It was formerly discussed in a previous blog post: https://rensol.com/fill-local-employment-retail-hospitality-industries/) how the retail and hospitality industries are struggling  with the generational shift to MENA millennials and how potential partner recruitment agencies in the Philippines like Rensol Recruitment can contribute strategically in supplying the world’s increasing demand on retail and hospitality workforce to abridge our local employment gap.

Provided here are practical ideas on understanding millennial behaviors and what impact this generation will cause your company. Millennials turn out to be the biggest slice of the workforce now, and coincidentally, the dominant portion of consumers and shoppers, too. Millennials are taking over the workplace of their parents. And apparently, you can’t just hire them the way you hired their parents before.

Why does the retail industry need more millennials in their businesses and how can they be effective in catering the demands of today’s market?

In a previous survey by LinkedIn on Millennial Job Switching concluded at the end of 2016, this major generation is drifting away from retail to pursue growing industries like technology and healthcare. Seemingly observed, retail jobs were perceived as mere entry-level professions, yet very demanding.

Well, enticing millennials to enter this industry may have been as tough as appealing to millennials to shop in your store.

 

Understanding the Generation Y

They are not kids anymore. Millennials were in the range of ages 20 – 35 this year. While media treats them like spoiled kids to be babysitted, they weren’t anymore. They have already grown up to mature kiddos. Most of them have already acquired a degree in college and have prepared enough to land their first job.

They are stereotyped as being entitled and self- centered. Many executives are deeply concerned too about them being uncommitted and lacking loyalty. But there are more about millennials that they should be considered, rather than doubted and underestimated.

Unlike previous generations, they were fascinated by a lot of things apart from money. So, if your venture brags an undeniably high compensation, you can’t still have a millennial unless he/she is passionate about doing the job being offered.

They will never sacrifice the quality of their life for a career they will never enjoy. It is common for this generation to take a long time applying for a job, not just for being selective, but by being extra careful on what path to grab. Life is short, you only live once, says their mantra.

They will yearn for flexible work arrangements and practically, work-life balance is one of their highest priorities. They get stressed with competition, they could work more effectively with a rather collaborative environment.

It has been a new trend among recruitment and human resource sites to update their packages and reinvent their strategies just to attract them to apply. Apart from being fastidious and demanding, they are inherently skeptical of what is being offered. The struggle in recruiting millennials, specifically in the retail industry, is real. This significantly leads to the ballooning of hard – to – fill jobs in related industries.

 

Why Hire Millennials

They dominantly own this generation and there are a lot of reasons why we need to maximize them in the competition.

Fresh practices and perspectives. Accept it, some traditional practices are not working as effectively as before. Industries have changed and are continually changing. The only way to get along with the fast-paced environment is to employ the younger generation. They aren’t immature for it, they are equipped to revolutionize your business.

Exhilarating energy. This energy doesn’t only exude from their youth, it has been driven by their passion to endeavor new things for the betterment of the company. The force and effort they can dedicate can push your company significantly forward.

Tech-savvy. Technology has been a part of the many facets of millennial lifestyle. They are abreast with the newest trends, as well as the complexities of social media. They can effectively take advantage of this new stuff in all your business processes.

Familiarity with the current market. Shoppers and consumers, as well as your viable business partners, are getting younger. Your future goldmines may have been just their friends and related acquaintances within their circle of influence.

Attracting Star-Performing Millennials

There is no denying how your retail business badly needs a millennial. This is not just a mere trend but a necessity to keep surviving and competing.

Be on social media. They will surely rely their future endeavor beyond the tip of their fingertips within the comfort of their smartphones.  You must be creative to catch their distracted attention span. You must communicate a fitting message for millennial candidates.

Make the recruitment process a personalized experience for every candidate. Provide them an overview of how their life would be like in your company. Make it more personal and intimate as possible. Break stereotypical interview and hiring processes especially for them.

Listen to them and let their voices be heard. Millennials are expressive, and they need to voice out whatever they have in mind. It might not be usual for executives to refrain from talking, but at the very least, have some time to listen.

Know their expectations. Basically, millennials were hunting for work environments which cares about them. Apart from thinking what your retail company can offer for them, be earnest in knowing what they wanted to have from you as an employer.

Perks not pay. Millennials don’t really care that much about the compensation you will offer them, no matter how big it is. They are more attracted with the perks and benefits of working with you. These perks are not necessarily medical, insurance, or sickness benefits, but the many privileges that they can have if they will join your team. This may include awards, rewards, or incentives that you can provide to pay off their good performance. Apparently, they crave for recognition or feedback.

To attract millennials to join your team, your retail company must be something someone will be happy and satisfied to work with. Your workplace should be found as a great place to work. It must be desirable enough to train and retain these young talents.

Seasoned recruiters will always have an eye for star performers. Learn more of our best practices in talent acquisition and let us collaborate to achieve your business goals.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Rensol Recruitment and Consulting, Inc. is the fastest growing recruitment agency in The Philippines. A career consultant that aims to go above and beyond the level of expectations of both the aspirations of the candidates and the dream team standards of employers through providing exceptional opportunities and unparalleled quality-driven recruitment services.