It is imperative that employers learn to manage the younger generations like us. In the next few years, millennials will surpass Seniors and GenXers in the workforce. We are entering employment in massive numbers and by 2025, we are going to make up almost 75% from the workforce.
Why should this matter to businesses?
We are unlike our preceding generations. A big challenge for many companies is learning how to effectively integrate and manage their younger employees in a workforce that was shaped by these older generations.
We see the world differently and are redefining what success means, both in our personal and professional lives.
The GenXers and Seniors tend to view the world in a more linear style traveling from point A to suggest B. The millennials see life inside a more circular design with multiple stops along the way.
We tend to get a bad rap by our older, more experienced peers. We are told we are lazy, entitled, and always connected to technology. If you have millennials in your office, you will observe this is not always the case. We’re excited about our jobs, we adjust to change, and are extremely technologically savvy.
We enjoy accessibility and quick and efficient communication.
We are familiar with emailing our professors and texting our bosses. We’re good at multitasking. We are able to conduct research on the internet while listening to our newest Spotify playlist and group chatting with our friends without a problem. We are unbelievable multi-taskers and continuous learners because that is all we have ever known.
It isn't any surprise we tend to clash with the older generations in the workplace, particularly when it comes to management. While our elders value much more of an individualistic approach, we crave collaboration and teamwork.
We yearn for managers who can help us grow in our lives and our careers. Most millennials would prefer their boss to serve more as a coach or a mentor instead of context experts. We want to contact our bosses in a manner that permits us to speak freely and collaborate.
When employers learn to effectively manage and engage their younger employees, their business will yield incredible results. We may have grown up in a digital world with constant reassurance and attention, but ultimately, we want the same things as the rest of the employees. We look for: learning opportunities, meaningful work relationships, and to feel proud of the work we all do and the company we work for.
When a company chooses to focus on engaging the requirements of this generation, they are creating a better workplace for everyone.
