With the baby boomers nearing retirement, many companies are experiencing a shift in their workforce demographics toward younger generations. More firms are hiring millennials, workers aged 18 to 32, as they now account for 82 million of the U.S. population, outnumbering the 77 million of the baby boomer generation, according to Investing Answers.
During this transition of workers, companies face the challenge of sales performance management regarding this emerging group, also called Generation Y.
One problem has to do with tension between different generations in the workplace, USA Today reported.
Some millennials feel the companies they work for are not effective in fueling their ambition. They also complain that they are forced to do menial work. If millenials in the workplace are feeling stuck, sales managers can motivate them to achieve company goals and provide innovative ideas through incentives planning.
“[Generation Y] has the power to act now,” Naomi Hirabayashi of the nonprofit Do Something told USA Today. “It’s not about money to them – it’s about energy and passion. That’s the most coveted aspect of this generation.”
A study by professional services organization Ernst & Young showed Generation Y is characterized as being enthusiastic, collaborative and entrepreneurial by other generations, USA Today pointed out. As a negative quality, earlier generations also saw millennials are being entitled.
By acknowledging the pros and cons of millennials, Dan Black, director of campus recruiting for EY, said employers should have a better idea of the different abilities millennials are capable of.
“We want to provide education, help companies understand the generational differences and debunk the stereotypes,” Black said.
Black suggested that millennials look for employers that invest in the development of their employees and have a transparent culture.
To measure the contribution of Generation Y workers toward growing the companies they work for, employers can use sales performance metrics. Using quantifiable data to measure how well this generation of employees can help them grow as workers.
