“The workplace should be a positive environment where employees feel a sense of camaraderie.”
This line is from a post by Ashira Prossack at Forbes.com about making a workplace a good setting for those we’ve given the name, “Millennials.”
The term may prompt for you images of entitled young hipsters who can’t sit without their legs bobbing up and down. Such an image, though, is a good clue that what really counts is your next thought. What have you done to see past that stereotype? Have you talked with young teachers at your school about what makes, or would make, them excited about being part of your professional team? Have they been given the opportunity to try something new with veterans who help them achieve it, rather than jaded long-termers who dismissively shoot down an idea because it doesn’t conform to their ideas and experiences?
The quote above is one that should resonate with any member of the team (teacher, support person, or leader) who sees a school as a place that can be inspiring, not just to the students, but also to the adults who work there.
When I work with leaders at schools around the world, my goal is to learn what is exceptional: both what happens there and what I can help them make happen. In order to foster and share stories of successes, what counts most is how much adults work together creatively to build relationships and create opportunities for everyone.
The Prossack post is called, “How To Make Your Workplace Millennial Friendly,” but working with her suggestions about giving back to the community, helping new members of the team grow, providing constructive feedback, and recognizing accomplishments can make your school a workplace that is friendly and inspiring for everyone.
image credits:
- Teamwork and team spirit by 드림포유 from Flickr (CC by-nd 2.0)
- divider by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay (CC0)
