Like my daughter who just graduated from UC Davis, some Millennials (born 1980 – 2000) are on their way to your workplace fresh out of school. Others, like my son who graduated from San Francisco State University in 2009, may have been with you for awhile.

How are you doing managing these young professionals? Ron Alsop, author of The Trophy Kids Grow Up, says “employers are facing some of the biggest management challenges they’ve ever encountered. They are trying to integrate the most demanding and most coddled generation in history into a workplace shaped by the driven baby-boom generation. Like them or not, the Millennials are America’s future work force.”

We watch our daughter learning to network, go through the application process for jobs, and suffer the anxiety of waiting for a response. With our son, we see him thinking about next career steps within the bank he works for while learning to add value to his employer.

Although some things remain the same in the work-a-day process, these Millennials are doing things on their own terms. Lisa Orrell, author of Millennials Incorporated, states “Our country (and world!) has just begun to feel their impact as they reach their mid-20s. And, as with generations in the past, this generation will create new definitions for: Work environments, success, leadership, communication, management, entrepreneurship, corporate culture, and professional relationships.”

I have recently developed a workshop to help managers/supervisors with this challenge – if you’re looking for insight and tips on getting the best from your Millennials, contact this Baby Boomer!

For the past 16 years I have been helping organizations develop their employee “people skills.” One of the most common concerns I hear about training today is time – time away from the employees’ work area both to attend a workshop and travel time if applicable. I believe I have a solution: Power Hour sessions.

In these one-hour sessions, learning focuses on conversation – creating connecting conversations where managers and supervisors can learn about techniques and practices to help them do their jobs. These sessions accommodate up to 15 participants and can be scheduled at any convenient hour of the workday.

One recent Power Hour senior manager said “I’m glad my management team members are discussing this topic together,” and one participant commented “I’ve never thought about this topic in that way before and it’s really helpful.” Participants leave with a one or two page handout outlining key concepts and action steps they will take after the session.

These sessions don’t replace traditional workshops, however, they provide a bridge until the economy and staffing levels give us a little more breathing room and time. Give one a try and see how Power Hours can solve your training time dilemma!