There has been a lot of criticism and debate about millennials in the workforce recently. To clarify, a millennial is anyone who is born between the ages of 1981 and 1997 and we are soon going to make up the majority of the workforce in the world. We have been referred to as the “Peter Pan” generation, refusing to grow up and take on responsibilities like getting a mortgage, getting married, having children or even working towards a career plan. We are a generation with more tertiary education than ever before… along with more debt. Older generations call us lazy, entitled and glued to our smartphones. I believe we are just different and we crave a life beyond a desk and a retirement plan. At end of the day we aren’t afraid to talk about our wants and needs because technology has given us a platform and the confidence to do so. In this article I’d like to highlight what I think is important to my generation as they enter the workplace – this is based on my own experience as a recruiter and a millennial.

Purpose

Millennials don’t want to come to work, put in the bare minimum and wait for the clock to hit 5:00pm to dash out. We approach a new role and a company with a highly defined set of expectations, wanting our work to have meaning and purpose. We want to develop our talents and strengths to do our best every day. Finally, we want to find a job that we are passionate about and gives us pride to be apart of.

Perks, Pay & Flexibility

Millennials are not just looking to hop around jobs for the experience, we want a pay rise to come with it. Additionally, we strongly value benefits and perks that offer greater flexibility, autonomy and the ability to lead a better life. Free lunches, onsite gyms and pet-friendly offices are examples of perks that would make us happier, healthier and better workers.

Management & Culture

Millennials want to work in an environment that is comfortable and safe, not oppressive and critical. We prefer to collaborate than compete with our peers and employee engagement in the office allows us to create the types of friendships we thrive on. When it comes to management, we crave mentorship rather than dictatorship from those on top. We respect leaders with integrity who can coach us to become our best selves.

I look at resumes all day long and I can tell you from experience that my generation is not afraid to change jobs. Many consider this “jumping around” as bad thing, but perhaps millennials are just confident enough in their ability to find something better.

They don’t want to settle or feel trapped in a life that was chosen for them. They crave a purpose, a challenge, a positive company culture, and the right leadership to help them reach new heights in their careers. In our hyper-competitive environment, millennials are natural innovators and they’re popping up with new ideas everywhere. Their confidence makes them not afraid to step up and show their leadership skills. Finally, millennials have a lot to offer – they’re tech-savvy, socially conscious, and despite remarks about their work ethic, this generation does believe in hard work! Employers should welcome the influx of millennials into their ranks because they are likely to change business for the better.



Written by Maritza Godinez – Temporary Consultant