Links of the Week is a selection of articles and blog posts about #EmployeeEngagement and #Millennials that were the most popular on my Twitter feed this week. I’ve added some personal thoughts and opinions to the links below as well. Enjoy!

Can technology improve employee engagement (Vanilla+)

In 2012, the UK economy lost as much as £26 billion due to low employee engagement scores. To combat this, internal communication and social media platforms like Yammer and Jive are common ways companies are trying to improve employee communication and recognition.

Is Employee Engagement for Millennials Even Possible? (Business 2 Community)

In the Millennial Mindset Study that this article cites, the number one concern that millennials have about the modern workplace is the lack of training and development. Another survey by the Intelligence Group on millennials revealed that 79% of those surveyed would like a boss that acts as a mentor. Great article on how engaging millennials isn’t about paying lip service to the latest fads or technology but understanding what this generation wants and needs.

An Education Fit for the Times: Who Will Engage the Millennials? (Huffington Post)

An analysis of MOOC (massive open online courses) Stats and Trends “found that by the end of 2014 over 2000 courses had been offered by close to 500 universities reaching over 16 million students.” Despite the massive reach of MOOCs, the drop-off rates are quite high and it’s difficult to tell if it’s a reliable learning system. Millennials want more continuing education programs (CEP) than any other generation and it’ll be interesting challenge for universities and companies that offer MOOCs/CEPs that are not only engaging but effective.

Field Guide: Millennials Vs. Baby Boomers (Parade)

This one is fun! I thought it was interesting that an average millennial has 250 friends on Facebook. Not to mention 50% of “Young Boomers” (ages 46-55) are now jumping onto social media sites – making them the fastest growing demographic to make the jump.

If You Were Already Worried About Employee Engagement, Prepare to Panic (Entrepreneur)

“The most productive employees might actually be the least engaged, according to a 2013 study conducted by Leadership IQ surveying 1,000 employees.” The article provides some advice on how to make sure you can keep your high performers motivated and engaged before they leave the company.

Millennials Don’t Want More Customer Service — They Want Different Customer Service (Forbes)

Great post. Millennials are the most active generation when it comes to spreading the word about companies they buy from so ensuring they have a great experience is key. The article discusses a hybrid approach of technology and human assistance as the way to go.

That’s the round up for this week! Come back for more next week.