Demonstrate strong leadership. Some Millennials have been in the workforce for years, while others are just entering. Begin new relationships by reinforcing good habits, offering targeted coaching, and providing thoughtful, regular feedback—it will help ease the transition for younger workers, while highlighting Millennials’ value to established professionals.

Make expectations clear. Because Millennials are resourceful, they often thrive in creative environments. That typically makes them great problem-solvers, but be sure to give them clear expectations—from getting to work on time to measuring when a task is complete. Mentors should be firm, fair, and good at giving praise when objectives are met.

Be open to new technologies. Millennials are generally eager to embrace the latest tech platforms, so keep an open mind when one of them brings a new tool to your attention. Work with team members to objectively evaluate the potential benefits and support requirements of new technologies, and implement those that will contribute to cost and/or labor efficiencies.

Provide structure. The use of communication tools such as instant messaging and texting is often a boon to highly collaborative teams, but it’s critical that you put some strong usage guidelines in place and be ready to enforce them. Content should remain professional (even though some extracurricular discussions will likely occur), and the security of confidential data must be maintained. Sharing within the team is typically appropriate—sending information outside the approved boundaries is not.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.

…are difficult (or impossible) to reach. End users shouldn’t feel their messages are falling into a black hole.

…are too secretive. Users feel better when they know what’s going on, so provide them with as much information about the project—schedules, objectives, interim process changes—as you can.

…say no to everything. You can’t accommodate every end user request, but incorporate them where you can, or send them up the chain for a go/no-go decision if appropriate.

…over-commit. Saying yes to something now may make users happy in the short term, but it’ll come back to bite you if you can’t actually deliver on promises later. Stop agreeing to everything and set more reasonable expectations.

…don’t provide enough notice before impacting their work area. You can estimate how long users will need to prepare for interruptions or potential work stoppages, but they’re the ones who have to live with it if you haven’t given them enough time to get ready.

…don’t consider their needs when scheduling activities. Shifting things by even a few days could make a huge difference to users, so make the effort to minimize conflicts whenever possible.

…don’t follow up after the project is finished. Your large tasks might have been completed but there could still be outstanding issues causing glitches or slowing users down. Close the loop with them to ensure everything was done correctly.

…don’t treat end users like customers. Never forget that some piece of your project is meant to improve the efficiency, comfort, safety, or some other aspect of the end users’ environment.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.

Budgeting – many new projects are running under tighter budgets, and existing or restarted projects are undergoing more rigorous value engineering than in years past. Spotting cost inefficiencies and controlling expenditures for maximum long-term value will continue to be important skills.

Personnel management – as organizations continue to respond to the economic climate, project professionals with no previous supervisory experience are increasingly finding themselves in charge of employees or heading up teams under revised departmental structures. Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of managing others to be sure you’re maximizing your team’s potential and giving your staff their best chance at success.

Technology management – even if your team doesn’t specialize in technology projects (software, etc.), it’s a good investment of your time to bone up on the latest tech innovations and how they can be used to make you and your team more productive. In addition to maintaining a current knowledge of the overall technology offerings, savvy project managers will also be looking for new ways to leverage technology solutions that gain them every advantage possible.

Cost negotiation – don’t confuse this with budget management—even though the two are often linked, they are distinctly separate skills. As organizations have reduced staffing in other departments, project managers are frequently taking on cost negotiation duties that traditionally have resided in Purchasing, Accounting, or some other group. Improving your ability to scrutinize market conditions and pressures all along the supply chain will often give you an advantage when negotiating the best price for products and services.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.

Be visible. Your organization should be a known resource within your community as well as among other professionals. Encourage your team members to be an active part of local and professional organizations, and let potential employees know they’ll be able to participate, too.

Commit to education. Every employee in your PMO should have the opportunity to continue growing their skill sets and expertise, and prospective job candidates will often favor an organization they know will support ongoing education. Establish formal guidelines when possible so everyone knows what resources are available and the type of results that are expected.

Provide a career path. Today’s job opening may be a perfect fit, but most professionals want to know that as their experience increases, new opportunities for growth will be available. Remember that plans for advancement don’t need to be cast in stone on an employee’s first day—instead, focus on cultivating a promote-from-within culture.

Encourage creativity. Candidates really can tell if your group advocates creative thinking and problem-solving—through discussions with interviewers and even by looking at how projects are managed. Incorporate regular brainstorming sessions and allow team members to present innovative solutions and ideas for serious consideration.

Value downtime. That’s right: take your vacations as seriously as you take your work. Of course employees like it—time off is always a big hit—but it’s also in your team’s best interest, since getting away from the grind typically results in workers who are more effective and better focused when they’re in the office.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.