Companies today are rightly concerned about attracting and retaining Millennials, individuals who are between 20-35 years old.  By 2025 Millennials will comprise 75% of the global workforce.

Articles on Millennials often focus on their desire to find purpose in their work and to collaborate. To truly understand Millennials requires a broader perspective.

Longing to Connect

When the global marketing firm McCann WorldGroup surveyed 7,000 Millennials in 2011, it found more than 90% of those surveyed rated “connection and community” as their greatest need. As the researchers put it:

“to truly grasp the power of connection for this generation, we can look at how they wish to be remembered. It is not for their beauty, their power, or their influence, but simply for the quality of their human relationships and their ability to look after those around them.”

Connection is a bond that promotes affection, trust and cooperation. Connections can be tight, as with family members and close friends, or loose, as with acquaintances. The opposite of connection is to feel unsupported, left out or lonely.

Feeling Disconnected

Despite their avid use of social network sites and cell phones, whether for calls or text messaging, there is evidence Millennials actually experience less connection these days. While it may seem counter-intuitive, increased media use is a contributor. Excessive media use has been shown to diminish connection. Research by Norman Nie at Stanford concluded that an hour spent on the Internet reduced face-to-face contact by an additional 23.5 minutes.

The lack of meaningful connection makes individuals vulnerable to stress, anxiety, depression and addiction. Connection is one of the most effective ways human beings cope with stress. Feeling connected to others reduces the levels of stress hormones, including cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Absent connection and other healthy means of coping, stress has been shown to produce emotional and behavioral disorders including anger that leads to a fight response, fear that leads to a flight response, and depression that leads to the body shutting down. Many people deal with their stress by self-medicating with the use of alcohol, mood-altering legal or illegal drugs, binge eating; cutting; and/or promiscuity. These behaviors provide short-term relief by stimulating the brain’s reward centers but they eventually re-wire the brain with a negative-reward reaction so that cessation subjects the addicted individual to unpleasant sensations of withdrawal.

Employers are wise to help Millennials experience the connection they desire so they perform at the top of their game and avoid negative coping behavior. Following are three ways for employers to connect.

1. Communicate an Inspiring Vision and Live It 

When I use the term “inspiring vision” it is meant to include an organization’s mission, core values and reputation. Millennials want to work for a cause greater than themselves. Being part of an organization that has a mission that serves others helps.  Meaningful core values also connect with Millennials, especially if they see leaders living them out. I recommend identifying and consistently communicating simple and memorable phrases that reflect your organization’s mission and values. Here are a few examples:

The most useful and ethical financial services in the world (The Charles Schwab Corporation)

Connecting People with HealthCare (Beryl Companies)

Opening the Highways for All Mankind (Ford Motor Company)

The Change Agency (FCB New Zealand)

Making Cancer History (M.D. Anderson Cancer Center)

Learning to Change the World (TCU)

Don’t Be Evil (Google)

Strive for perfection, settle for excellence (Alpha International)

In the spirit of straight talk (Pfizer)

Zappos has a number of simple and memorable phrases that reflect its values: Deliver WOW Through Service; Embrace and Drive Change; Create Fun and A Little Weirdness; Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded; Pursue Growth and Learning; Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication; Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit; Do More With Less; Be Passionate and Determined; and, Be Humble.

2. Value Them

Valuing people is the heart of connection. Take time to get to know Millennials, including their career aspirations, past work experiences (ask what fired them up and what burned them out in past jobs), their strengths, the skills they want to develop and even what their interests are outside of work. Encourage and mentor them so they learn and grow. A 2014 IBM Institute Study showed that Millennials prefer face-to-face contact (attending third-party sponsored conferences/events, in-person classroom training and working alongside knowledgeable colleagues over virtual learning) when they are developing new skills.

When you give Millennials projects to complete, don't micromanage. Be clear about what you want them to deliver and let them know you are available if they run into obstacles, or would like your advice or assistance. This gives them autonomy and conveys your respect for their competence.

3. Give Them a Voice

Many Millennials want to be in the loop and have a voice in decisions that affect them. This isn't always possible when time is of the essence. However, if the situation permits, explain what you are thinking about on an issue and ask them what is right, wrong or missing in your analysis and perspective. Consider their opinions and ideas then implement those that make sense, giving them credit when it’s due.

Communicating an inspiring vision and living it, valuing people, and giving them a voice engages Millennials (and the rest of your employees as well). You’ll find that engaged employees put greater effort into their work, align their behavior with the leaders’ and organization’s goals, and more fully communicate so that decision makers have better information to make optimal decisions. These advantages provide a powerful source of competitive advantage. Take the culture quiz to see if your workplace has a culture that connects with Millennials.

Michael Lee Stallard, president and cofounder of Connection Culture Group, speaks, teaches and consults on leadership, organizational culture and employee engagement. He is the author of Connection Culture and Fired Up or Burned Out. Follow him on his blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.