As of 2017, Millennials made up the majority of the workforce at 35%—outnumbering both Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers. What’s more is that they are slated to become 75% of the workforce by 2025. Now that Millennials, a group often classified as entitled and uninterested by the generation that preceded them, are the majority industries find that they have to change the way they adapt to them. Why? Because millennials are fundamentally different from the generations before them.

Unlike Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers, Millennials are more highly educated, with more than 52% of their generation attending and completing college. This, coupled with the fact that they have more student loan debt, a deeper need to be challenged by their work, and they want to feel like they are actually helping the world, and we see the problem. Certain industries do not currently appeal to Millennials because they are interested in more than just making a living.

One such industry is Logistics & Supply Chain Management. Fewer Millennials are interested in it. If you run a business in the Logistics & Supply Chain Management industry, what can you do to make your business more appealing to Millennials?

Infuse Roles With More Meaning

It’s no secret that Millennials care deeply about how their work makes them feel. Some even consider what they do to be a reflection of them. With this in mind, in order to attract more Millennials, roles within the Logistics & Supply Chain Management industry needs to be infused with more meaning. How? Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Create opportunities for growth

One of the major things that a Millennial considers before taking a job, is how far that job will be able to take him or her. By creating opportunities for personal and career growth within the industry, it will become more appealing to Millennials who naturally have a growth mindset.

Give each role a deeper meaning

Millennials love the bigger picture. By emphasizing and highlighting just how each Logistics & Supply Chain Management role works towards the bigger goal, you’ll be able to inspire them to give their best to their work.

Have meaningful performance conversations

Often, performance conversations for Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers just involve going through the motions. However, Millennials want more than just finding out that they’re doing a great job. Performance conversations for them need to be centered around how they feel doing their jobs, as well as how it ties into their personal development.

Have clearly defined career paths

Lastly, Millennials needs to feel that there is much room for growth within an industry to feel interested in it. By mapping career paths and communicating this to new hires, they’ll feel more motivated since their generation is more goal-oriented.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to make Logistics & Supply Chain Management appealing to Millennials. But, what benefits do Millennials even bring to the industry? Is their talent worth all the changes? Let’s take a look.

Why The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry Needs Millennials

If the changes needed to incentivize Millennials seems like a big hurdle, it needs to be framed in the context of what the Millennial workforce will bring to the industry. It is interesting to note that Millennials have many of the traits that are necessary to adapt, and excel at the ever-evolving Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry.

They Are Digital Natives

Millennials are the first generation to grow up with easy access to the Internet. With this comes a kind of intuitive knowledge of technology that would be impossible to teach to the other generations. This, added to the fact that the Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry is undergoing a huge shift towards the use of digital media and technology, and you’ve got the first reason why Millennials are invaluable.

They Love Data Analysis

Even the average Millennial without a degree in a data analysis or technology discipline is accustomed to using data to help them make decisions, some going as far to use analysis tool inform them. Therefore, Millennials are at home in a data-driven environment, something that is necessary for effective logistics and supply chain management.

They Are Willing To Continue Their Education

Unlike Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers, Millennials grew up during the time when college degrees became a necessity. Unlike the generations before them, they are willing to go to university, attend classes and take courses where needed to improve their skills in their field of choice. Additionally, they welcome any opportunity for on-the-job training, and will actively seek out professional mentors.

Clearly, Millennials make some of the best employees. But, this leaves one question. What can you do to attract Millennials to your company?

How To Attract Millennials To Jobs Within The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry

Consider this, 97% of Millennials have a smartphone, and they make up one of the greatest demographics of individuals using social media today. Therefore, it stands to reason that attracting Millennials is rooted in the use of digital media.

One of the most cost effective ways to attract Millennials to jobs within the Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry is to use social media to promote job openings. This channel will not only reach more millennials, but it will establish brand awareness and allow for a more informal kind of candidate engagement. Millennials find that particularly attractive.

After you’ve gotten them through the door, consider offering them compensation plans that suit their way of thinking. A Millennial will take a job that offers more flexibility and work-from-anywhere opportunities, than one that pays more money. And given the fact that they are the generation with the most student loan debt, they’ll also prefer companies that offer tuition reimbursement plans.

Clearly, there are things that can be done to recruit Millennials for jobs within the Logistics & Supply Chain Management Industry. Now that you’ve got a clearer understanding of the challenges and opportunities that this poses, what are some of the things that your business can do? Let us know in the comments below.