Managing Young Staff

While not all young people are the same, there are some things I believe they have in common.

“The higher one’s standard of living, the more life is filtered through how something makes you feel, and today, as most basic needs are met, feelings matter in leadership.”

Many young people, whether they know it or not, want to be part of something bigger, and at work, that relates to the purpose of your organization.

They also want to feel like they matter and can make a difference.

This is actually common to all age groups.

Their life plan is not built on getting a house, it’s built around experience and feelings.

If you’re over 50, this is likely different than your focus was when you started work.

Your plan was probably built on making money to buy things and eventually get a house.

Why the shift? Life changed.

The environment most young people have grown up in had the basics of life looked after, and when that’s the case, one’s focus becomes how things make a person feel.

My kids traveled and went to restaurants way more than I did when I was growing up.

Did you ever hear about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Abraham Maslow studied how needs drive a person’s behaviour.

Here’s what he found.

Maslow discovered an order of needs starting with physiological needs (like food and shelter). When that need is met, people look for safety (security, employment, health). When safety is met, people look for love and belonging (friendship and a sense of connection). When that need is met, people look for esteem (respect, recognition). When esteem needs are met, people look for self-actualization … being all they can be.

The higher one’s standard of living, the more life is filtered through how something makes you feel, and today, as most basic needs are met, feelings matter in leadership.

Here are a few tips to managing young people and feelings:

Understand where they’re coming from (it’s not their fault to be driven by different things).

Connect young people to the purpose of your organization (Mission Statement).

Give them feedback on how they are doing and how they make a difference in your business.

Managing feelings can be a company’s greatest tool against turnover.