What Millennials Want from Work How to Maximize Engagement in Today’s Workforce by Jennifer J. Deal and Alec Levenson discusses the following based on their research.
- Millennials have been burdened with a reputation as spoiled, lazy and entitled, but the reality behind the stereotype is far richer and more complex
- Fundamentally Millennials want to do interesting work with people they enjoy, for which they are well paid and still have enough time to live their lives as well as work
- They want to be successful and saw their parents deal with long hours, cutthroat competition, layoffs, wage stagnation, and insecure retirement plans
- They saw the dependence on an organization as an invitation to be taken advantaged of rather than something to be rewarded
- They want control over their work, don't trust or defer to authority much and want their work to be flexible
- Entitled and hardworking
- The want a fulfilling life outside of work with minimum interruptions
- Think they can say what they want as there has been a cultural change in the past 30 years making it acceptable for people lower in the hierarchy to express opinions directly and challenge folks higher up
- Are more engaged when they are encouraged to contribute their ideas
- Don't like repetitive work but data shows nearly as many older staff believe their work is routine as well
- The higher up you go the less routine your job is
- The point is how to make the work less boring
- Entitled doesn't mean lazy as if engaged they work very hard and are willing to spend time learning new things if given the opportunity
- Motivated if their job helps them fulfill their career plans or because they enjoy it
- Want to contribute to the organization in a meaningful way and thus are willing to speak up with ideas
- Needy and independent
- Supervisors may feel they are needy because they want to know how they are doing all the time
- Are seeking very specific criteria for success and a map for how to precisely get from here to there so they feel like they are making progress
- Can be incredibly independent
- Want coaching but not told exactly how to achieve things which is how they may perceive advice
- Perceive mentors will help them to better negotiate the organization, plan their career and open doors for them
- Want frequent feedback on a regular basis such as on an at least every other week with the door left open for them to ask for more if they are wondering how something went
- Doesn't need to be extensive just an acknowledgement of the work is enough
- Needy does not mean dependent
- Do good and do well
- They believe their work should make a contribution to the world not just make money however in 2013 69% had student loans and thus for many their loan payment is their largest monthly expense so a primary concern is whether their compensation is high enough to live on after they have made their loan payment
- High tech and high touch
- Love their tech toys and want the latest hardware and software
- Maintain friendships through cyberspace so they are great to work on dispersed teams
- They are high touch because they actually prefer face-to-face communications to other forms and realize they can influence and improve the perception of themselves
- If they don't feel emotionally connected to their workplace either through friends, teams with a boss that cares about them they are a flight risk
- Committed and leaving
- Committed does not mean stay no matter what especially if they believe
- That there is a politically powerful group within the organization that no one ever crosses
- That it is easier to remain quiet than to fight the system
- That pay and promotion are primarily based on organizational politics
- Will look for a new job that raises some aspect of their life to a higher level
- What millennials want and how to give it to them
- The people; friends, mentors, team and bosses
- Structure the workplace so they can develop friendships with co-workers, have positive relationship with mentors, team members and bosses
- The work; interesting, meaningful and balanced
- Meaningful to them and that they believe is meaningful to the organization and our patients
- If overloaded with work that affects their ability to have a personal life they will leave
- Opportunities: feedback and communication, development and pay
- Want to know what they need to do to be successful but not micromanaged so approach with guidance and coaching not command-and-control
- Help them with career development both from the standpoint of growing in their present position as much as moving on to a promotion
- Be transparent with pay and benefits
- Looking to the future for them means
- Starting a career during a recession depresses total career earnings
- They will live longer and be less economically secure in retirement
- For most there is not going to be a pot of gold at the end of the career rainbow
- The high cost of education reduces choices
- They form families later which impacts the timing of their career flexibility
Please share what you have learned in working with millennials or if a millennial your perspective so we can all benenfit.