Millennials are those 20-to-30-somethings, often the children of baby boomers, who have recently arrived in the workforce. Bringing them onboard has many benefits for a business. They are well-educated and tech-savvy, and they bring with them a fresh outlook and a desire to succeed.

While they are excellent employees, they can be difficult to retain. A recent Gallup Poll reports that six out of every ten millennials are looking for new jobs. And every business is painfully aware of the enormous cost of losing a good worker.

So, what can you do to give your company a better chance of keeping these young workers? What do they want that you can provide to keep them from leaving? Here are a few suggestions from those who have worked with them:

Let them balance work and life

The biggest rap on millennial workers is they have a poor work ethic. That’s unfair because they are willing to work hard, but they also expect to have a personal life. Their desire to have the proper work-life balance distinguishes them from previous generations and is often misunderstood by their managers.

Flexibility is the key to retaining millennials. If you want them to stay with your company, consider offering flexible schedules, telecommuting, and childcare. Time off is as equally important as success with this age group.

Coach them without micromanaging

Assign tasks that challenge your millennials, and then allow a bit more margin for them to fail. The failures provide more opportunities for coaching, and effective coaching prioritizes curiosity over instruction. Try not to give advice. Instead, ask more leading questions to get a sense of their methods and what they are thinking.

Give them plenty of feedback

Schedule more performance reviews for your millennials. Unlike your other workers, these younger employees desire more feedback at work. During reviews, go over the details of their jobs with them, giving them challenges and incentives along the way. Bonuses and raises are particularly motivating for millennials.

Provide them with opportunities to move up

If millennials think they’re in a dead-end job, they will be looking elsewhere quickly. Show them early on there is room for growth with your company. Without the possibility of a future leadership roles, promotions or bigger paychecks, they will lose their sense of purpose and move on.

The work environment is important to millennials

A friendly work environment that’s relaxed and positive will go a long way toward helping you keep your millennial workers. Encourage them to take regular breaks, schedule lunches as a department once a week or conduct some other team-building activities. The activities will make your workers feel more comfortable with each other and make it easier for them to express ideas, ask for help and share feedback.

Are you looking for millennials to add to your workforce?

Contact Pro Talent Group, one of Indiana’s fastest-growing minority- and woman-owned businesses. We have provided opportunities for contingent employees through our offices in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. And we can make direct hire placements in engineering, manufacturing and administrative positions nationwide.