4 Things to Consider When Working with Millennials

Millennials are everywhere — and it’s high time that businesses started paying attention. On the whole, this group is often misunderstood by older generations. You can’t throw a rock without hitting an opinion piece on the entitlement and laziness of Generation Y. We see their work ethic called into question on top of being generally blamed for many of the problems they’ve inherited.

No matter what you think of millennials, they fact remains these are today’s young adults, and they’re in the workforce. Working with millennials isn’t necessarily difficult — but it may require a different approach.

What makes millennials tick? What motivates them? Here are a few things to consider when encountering a millennial on your team.

4 Things to Understand When Working with Millennials

They Want to Work

In the current state of the economy, good jobs are still hard to come by. Many millennials are stuck in unemployment while holding a college degree and a mountain of student debt without the career everyone said they’d have by now. Millennials want to work. They want to succeed. When you bring a millennials into the workplace, they probably aren’t going to take their position for granted.

They Value Authenticity & Positive Culture

In the information age, transparency is important. Millennials as a whole value careful branding and authenticity behind companies. They likes businesses that are ethical and working towards admirable goals. They also appreciate culture in the workplace. Most aren’t interested in joining a fleet of white-collar workers in a fleet of cubicles. They want to work with businesses with a clear mission where they play a role that has a clear impact.

They Enjoy Flexibility

The standard 9-5 workday isn’t so standard anymore. Millennials, as we see in their lifestyles, appreciate flexibility. They’re even willing to trade pay for it. In real estate, many millennials prefer renting to owning for this reason, and it’s a trait that affects work. When a job offers options such as flexible hours, working from home or other remote locations, millennials value it. Why? Most millennials find themselves in need of second jobs or freelance hours to make ends meet. In this economy, they’re fearful of putting all of their stock in a single job, and not without reason.

They Want to Make an Impact

A survey conducted by MTV showed that the vast majority of millennials want three things in the workplace: to have their creativity valued, to know where their work is going and to receive clear feedback. They don’t want to be insignificant cogs in the machine. They want their work to mean something.

For some, working with millennials can seem like a daunting or even a disagreeable prospect. Truth be told, it’s just a matter of getting to know how millennials think and operate. Doing so will help you and your colleagues leverage their strengths in a way that will make a positive impact on your business.

How do you think millennials are shaping the workforce? Tell us what you think in the comments.

image credit: John Walker