Oh, millennials! The generation that wants it all.
Speaking as a millennial myself, I can attest that we want to drive a good car, have a booming career, be present parents, stay fit, graduate with a Masters or Doctorate, tour the world, and many other things – all in a span of 10 to 15 years, which is our prime years.
As a result, most millennials have been branded as needy, self-seeking, and entitled. While that’s debatable, there’s no denying that millennials have systematically created a new world order, including in the workplace.
Moreover, research shows that they’re the largest generation in the labor force, which implies as human resource personnel, it’s inevitable to have them as employees. However, when well understood, millennials have the zeal, focus, and soft skills to make any organization thrive and achieve its vision.
In this article, we explore what millennials want in the workplace to help you understand how to attract and, most importantly, retain them, saving you the hassle of constantly replacing them, which can be expensive in terms of time, money, and energy.
Related: How to Use the Holland Codes Career Test to Find the Right Job
Who Are Millennials?
The start and ending years for millennials differ depending on who you consult. However, most demographic or generational research experts consider millennials as individuals born between 1981 and 1996.
This would encompass anyone between the ages of 23 - 48 as of 2024. The millennial generation is right in the middle of Gen X and Gen Z and are the children of Baby Boomers (people born between 1948 and 1964) and Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980).
But why are they called millennials?
It's quite simple, actually. The oldest individuals in this cohort became adults as the new millennium came in. Interestingly, many millennials do not like to be referred to as millennials — probably because of the negative connotations surrounding them, as we'll see shortly.
That said, the term millennials has stuck over time even though "Generation Y" also refers to the same generation. Other interesting (but somewhat correctly depicting) names include the "We Generation," the "Peter Pan Generation," and the "Boomerang Generation."
What Are the Characteristics of Millennials in the Workplace?
What are millennials known for? What do hiring managers need to know before onboarding them into their companies?
Here are some of the important characteristics to know about millennials:
Tech Savvy
One trait distinguishing millennials from the older generations is their knowledge and ease of using technology. Millennials may have been the first cohort to use technology from their early teenage years to adulthood.
Having witnessed the rapid changes over the years means they are comfortable adapting to new technology. From computers, smartphones, virtual reality, and now artificial intelligence (AI), these advancements excite them, and they look forward to seeing how they change workplace dynamics.
Creative Thinkers and Smart Workers
The older millennials transitioned from old working methods to technologically advanced systems that help them work faster and easier. In today's workplace, employers can depend on the millennials to adapt quickly and develop creative solutions for various problems, with their unique levels of genius.
Millennials have mastered the habit of working smarter rather than harder, a necessary skill due to their fast-paced lives.
Curious, Deep Passion for Learning
Millennial employees are the most curious generation in the workplace today. Unlike other generations, they are ready to respond to professional challenges positively.
For instance, they can further their studies or learn new skills if it will benefit the organization and their career growth aspirations. They seem to understand that the company's success depends on constant individual growth and innovation.
What Do Millennials Expect from a Job?
With this background in mind, what would millennials look for in an ideal job? Are there things that they want more in their current job than any other generation to be happy?
The answer is a resounding yes. Every generation in the workforce must accommodate changes and press through certain challenges of their time to create a work environment where they can thrive and grow.
For the millennials in the workplace, these important factors are crucial for optimum workplace well-being and job satisfaction.
1. Flexible Work Schedules
For millennial workers, work-life balance is a top priority. They prefer to strike a balance between their work and personal lives instead of sacrificing one for the other. For them, time for things such as hobbies, relaxation, and family is non-negotiable — they place these things high on their list for good mental health.
So innate is this need that younger workers in this group are willing to give up promotions and bigger paychecks for a flexible work schedule and a job they love. This is why many have chosen entrepreneurial and freelancing career paths.
They've probably watched the Gen Xers demand better working schedules because they spent their childhood alone as their parents wallowed away at work. Baby boomers entered the workforce in the aftermath of the Great Depression, and they valued the opportunity to work, usually at the cost of having an almost zero personal life.
With the advent of technology, younger millennials have even higher expectations regarding work flexibility than previous generations. They prefer working flexible hours compared to the traditional 9-5 routine. Employers now offer remote work setups as an option but with the same productivity expectations as if working hours were in the office.
2. Collaboration and Opportunities to Work in Teams
A majority of millennials in the workplace will choose collaboration over competition. They value diverse ideas and collaboratively create innovative approaches to projects, which makes them excellent team players. Apart from collaboration and teamwork, they also crave social interactions at work. Building authentic friendships with colleagues and their bosses comes easy for millennials.
3. Regular and Constructive Feedback
Unlike older generations who considered talking to a manager almost alien, millennials appreciate regular and constructive feedback. They prefer receiving continuous feedback from their managers daily or weekly rather than waiting for biannual or annual work performance reviews.
Due to this constant need to hear from their supervisors, millennial employees have been labeled as needy and self-indulgent. However, for this section of the workforce, feedback is mainly a means to evaluate their work performance, track areas that require improvement, and keep open communication with their superiors.
4. Purpose and Value Rather Than Time Spent
The older and younger millennials (and Gen Z, for that matter) want to feel valued. Granted, they may have elaborate career plans, but their core motivation is meaningful work with tangible results.
They want to work for organizations that can allow them to make a positive impact on their environment. Older generations may have focused more on time spent at work and the commensurate pay, but that is gradually changing thanks to the millennials.
5. Clear Direction and Expectations
Growing up in an era of instant access to information, ambiguity is the last thing millennials expect in the workplace. They prefer structure and well-explained instructions and expectations.
Ambiguity only leaves them in a spiral, trying to figure out the next steps. That said, the cohort's younger generation is less tolerant of ambiguity than their older counterparts — probably because as one gets older, they gradually recognize that sometimes things don't always go to plan.
6. Career Growth Opportunities
As we mentioned earlier, millennials are lifelong learners. These individuals always seek coaching and mentorship opportunities to grow and develop their careers. It's no surprise, then, that millennials tend to gravitate toward companies that offer continuous career development opportunities.
7. Social Impact and Environmental Consciousness
Today's employees don't just look at the company's bottom line; they demand their employers consider their company's impact on the community and the environment. The millennials and Generation Z employees are no different.
While all the generations in the workplace understand what's at stake, especially with climate change action on the rise, the millennials and Gen Z know that they have more to lose. For this reason, these two cohorts of employees are ready to keep their companies accountable to protect the next generation.
8. A Fair Recognition and Reward System
The millennials in the workplace are often taunted as "Generation Me" or the "Trophy Generation," and for a good reason. They desire instant gratification and recognition. Hard work is an important factor to consider for the millennial workforce, but recognition is equally important.
Rewarding employees based on seniority or tenure can be demotivating for young people who expect recognition for their performance. Millennials and Gen Z employees want a fair reward system that recognizes their hard work, and this goes a long way in motivating them to keep their current jobs.
6 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement with Millennials
As an employer or a manager in charge of millennial workers, you may be aware of their most notorious trait, job hopping. Millennials hop from job to job more than any other generation. They are the least engaged generation in the workforce today, and it comes at a cost.
A recent survey estimates that the millennial job-hopping tendency costs the US economy more than $30.5 billion annually, with 6 in 10 millennials constantly looking for a new job even though they are already employed.
As a current employer, maintaining employee engagement is the only way to ensure your business does not repeatedly suffer crippling employee turnover. While retaining millennials is not easy, it's not impossible.
Here are a few tips you can apply to keep your millennial workforce in place:
1. Offer Flexible Work Schedules
Flexible working hours are essential if you have young millennials on your team. A remote work model is a great start as it helps them achieve work-life balance. Remember, they will not sacrifice their personal life for your business, period! They watched their parents suffer burnout during the Great Recession and have a better understanding of how work and personal life are connected.
2. Provide Career Growth Opportunities
To retain these curious individuals, create mentorship and training programs that allow them to achieve professional growth. They may have little to zero employee loyalty. Still, they are willing to develop their skills to help achieve organizational goals if you recognize their effort. This brings us to the next tip.
3. Create An Objective Reward System
Recognition for hard work is one of the core values for organizations that want to retain employees. Measuring their performance and rewarding them accordingly will give them immense satisfaction.
4. Keep Transparent and Open Communication
Transparent and open communication makes employees feel heard and valued. Pick up their phone calls whenever possible, create anonymous surveys to get their honest views, and allow them to express their dissatisfaction in the workplace. Young adults, in particular, seek honest and open communication with a touch of informality.
5. Keep Up with Technology
The tech-savvy millennials expect you to keep up with the latest technology. Any communication tech or project management software that makes work easier is welcome.
6. Embrace Diversity
Young employees are highly likely to change jobs as soon as they experience bias or witness lip service regarding diversity and inclusion. They understand that a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and perspectives, ultimately leading to better team productivity. So, employers need to offer work opportunities to people of all creeds to compel the millennials to stay.
Millennial Employees Are Necessary in the Workplace
While millennials may seem complex to employ, they are among the best contributors to today’s workforce. As an employer, you can tap into their drive and passion to succeed, fueled by their hunger to attain their ambitious dreams.
Millennials in the workplace are here to stay. As with all employees, they bring both the good and the challenges associated with their time. Employers must learn how best to work with them because their rise or downfall will directly impact business success.
Are you a millennial who hasn’t found the perfect career yet? Taking a career personality test can help!
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