Millennial managers are stepping into leadership roles at a rapid pace, and they’re doing things differently from the generations that came before them.
From prioritising work-life balance and purpose-driven leadership to leveraging the latest trends and technology, millennials are breaking the traditional management mould.
As companies face an increasingly complex (and changing) work environment, millennial leaders are using empathy, adaptability, and inclusivity to create more understanding and engaged teams.
But how exactly do they differ from their counterparts?
In this article we explore the new face of management – millennials.
A research paper by Sciendo (2023) found that millennial managers prefer collaborative and adaptable leadership styles.
They value transformational leadership, open communication and group collaboration, but they also expect clear goals and feedback.
Millennials tend to focus on ethical leadership and inclusivity, prioritising work-life balance and flexibility – for themselves, and their teams.
And while millennials do appreciate rewards-based elements at work, they are less responsive to purely transactional approaches, preferring leadership that aligns with their values and personal growth.
A report by The Future Laboratory adds that a key characteristic of millennials are that they challenge traditional life paths, questioning marriage and parenthood norms, and are strong advocates for gender equity.
However, they are characterised by higher levels of stress and anxiety, compared to older generations.
By 2025, millennials in the UK will make up 39% of the workforce, which could rise to 70% by the end of the decade as older generations retire. 
Millennial managers bring a unique blend of traits that set them apart from previous generations.
Unlike stricter leadership styles that were adopted by managers of past generations, millennial management techniques focus heavily on collaboration, ethical leadership, flexibility and work-life balance.
Research shows that millennials are also less hierarchical and more focused on inclusivity and transparency, leading teams with a mix of empathy and practicality.
They also tend to prioritise experiences and personal growth over traditional leadership markers like status or titles.
Being one of the most tech-savvy generations, they see the significance and value in having the best technology available to support goals and teams.
Being managed by a millennial will likely feel less hierarchical than what you’ve experienced with other managers.
Millennial managers lean towards transformational and participative leadership styles, encouraging input from their teams and focusing on growth rather than strict oversight.
Positively, they are emotionally intelligent and tend to lead with empathy and ethics, making them approachable leaders who focus on creating positive work cultures.
It’s not news to anyone that workplaces are rapidly evolving – but this is creating a unique set of challenges for millennial managers that other generations haven’t faced before.
For the first time in history, there’s a chance your organisation could be made up of five generations. With the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Z (and themselves) all in the workforce, millennials are needing to adapt their leadership skills to meet varying needs and communication preferences.
Staying ahead of tech trends like AI, social media, apps, and endless new workplace systems and platforms can be overwhelming – especially when training your team is involved.
Millennials managers need to balance flexibility with productivity while managing teams that are dispersed and often working from different locations.
Global employee engagement has stagnated and wellbeing has dropped in recent years, and millennial managers – alongside HR and senior leaders – are being tasked with finding creative ways to motivate and retain talent.
While the challenges are there, the good news is millennial managers have all the right ingredients to build truly happy and engaged teams because they often lead with empathy and heart.
They naturally prioritise open communication, healthy feedback and create spaces where team members feel valued and heard.
And it is this emotional intelligence that is key to keeping employees motivated and engaged.
If you’re a millennial manager looking for more support in your workplace, we’d love to help. Stribe is built to create happier and healthier teams with surveys that are simple.
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