This is the first in a series of articles focused on Millennials in the workplace.
There’s been an increasing amount of chatter over the past few years about the Millennials or Generation Y. It seems every time you go to your favourite website there’s an article praising them for their community values, or berating them for their lack of work ethic (and everything in between). Regardless which camp you fall into, they’re a growing segment of the work force and you’ll have to embrace them if you want to keep your competitive advantage.
Like every generation that came before them, Millennials have been influenced by societal forces and share common traits. But like all generations, they’re made up of individuals with significant differences. While we might talk about the broad generalities most likely to shape the future, we always need to acknowledge the individuals, their circumstances and differences.
Generations always hyper-criticize the generation that follows them. Back in 1990, Time magazine wrote an article about Generation X with the tag-line “laid back, late blooming or just lost?” The article began:
“They have trouble making decisions. They would rather hike in the Himalayas than climb a corporate ladder. They have few heroes, no anthems, no style to call their own. They crave entertainment, but their attention span is as short as one zap of a TV dial. They hate yuppies, hippies and druggies. They postpone marriage because they dread divorce. They sneer at Range Rovers, Rolexes and red suspenders. What they hold dear are family life, local activism, national parks, penny loafers and mountain bikes.”
Does this sound suspiciously familiar?
Some of the traits we associate with Millennials have less to do with their generation than with their “stage” in life. And therein lies my personal and professional issue with the terminologies used to describe generations. I’ve been working with Millennials since they were in grade school, right up to the present. Truth be told, depending what dates you use to define generations, I could be considered one myself. So let’s start with defining what a Millennial is.
Depending on your source, people who are considered Gen Y where born anywhere from 1976 to 2000. Recently, the consensus in media seems to be that anyone born between 1981 and 2000 qualifies as a Millennial (although it should be noted that not even ten years ago the date range was more in line with the years associated with Gen Y). Although this is a highly popular opinion, I disagree. In fact, I think it’s a marketing ploy to use (and popularize) the term “Millennial” in a way that makes sense when writing or speaking about them. The reality is that there are no hard lines defining the start and end dates for generations (perhaps with the exception of the Baby Boomers thanks to WWII). But in my experience and opinion, Gen Y was born between 1978 and 1995, and I’d apply the name Millennials to the following generation born between 1996 and 2014 — but that’s going down a whole different track! To avoid confusion, I’ll use the commonly accepted definition of Millennials and interchange the term Generation (or Gen) Y.
It’s important to note some of the commonalities in this generation, especially those that are relevant to Millennials in the workplace.
1. They’re highly educated. Considering they are the wealthiest generation to date, it is not surprising that they are also the most educated.
2. They’re very focused on community and family, and aren’t interested in working 80 hours a week to sacrifice these things.
3. They’re willing to speak up for what they believe they deserve, instead of accepting what’s given to them.
4. They require a lot of feedback — often in the form of praise, but also constructive criticism.
5. They’re exceptionally hard workers; but not in the “traditional” way, nor necessarily during “traditional” hours.
6. They believe the person who does the best work should be rewarded, not just the person who’s been there the longest, or has seniority.
7. They expect access to leadership.
8. They want to be included in conversations and decisions, and feel they’re valued.
9. They are digital natives- technology is a part of their identity.
10. They’re team-oriented and this makes them very loyal — under the right circumstances.
11. Learning and growing is fundamentally important to them.
12. They need to understand why they’re doing things.
As the number of Millennials in the workforce increases, the more leadership teams and companies will have to adapt to their influence on the workplace. In fact, the companies that maintain and increase their competitive edge will be the ones that embrace the changes this generation brings — and learn how to attract, retain, and develop Generation Y.
Click here to read the second in this series: “Attracting Millennials”
About Céline Williams
Céline has been working with Millennials since before anyone was calling them Millennials. Graduating from the University of Toronto, she ran a tutoring service, creating and teaching workshops. In a summer lull, she took a 3-month contract in the corporate world that lasted over 10 years. After a career focusing on the people side of business Céline recognized she wasn’t the only one looking for something more in the workplace.