Hey millennials, what are some thoughts on making things better? (serious answers requested, but realize I’ve opened the door for some serious snark)

In other words, don’t give us another Splash 🌊

Realize that the most important thing driving money to your pockets (especially in a service based industry) is the people on your teams. Reward those people (junior practitioners actually delivering on your promises) enough to make them feel valued (better salary, bonuses, etc). You’d be amazed at the output you’d see if junior practitioners were actually 110% invested into driving next level success and progress because they felt appropriately rewarded for their contribution. If you can sit back and say to your self, “damn, we ought to be paying these guys more, they really made this happen” then maybe you should...

Start with asking pointed questions

Millennial appreciate and value genuineness. We hate buzz words, worthless conferences on company moral that mean nothing, and empty platitudes. Be open, even when uncomfortable, and you have our trust.

It’s not that complicated

Stop pretending it’s about anything other than the bottom line. No shame in that - seriously - but let’s drop the pretense.

🥑 toast no longer counts for daily meal expense limits

Really, Honestly? Open the books. I giggle Everytime C suite feeds the drones coolaid saying how amazing everyone is while showing its it's been a tough year... Limited raises and bonuses. Yet I see ACN's stock keep going up. We know someone is getting rich, just not partners and below. We're not idiots. Stop attempting to bullshit us. Let's see the numbers... Same thing you train us to do with our clients...

I’m an older Millennial closer to the Gen X cutoff, often not aligned to my generation’s norms, but I think P2 really nailed it on the prevalent thirst for genuineness. We’re the South Park generation - there are no sacred cows and we will mercilessly pillory your bullshit. Taking a financially bad situation or a shitty strategy and trying to embellish it with a bunch of empty corporate-speak will earn our wrath and disdain. I think previous generations were more willing to drink the Kool Aid as long as it was delivered by an old man in a nice suit...not us.

@OP: Good luck holding onto top performers with hot skills with "praise" and promises of being in good graces long term. Rewards need to be highly differentiated and tangible. I get plenty of praise from my family - it doesn't even make the list of what I'm looking for from my work, and feels mocking and empty when other rewards are laughable.

Make Upward feedback a priority. Bad middle management has made some great staff/seniors leave. Flexible work arrangements shouldn’t be viewed negatively

Someone else mentioned it above: Stop playing to optics. Most millennials would much rather prefer that the team works the hours they need to, instead of staying around until 7 each night or flying out late because it looks good. Nobody gives a damn how hard it makes you look like you're working. I'd rather get it done early and go home and enjoy the time gained from my efficiency.

Even if money isn’t a big motivator for you, it’s greatly demoralizing when you’re not market value or you know others in your team with same capabilities/output are getting more raises, bonuses, promotions, etc

A couple of early replies:
1). I kept this vague for a reason. Some really good responses.
2). While it’s easy to downplay our staff, we truly can’t do it without you. I personally, will make a concerted effort to praise more.
3) Shen it comes to salary, my experience is that you have to have a longer term view. If you are kicking ass, it will be noticed and you will be taken care of for your career. Those staff members who go the extra mile will be in my good graces for life.
4). I’m concerned that the immediacy or expected feedback and financial “feedback” is short sighted. However, I don’t know that money is everything to you. Acknowledgement and respect is a big factor too.

Am I on the right track? Thanks for the openness

As someone who recently joined the workforce at 22 at Deloitte, I really want to say that I’m a little surprised by the number of people driving by money. My colleagues and I discuss this often and think we’re quite blessed. So rather than taking Taylor’s theory on motivation that money drives everything, I’d like to go all Maslows theory right now.
1) we preach laissez faire but we’re nothing close to it. Optics drive 75% of what we do “Stay ass in seat till 7 regardless” even if you’re done at 4 with work. Or “you came here Tuesday, stay till Friday” even if there isn’t a point beyond optics to stay Friday. I appreciate managers who live by the “I don’t care when you do it, how you do it, so long as it’s done by the deadline”
2) when I do something wrong, I know I did something wrong. Sometimes I deserve to be told off. But other times, I need you as a manager to look within yourself and ask “did I give him/her all the support i could?”
3) don’t treat me like a chump. Recognize that I made it here because I’m somewhat smart. Give me actual work and responsibility
4) despite a biweekly checkin requirement, we don’t seem too enthusiastic about giving feedback. If you want me to progress, or see me doing something wrong, tell me. Or when I schedule a checkin, accept it.

My manager thankfully is all of that and more. However, many of my colleagues have managers that represent everything that is wrong from the above list. Just my $0.02

This is a business of long hours, hard work, being away from your family 3-4 nights a week for years to make partner and $700k-$2M per year. And then 10 years as partner to earn a very nice guaranteed pension (in certain models). If money isn’t your motivator, there’s a lot better places to work and still lead a good UMC life.

D1: here’s a kicker: I love what I do. I don’t mind the long hours, the hard work, and being away from my family. I’m challenged and motivated to work everyday. I’m not saying that money isn’t a factor. I do think we’re comped appropriately and I’d be pissed if I weren’t. But my main goal on a day to day basis isn’t to get a raise or make money. Call me naive but my day to day goal is to come in, work, kick some ass while doing it, and be aptly supported for it

Sex robot

Yes OP you are on the right track. To expand on the compensation view points from above, if you have rockstars on your team doing great work... come performance review time please fight to have said rockstars compensated for the extra effort, energy and time spent to go the extra mile. I feel that this is consistently overlooked and nothing is ever done about this factor. We all know not everyone is going the extra mile, let’s be more direct with how we show our staff they’re the investment into the firm’s future and work to retain top talent.

OP-big difference between millennial and prior generations. Those before just kept their heads down, did the work, didn’t ask why. Millenials are more confident and without transparency into objectives and results, will quickly be frustrated and move elsewhere. Money increases in importance as transparency decreases, but even that will become tiresome without transparency. That said, dialogue is the key, but many boomers lack the insight that they need to disclose the “why” and person-to-person dialogue is challenging for both groups

Just wanna reiterate and support... LESS OPTICS focused. Do good work and results should follow, not "If I did good work but didn't flash my ass everywhere, then it didn't happen."