Top 5 Ways to Engage Millennial Learners

The number of millennials in the global workforce continues growing at a rapid pace.

However, it’s a known fact that people like myself (born between the early 1980’s and early 2000’s) don’t operate the same way our parents or their parents did when they joined the workforce.

So, how can you make us enthusiastic about work? Better yet, how can you engage and train the millennial learner today?

To have a motivated team, millennials should be viewed for their passions and inner motivations and learn what drives each as an individual.

We may not respond as well to learning strategies that have worked previously for previous generations. Additionally, learning strategies that may have worked previously, may not resonate with us.

Learning the habits of millennials and developing a teaching strategy for them can only be beneficial to the workplace.

Make training become a part of their lifestyle with these 5 quick tips.

Here are 5 ways to engage millennial learners

Utilize technology 

Technology is ultimately embedded in millennials’ lives. It’s part of who we are and how we are raised. Don’t try to change this. Millennials prefer learning materials that are visual and interactive. Make training mobile ready that can be accessible on multiple devices. Use videos extensively to help keep learners glued to the material.

Collaboration vs. lecturing

Less lecture and more peer collaboration. Millennials value freedom. We value the freedom to cater to our own learning style. Group projects are ideal for this generation.

Micro-learning and laid-back training

Millennials learn best in bite-sized learning sessions that are entertaining and relaxed. Traditional learning simply allows learners to remember and recall, rather than provide nuggets of information for a quick application of what has been learned. A more laid-back learning environment allows for minimum pressure and more freedom for creativity.

Coaching and building relationships

Millennials crave and respond well to a positive coach who can help them get closer to achieving their goals. We want feedback from our managers often. Our generation strives for help with our personal development from leaders who are approachable and act as role models. Remember, coaching isn’t telling someone what to do, but helping them achieve all that they are capable of.

Gamification

Gamification engages learners and makes learning entertaining. Incorporating game-like features into lessons helps build motivation, boost performance, and excite millennials. One example would be creating a leaderboard with incentives to excite the learning process and create healthy competition. Our online virtual training platform at New Velocity has leaderboards built in to show how you stand in your training progress compared to your colleagues.

Stay on the cutting edge by creating a training experience that becomes part of their lifestyle.