There’s no doubt that the next generation of talent will have a completely different way of working compared to older generations. Digital transformation has changed the way we work and live, and millennials are having a huge impact on the global job market. They represent the largest generation in the workforce and they’re redefining traditional leadership. The next generation of talent care more about purpose-driven organisations, having a work-life balance, and continuous learning opportunities. Therefore, it’s all the more important for leaders of today to adjust their management style to ensure their employees remain happy and engaged. Below, we discuss how leaders can adapt their style for the modern workforce.

Focus on relationship-building

As the workplace has shifted, effective management tactics have changed and employees often now prefer constant feedback about their performance. In this new era of work, leaders need to prioritise continually building strong relationships with their team members to help improve performance and communication. Managers who take the time to understand the motivations of their employees can boost engagement and reduce turnover. Part of building relationships is creating a safe space for your team where they feel valued and unafraid to introduce new ideas, or disagree with their colleagues. With this approach, business leaders can maximise engagement and retain the best talent.

Provide mentorship

Since we’re now in an age of flexible working with more autonomous workplaces, the new generation of employees is less likely to respond to an archaic management system that dictates rules and hierarchy. The next generation of talent will want leaders who can establish a mentor-mentee relationship. Leaders should be spending a large amount of their time finding new ways to develop and mentor their teams. An easy way to mentor young employees entering the workforce is to focus on empowerment, which means providing a goal and giving people the freedom to work independently and come up with creative solutions to problems. Ultimately, mentorship provides employees with the chance to develop both personally and professionally. Adopting this style of leadership can help pave the way for improving employee skills, engagement, as well as personal motivation in the workplace.

Be transformative

Transformative leadership is a style that focuses on motivating and inspiring people to innovate and create positive change for the future success of a company. With this leadership style, managers can instil a sense of urgency and purpose in the workplace. As a transformative leader, you’ll be able to avoid micromanagement, which has largely become outdated in the modern workplace. Furthermore, many of today’s younger workers will have grown up with digital technology, so they expect efficient and proactive communication. Transformative leadership focuses on challenging assumptions and engaging others, which relies heavily on strong communication. Adopting a transformative style of leadership allows you to focus on the needs of others to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Adapting your leadership style for different employees is all about being flexible, understanding each individual, and ensuring your team stay on track.

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