Abstract
The federal workforce population will undergo a generational shift due to Baby Boomer retirements and an influx of Millennials entering the workforce. Federal special agents are sworn law enforcement officials with 24/7 authority to serve warrants, administer oaths, and conduct arrests throughout the United States and outlying territories. The special agent workforce may face higher retirement rates than other federal job categories due to special law enforcement retirement provisions. Federal special agents are eligible to retire after twenty years of service and have a mandatory maximum retirement age of 57. Pursuant to the demographic shift, special agent managers must distinguish Millennial characteristics and values from that of other generations and integrate new practices to effectively engage the Millennial workforce. This qualitative study explored special agent manager perceptions of Millennial characteristics and knowledge of employee engagement strategies. Twelve special agent managers served as research participants and were interviewed for the study. The data revealed special agent managers associated Millennials with predominantly negative stereotypes. Additionally, most special agent managers perceived Millennials to be the least engaged generation in the workforce. Although special agent managers used praise and performance review ratings to engage workers, managers did not collectively utilize professional development opportunities, meaningful work assignments, or time-off awards as a means to engage Millennials. Based on the research findings, five recommendations were formulated for special agent managers to effectively engage the Millennial workforce. |Keywords: Special agent, Millennials, employee engagement