Enticing and maintaining millennial employees is no small feat. Research indicates that Millennials are more inclined than generations before them to switch jobs regularly. 60% of Millennials report that they are currently open to a new job opportunity, even if they are not unhappy with their employer, their employment status, or the requirements of the job itself. In 2016, 21% of millennials indicated that they had switched jobs within the past year, a statistic that is three times higher than non-millennials.
Job-hopping costs money. Not only does it affect the US economy to the tune of more than $30 billion a year, but businesses of all sizes and in all industries invest time and effort in recruiting and training. This means that to retain talented millennials in your photography backdrop business, you will need to invest as much, if not more, time and effort on retention. One way to do this is to consider the characteristics of businesses that work in concert with the wants and needs of millennial workers.
Millennials want flexible work schedules, so ensure that your photography business can provide options.
A work-life or work-home balance is critical for the retention of millennial workers who embrace flexible working options for both straight time and overtime. Millennials prefer to do their jobs when and where it makes sense and have a tendency to avoid positions that force them to “punch a clock.” This may mean providing opportunities for your photographers to work remotely, schedule their sessions around home obligations, and develop work logistics that allow them to find solutions to potential imbalances between work responsibilities and the interests of home.
Using a variety of ecommerce tools and resources that allow your team to communicate and collaborate from wherever they are can provide a basis for encouraging a blend of work and life. Support the social, healthful, and collegial development of your employees both in real time and virtually. Think about how work life can be infused with informal leisure activities, such as include during-hour walking clubs, Friday afternoon socials, and holiday events sponsored to include the families of your employees.
Millennials are generally regarded as being more open-minded, liberal, self-expressive, and receptive to new ideas and ways of living, so ensure that your photography business is a match for their purpose and values.
Millennial workers are said to be both self-aware and socially aware. They show an affinity for companies that have a purpose, with which they can identify. Ensure that your photography company has a well-designed mission and vision. This may mean that your business values and embraces collaboration and cooperation, as these are ideals that appeal to millennial workers. It also includes exhibiting your ability to be flexible and your interest in overall growth, not just of the company, but of the potential employee.
Because this generation of workers is socially active and socially activated, they want to feel as if they are contributing to a greater good. As idealistic and altruistic workers, millennials will love that the photography company they work for hosts give-back events, contributes to scholarship funds, or has some social cause it targets. Remember that you are more likely to attract and retain millennial workers who find a greater good an important aspect of their working lives and who see your marketing and branding efforts as socially responsible.
Millennials are changing the way branding and marketing are done, so be sure your company can live its brand.
Millennial employees want to work for businesses where the external brand and the internal brand are consistent. When recruiters share stories about how your photography company looks and runs and what is offered to employees and consumers, be sure that the experiences of current employees and past customers reflect that. A strong external brand is important, as indicated through all types of social media promotion of the brand including Instagram Tools, but remember that customer awareness of the brand is no longer taking place only through systematic and “official” marketing and advertising campaigns.
More recently, living the brand means that millennial employees are using their spare time engaging on social media. Attracting and maintaining talented and skillful employees requires companies to apply a living-the-brand approach that not only includes informal marketing techniques, but also the company’s commitment and dedication to an accurate representation of itself. Both millennial consumers and millennial employees will maintain consistent, loyal relationships with companies that deliver on those commitments to truly living out their mission, vision, and values.
What are some novel ideas your photography business embraces that are worth sharing? Feel free to post below!
