, they’ll work better together. Plan regular activities—think every quarter or so—that get them out of the office. It can be as simple as an off-site lunch or a group volunteer project.

2.     Be Grateful

A simple “thank you” for a job well done costs you nearly nothing, and for most employees it goes a long way to keep them dedicated to their work. Millennials in particular are looking for a job experience that keeps them fulfilled, so don’t forget to let them know you see their hard work. Call out jobs well done in team or department meetings, and find ways to recognize extra effort with gift cards, bonus work from home days.

3.     Listen Carefully

Every employee wants to be heard. Giving your team members the opportunity to make a positive impact by:

·       Including them in goal-setting and decision-making

·       Creating an innovation council for staff to vet ideas and present to leadership

·       Being dedicated to open communication so employees feel safe speaking up

4.     Be the Change

In the end, the right company culture starts with you. When you make core values a priority, even your new crop of millennials will be ready to help drive your success. Keep your company values visible with posters, email signatures and daily actions that embody what matters most.

Keep your culture at the forefront of job interviews and trainings, so that from the very first day you’re reinforcing a culture of engagement that keeps millennials, and the rest of your staff, plugged in to the success of your help desk.

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Andrew Reddie’s professional focus revolves around software implementation, consulting, process improvement, customer service, culture, and partner success.

He began his career at ConnectWise in May of 2007 as a Partner Support Consultant. Working diligently and focusing on partner needs, he guided partners as they implemented ConnectWise. During his time as a consultant, Andrew realized his passion was to lead a team that embodied the great ConnectWise culture.

He shifted his focus to leadership and colleague success, which turned out to be the winning formula to lead a successful team. He became a team lead and worked his way through the ranks to Support Manager and now Senior Support Manager.

Andrew has served as Senior Support Manager since January 2010. His goal has been to improve partners’ support experiences. Providing a friendly face and great customer service, he focuses on ensuring the culture of the ConnectWise Support team is a great one, because happy colleagues do great work.