Hiring millennials is a necessity, but to work with them effectively it is important to understand how millennials fit and how they can grow within a company, says James Webster, vice president Bearings & Power Transmission Division, DXP Enterprises Inc., Houston, TX, in Distributors Change Tune on Generational Shift.

Taking less of an "us versus them" attitude toward millennials and instead focusing on development and retention can benefit the entire workplace.

Mixing veteran workers with millennials can benefit both parties, with veteran workers training newcomers on the distribution industry and millennials sharing their social media and technology knowledge with older workers.

To train millennials effectively "you have to constantly reinforce what they're doing, give them constructive criticism and tell them when they really seem like they are picking it up fast," Webster says.

Adapting to this different mindset may be difficult, but taking this generation's preferences into account can lead to a much more productive workplace and lower turnover.

Learn more about adapting to millennials in the workplace in Distributors Change Tune on Generational Shift.