ACCORDING to most articles online, millennials are often perceived as lazy, entitled, and unproductive workers.
While this may not be true, if you’re a young working adult who just got hired for your first job, making a good impression on your co-workers is vital to disprove those stereotypes.
To create a good impression at work, these simple tips may help.
Email etiquette
For a generation that’s used to replying ‘k’ instead of ‘okay’, writing a formal email is a unique challenge.
When writing formal emails, remember that it’s part of your professional brand.
Do greet the email recipient respectfully and be clear, concise, and polite with regard to the content of your email.
Lastly, always end it with ‘thank you’. Also try keeping it professional by creating an email account with your first and last name.
Dress code
Unless you are working in the fashion industry, flashy outfits are definitely not acceptable when working in most offices.
For young adults, who just started working in an office environment, it’s important to find out if your company has a dress code or not.
Some companies may have casual dressing, while others may go for a formal dress code.
Communication etiquette
Different generations may have different styles in communicating.
Do note that when you’re speaking face-to-face, body language plays an important part in conveying your message.
If you’re too casual, you might be perceived as lazy or uninterested. So, do learn the correct manner of speaking to your superiors or your colleagues.
When communicating, keep in mind that you should always be trustworthy, honest, and respectful towards others.
Addressing conflicting ideas
For millennials, typically problems at work for you often arise from differing minds and the different communication styles of colleagues who are not from the same generation as yourself.
This is especially true now that the gap between generations is further widening due to the adoption of new technologies in the workplace and different working patterns.
When facing conflicts, remember that the people you work with are on the same team and have the same purpose as you, so don’t be too quick to judge or make assumptions about why they behave the way they do.
Instead, be obvious about your own motives and ask if you can share your ideas or concerns and always encourage your colleagues to respond or share their perspective on matters.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.