Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Rubber News
  • European Rubber Journal
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • Current Issue
  • BEST PLACES TO WORK
  • News
    • MID YEAR REPORT
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • HUMANITARIAN
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
    • OBITUARIES
    • OPINION
    • SERVICE ZONE
  • ADAS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Custom
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
  • Events
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
  • Resources
    • ADVERTISE
    • AWARDS
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • DIRECTORY
    • SHOP FLOOR
    • Best Places to Work
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
April 01, 2016 02:00 AM

TB EDITORIAL: New game plan for millennials

Tire Business Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    AB&A Advertising illustration
    10 'must know' facts about millennials, according to AB&A Advertising.

    AKRON (April 1, 2016)  —  Many tire dealers we talk to complain about the difficulty in finding qualified applicants for job vacancies.

    Some of that is likely due to a younger generation of workers choosing to avoid the physical labor  —  and it indeed can be hard — that many tire service and automotive repair jobs require.

    But some of that perceived paucity of good job candidates may be due to the unrealistic expectations of the hiring managers. There often can be a disconnect between the work ethics the older generation of managers desire from new hires and the motivations of the younger generation entering the workforce.

    As our story on attracting and managing millennial workers — on page 10 in the March 28 print issue — suggests, older managers have to understand that the younger generation of employees have a different way of learning and accomplishing tasks, different motivations and different attitudes about success.

    Not wrong, just different.

    A successful manager needs to understand it's a new game with new rules. Veteran salespeople tended to work independently and unsupervised and were driven to toil long hours to succeed and earn bonuses. Younger salespeople prefer supervisors who will lay out strategies for successful selling, working as a team and appreciating PTOs (personal time off) as rewards.

    As many dealers are starting to realize, they can't expect younger employees to stick around for long at any one place of employment — the days of company loyalty are fading away due to some millennials seeing their parents' loyalty to their employers get rewarded with layoffs before retirement. But dealers may be able to retain these employees a little longer by making their workplaces a positive experience.

    Much of millennials' work ethic comes from growing up playing organized team sports, such as soccer or football, rather than free play in a sandlot. So millennials are looking to join companies with supervisory structure and a well-planned strategy for accomplishing sales goals.

    Thus companies have to approach their business much like team sports — with a strategy, a game plan and effective coaching. They can't just put a hat on a millennial employee and send him or her out in the field with a “Go get 'em!”

    Managers now have to behave like a team coach rather than a supervisor who puts out fires. They have to be available to guide employees, conduct daily or weekly meetings to chart progress, share updates, offer frequent training and provide feedback.

    Millennial employees desire consistent training and communication, as well as a framework for how to succeed. They also expect structure and a game plan for how to conduct business, go after and follow through on a sale and get rewarded for successes.

    This approach makes for sound business practices, no matter what generation of employees a company is courting.

    _____________________________________

    This editorial appears in the March 28 print edition of Tire Business. Have an opinion on it? Send your comments — or a letter to the editor — to [email protected].

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    Pirelli won't bid for WRC tire supply contract
    2
    Canada court rules for Michelin in tire trademark case
    3
    Grupo Tersa's Valle becomes first Mexican to earn Humanitarian award
    4
    Atlantic Tire & Service founder Blackman dies at 69
    5
    TIA elects 6 new board members
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    Reader Services
    • Staff
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • BEST PLACES TO WORK
    • News
      • MID YEAR REPORT
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • HUMANITARIAN
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
      • OBITUARIES
      • OPINION
      • SERVICE ZONE
    • ADAS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Custom
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • Events
      • ASK THE EXPERT
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • WEBINARS
      • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
      • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
    • Resources
      • ADVERTISE
      • AWARDS
        • Best Places to Work
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • DIRECTORY
      • SHOP FLOOR
        • BALANCING
        • DEMOUNTING
        • SAFETY
        • TIRE REPAIR
        • TPMS
        • TRAINING
        • VEHICLE LIFTING
        • WHEEL TORQUE
    • DIGITAL EDITION