I’ve been getting a lot of great questions about the future of work, millennials and gen z in the workplace, communication across generations, and teamwork. In an effort to help as many people as possible, I will be doing short videos (with posts) to answer your great questions. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.
Today’s question: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE WORKFORCE
- Be transparent about your opportunities to learn and grow. Employees are looking for the opportunity to gain new skills, knowledge and experience. Share what your company offers during interviews, on your website, and consistently ask employees what they are looking to learn. Show that you’re interested and invested in your employees’ development.
- Share how and when they can climb the ladder. Be clear on the steps it takes to move up in your organization, what the next step is, and how they can get there. No one wants to feel stagnant in their jobs and having a clear picture of how they can grow within the organization is crucial.
- Provide your employees with a project. This project should provide value to the organization and give them the opportunity to flex their muscles and learn. Is there are a new client you’re trying to reach but haven’t quite figure out how? Are you looking to grow your social media following and engagement? Look at the strengths of your employees and identify projects that align with your organization’s goal and what they bring to the table.
- Give feedback. Try “just in time” feedback right after a project or an event. Pre-schedule meetings immediately following these events to debrief individually or with your team. These don’t have to be long meetings (even 15-minutes) to talk about the ups, downs, and what can be improved on in the future.
- Let your employees be part of the conversation. It’s important to listen to what they are saying and ask any questions you might have. Employees want to be heard and valued and when they don’t feel like they have a voice, it’s easy for them part ways with your organization.
Workplace Communication Speaker and Trainer at Everything's Not OK and That's OK
Alissa Carpenter is the Owner of Everything’s Not Ok and That’s Ok, author of How to Listen and How to Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work, TEDx speaker, and host of Humanize Your Workplace.She works directly with organizations to bridge communication gaps across generations, job functions, and geography and has worked with non-profits to multi-billion-dollar enterprises.She has an MEd in Social and Comparative Analysis in Education, is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and is certified in the Strong Interest Inventory and Myers Briggs Type Indicator.Alissa has been featured on ABC, CBS, NPR, FOX, Forbes, and quoted in multiple media outlets including CNN Money and Fast Company.
Latest posts by Alissa Carpenter (see all)
- Cultivating Relationships - July 20, 2021
- Empowering Our People - July 13, 2021
- Finding Purpose - July 6, 2021
