Marina Operations: Managing Millennials in the Workplace

When it was suggested I write about Millennials, I started to do some research on just what is considered a Millennial. What I found was that Millennials are generally defined as someone born between the years of 1982 and 2004. The more I read, I came to the conclusion that it should be defined more as a mindset rather than an age group. This mindset can be defined in a single word and that is “entitlement.”

Many Millennials feel that they are entitled and I would like to address how to deal with them in the workplace. First, we can all agree that we are a product of our upbringing. If you agree with that premise, then those parents that rewarded their kids for minimal accomplishments or receiving a “trophy” because they participated in a competitive sport have created a generation of young adults that have unrealistic expectations of working life.

In a marina environment, I have found those Millennials in the entitled group are less attracted to this industry as a career, than those that focus on achieving goals. Where we typically encounter the younger segment of this entitled group is with seasonal help, and that is what I want to focus on, including their role in your operation.

Seasonal Help

First, understand you usually have a short window of opportunity to create a cohesive workforce of these Millennials either due to the length of the boating season, returning to school, or their feelings got hurt and they walked off the job. So to keep your operation intact, you need a plan to deal with these individuals. Much of the reading I have done on this topic is negative in tone, but is there a silver lining with this group? I believe there is. If you believe in the philosophy that to capitalize on one’s strengths and shore up one’s weaknesses will achieve a cohesive workforce, then there is a place in your organization for these types of Millennials. Here are four traits for the entitled group of Millennials that you should know and be ready to address:

• Millennials are addicted to mobile devices.
• Satisfaction with their work environment matters more than monetary compensation.
• Millennials most likely will use social networking to convey their concerns about an unpleasant work environment before talking to you.

On the other hand, satisfied Millennials are often employee advocates for the organizations they work for, providing honest, free and convincing public relations.

Technology Savvy

On the topic of Millennials’ addiction to mobile devices, let’s see how that can be a positive. Many marinas today use VHF radios to communicate with their employees while working out in the marina. How many times have those radios ended up in the water, run over by a vehicle or just plain lost? If your Millennial employee had used his personal cell phone to communicate with you by either calling or texting, do you think those accidents would have happened? Most likely, not. Let’s say that you offered each of those employees that use their personal phone that they treasure, a ten-dollar-a-month stipend. It would take about two-and-a-half years to cover the cost of a radio outright. The result: happy employee, happy marina owner. Couple this with a policy on the use of cell phones during work hours and turn what could have been a negative into a positive, as well as shifting responsibility, a concept new to this group of employees.

Now let’s look at the second item above regarding a Millennial’s satisfaction with his work environment as being more important than monetary compensation. That does not mean you take advantage and under pay these employees. It does mean you look at your overall operation because if you have a positive work environment for your employees, it will also translate into a better customer experience, which should be your number one goal. In essence, it is a win-win situation.

Numbers three and four above are interesting because they highlight the importance of social media in today’s world. You have a choice either to embrace or reject social media, but you cannot ignore it. I will be the first to tell you that I personally do not participate in any form of social media or even know how to navigate through the process but that does not mean I ignore it. What I have recommended to clients on this subject is to find that Millennial in your organization that is tech savvy and give him the responsibility to maintain the marina’s reputation and get your message out on social media. Obviously, this is more for a Millennial employee that is a full-time employee and not a seasonal employee. This approach addresses one of the main criticisms of Millennials (being labeled as the self-centered, me-me-me generation), as well as creates a cohesive workforce across multiple generations.

Changing Generations

There are many more labels put on Millennials, but this is an evolving world and I am sure your parents had similar concerns about your generation and how to cope with change. Ironically, we all survived, and I am sure we will navigate through these changes as well and survive.

Dennis P. Kissman is president of Marina Management Services Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida. He can be reached by phone at 561/338-5800 or via email: dennis@marinamanagement.com.