With the amount of Millennials moving into the work force, employers are asking why the turnover rate is so high in this generation, and what makes us truly happy? According to a Pew Research study, Millennials will make up 36 percent of the workforce in the U.S. by 2014. This same study showed that “nearly 60 percent of employed Millennials will leave their job within three years of being hired. Although the Millennial Generation has been coined, “entitled and narcissistic,” research shows that 31% of Millennials reported being satisfied with their current salary – but crave more than a meaty paycheck. Many Millennials will choose meaning and personal passion over money when it comes to their career choice. An employee’s passion combined with social media interaction is a company’s best resource. Millennial’s are fully aware when all of their friends are happy or dissatisfied due to Twitter, Facebook, personal blogs, and this influences our priorities, future decisions, and purchases. When a Millennials job is aligned with what they care about, they put in the extra effort and spread the word through their social network.
Value and Purpose
Millennials are extremely dedicated to brands that are associated with or give back to a cause. Millennials are simply not content with logging data, doing pointless research, or getting people’s coffee. Why you may ask? Because we are the most educated generation and we want to put our brainpower and energy into something that is going to make an impact. Millennials want to work for organizations that find solutions to the biggest problems facing our world today, so involve them in your conversations. Having Millennials in the workplace adds an unique perspective to any company, one that may be
just what employers need to identify the disconnect, help their business to grow, and learn how to attract the largest generation of consumers on the planet today. This generation grew up in a world where they could access the Internet, news, and their social circle instantly. Networking is not new to Millennials and they want to be hands-on when it comes to community service and the workplace. Millennials who frequently participate in workplace and volunteer activities are far more likely to be proud, loyal, and satisfied employees compared to those not given the opportunity. Let the Millennials pool their resources that they have acquired over their lifetime to bring value, new ideas, and innovative concepts or campaigns into the office.
Transparency and Social Interaction
It is the social norm amongst Millennials to share their relationship status, what they had for breakfast, and their weekend plans with the world on social media. According to a recent survey by Generations consultancy, LifeCourse Associates, 93% of Millennials use social media for personal reasons, compared to 80% of GenXers and 61% of Boomers. Although going on Facebook may seem like a waste of time at work, it is proven to help employees during their daily duties. Liking, sharing and commenting on Facebook are prohibited in one out of five workplaces. Banning social media could turn off millennial employees. It shows lack of trust, it inhibits outside inspiration, and it disrupts balance in the work place. Millennials expect their Employers to be transparent and if not, they will go else where and share why on social media. Re-evaluate what you share with employees, and consider letting Millennials into the inner circle, of course as much as you are allowed to. For the information that you are not able to share, be detailed as to why. This will show dedication to the millennial employee and will help build that bond and trust that today’s generation craves. WARNING: make sure your social good campaigns are not a scheme thought to attract the Millennials, but instead are truly integrated into the company’s brand mission. The Millennial generation is extremely transparent and will immediately smell something fishy. Give the Millennial the opportunity to do social responsibility work on company time. This is worth the venture, as they will be happy to dedicate long hours on the project that they see value in.
You can also read this post and my other posts about teens and Millennials on Answers.com.