Effective Supervision As Portrayed By Trainee Expectations and Preferences

Giving negative feedback to Millennials

Purpose

Demographic data indicate that the Millennial generation (those born between 1982 and the early 2000s) are entering the workforce and will become an increasingly significant component of the workforce in the near future. The Millennial generation appears to have significant differences in values, attitudes and expectations regarding work than prior generations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed the literature on the “Millennial” generation (those born between 1982 and the early 2000s) and the research on giving negative feedback to identify issues that are significant with respect to the manner in which managers give negative information to this new generation of workers.

Findings

To be effective, negative feedback to Millennials needs to be consistent and ongoing. The feedback must be perceived by Millennials as benefitting them now or in the future. Managers must be assertive enough to make sure the employee understands the concerns, but sensitive to the fact that many Millennials have difficulty accepting such feedback.

Research limitations/implications

These findings offer suggestions for future research that needs to explicitly examine the differences in the new generation of workers and how these persons respond to current managerial practices.

Practical implications

Millennials are now entering the workforce in significant numbers. Managers will find increasing opportunities to address the organizational and individual needs of these workers. Managers must learn how to effectively direct and motivate this generation of workers, including how to provide constructive negative feedback.

Social implications

Demographic data indicate that the so-called “Baby Boom” generation will be leaving the workforce in large numbers over the next few years, and will be replaced by the Millennial generation.

Originality/value

To date, there has been little attempt by management researchers to address the organizational implications of the generational shift that is occurring. We seek to draw attention to one specific area of management practice – delivering negative feedback – and explore how the knowledge may be changing as a new generation of workers enter the workplace.

Correspondence between supervisors and trainees in their perception of supervision events

The focus of this study is on how the participants in 16 supervisory dyads perceive the content and process in a supervisory session, and on the meaning they attach to supervisory events. A central issue is to what degree the participants in each dyad correspond in their perceptions and evaluation of supervisory events. Another question is how lack of correspondence affects the trainees' experience of satisfaction with the supervision. A majority of the dyads were rated low or moderate in correspondence, and it is discussed whether the influence of low correspondence on trainee satisfaction may be related to supervisory intentions and style characteristics. A main point in the discussion is whether role ambiguity may be related to obscure communication and reduced correspondence, and it is suggested that more attention should be paid to negotiating and renegotiating rules for the supervisory relationship.

Perceptions of the supervisory relationship. A preliminary qualitative study of recovering and nonrecovering substance abuse counselors

Interviews with a sample (N = 5) of substance abuse counselors were conducted concerning perceptions of their relationship with their clinical supervisors. The interview protocol was developed from four existing supervision relationship inventories, with an additional group of questions concerning satisfaction with supervision. Significant themes were determined from the examination of interview data. In addition, the supervisory relationship responses were compared to responses about supervisee satisfaction with supervision. Salient themes also were compared based upon counselor and supervisor substance abuse recovery status. The significance of recovery within the supervisory relationship is discussed as well.