TradeTec Blog Millennials vs Boomers? Who Cares! Everyone Wants to be Valued

If you have preconceived notions based on what generation label someone falls into, or other workplace stereotypes, you're going to be mistaken 80 percent of the time. What I mean by that is, I don't buy into the narratives of "the millennial generation is lazy," or "the baby boomer generation is non-tech savvy and resistant to change." I believe in people and human nature. By creating a clear company vision for our employees, investing in their skills, and empowering them, I believe we set them up to be the best they can be at work and in life. In the nine years I have been managing the daily ins-and-outs of TradeTec, I've worked with my leadership team to create a culture where all employees, no matter their age or experience level, can thrive in the workplace. The VisionA positive and transparent culture is more important today than it was 10 years ago. If people are treated as a number, it doesn't matter if they enjoy their work, eventually they will leave. Creating an incredible culture doesn't happen overnight. It's a passion and something you have to work at each and every day. It sounds cliché, but we want everyone to be happy and we work every day to make that a reality. We love hiring people with passion, drive, and autonomy, which is why we send each candidate a Culture Survey. Then they interview with employees from numerous departments to get a feel for the overall company. We want to make sure we are the right fit for a candidate, and make sure they are a right fit for our work family. This part of the interview process is really the candidate interviewing us to make sure this is where they want to be. Outline a Career PathI'm not naïve to think that an employee will stay at a company forever. But, if you want them to stay longer than average, make sure there is a clear career path. The worst thing you can do is silo your employees and brush off advancements. Outline career paths for each department and role, show internal success stories, and most importantly give them the skills and tools needed to grow. Invest in TrainingInvesting in your employees and providing the proper training and feedback will not only help them succeed, but you will as well. We don't necessarily hire people with only trade show backgrounds. It's okay for us to bring people in as a blank slate with no industry experience, because we've built a company-wide training program that includes all levels so everyone is in it together. Remember that mistakes are a part of life. If you embrace the possibilities of mistakes, your employees will learn from them, and 9 out of 10 won't make them again. Empower to Make DecisionsWhen you invest in your employees they grow not only in their role, but in life and with more confidence. You've trained them to be autonomous and trust them to do their job and make decisions without running up the chain, which will help grow your business faster. You help them channel any weaknesses towards success and you both reap the benefits. Everyone WinsThe culture at TradeTec works because every person in the company is committed to the vision. We work together every day to make TradeTec a best place to work and we reward our team with fun activities and outings. I have a simple philosophy - happy employees make happy customers and happy customers allow your business to grow. Throw out whatever workplace stereotypes you have in your head. If you bring people in, and truly invest in them, everyone wins. Troy Trice, Presidenttpt@ttskyline.com | 630.376.1532Troy Trice, President, has been in the trade event industry since 2001. He became General Manager and co-owner of TradeTec in 2010. His experience in sales has helped him understand the obstacles and areas of focus to be successful within this industry. He is passionate about sales and advancing opportunities, building new relationships, and going above and beyond for clients. Troy is dependable, organized, and a problem solver. As President, Troy oversees all operations, support, and services.