How you can improve your leadership development program--according to millennials
Less than half of millennials and young leaders think their company's leadership development program is top-notch.
Many millennials believe their employer’s leadership development programs leave a lot to be desired, according to Harvard Business Publishing’s 2018 State of Leadership Development Report.
After surveying workers in 2,000 companies, HBP found that less than half (40 percent) of millennials and younger leaders – aged 36 and younger – describe their organization’s learning and development (L&D) programs as “excellent,” compared to two-thirds (67 percent) of baby boomers aged 56 and older.
“This disparity between age cohorts is troubling for L&D managers, as millennials comprise a growing and increasingly influential portion of the workforce,” HBP writes. “However, this finding should also serve as a rallying cry to L&D managers around the globe that the time has arrived to reinvent leadership programs to more effectively engage millennials while meeting organizational needs.”
Related: 10 best places to work for millennials
One of the major problems with leadership development programs in the eyes of millenials is that they lack relevance, according to the survey. Only about half (50 percent) say there is strong alignment between program content and the business issues they face within their organizations – including transformation efforts in progress. In contrast, 75 percent of baby boomers recognized strong alignment.
Moreover, millennials believe the L&D programs should be improved by introducing new content and delivery tactics, such as gamification, simulation, social platforms, mobile and video.
“As learning increasingly becomes a significant source of competitive advantage in today’s complex business world, organizations need to think about their leadership development less like programs and more like continuous experiences,” says Ian Fanton, senior vice president and head of corporate learning at Harvard Business Publishing. “In order to engage younger leaders, these experiences need to emphasize why the learning is relevant to both the business and the learner, be easily accessible, be built on a foundation of trusted content, and include capabilities to effectively drive organizational transformation.”
As salaries remain somewhat stagnant, more millennials are actively seeking out L&D programs at the workplace, but many are disappointed enough to leave, according to HRDive, which cites a Gallup study showing only 7 percent of employees advance in their careers with their current employers.
“For development to serve as the retention advantage it can be, employers will have to ensure it’s modernized and relevant,” HRDive writes. “In designing L&D programs, HR leaders can look to millennials and all employees for feedback on various program components and consider rising trends, including micro-learning, video and collaboration platforms.”
Supporting millennials’ career development not only means offering them good L&D programs, but also making sure their manager has the right kind of leadership training, too, according to HRDive, which cites a Gartner survey that found only four out of 10 employees believe their manager is helping them develop the skills they need to perform their work.
“For that to change, employers may need to focus on manager training as well,” HRDive writes.