As Millennials enter into the workforce, organizational leaders need to evaluate their current work environments and assess how to effectively provide a conducive workplace for Millennials to thrive. Millennials are highly global oriented, technologically adept, healthy conscious, and goal oriented (Moritz, 2014), causing some to believe they are narcissistic, entitled, shallow, and selfish (Stein, 2013). Upon first glance, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that Millennials expect to be catered to since they appear to have higher demands than their veteran counterparts. However, at close examination, their expectations are in line with other generations before them, they are simply less willing to settle than past generations, making organizational leaders more aware of such expectations and more willing to accommodate them.
Millennials want a workplace where they can develop close relationships with those they work with (Bolser & Gosciej, 2015); they want to have open lines of communication where they can receive regular feedback from leaders above them (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010); they want to be a part of a team and work closely with others around them (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010), and they desire the opportunity to think creatively and have the freedom to be independent thinkers (Armour, 2005). Such desires from Millennials are not far removed from that of their seasoned counterparts, but Millennials are not willing to settle for less. Millennials will work hard and develop loyalties to an organization (Bolser & Gosciej, 2015), but they aren’t willing to sacrifice their health and personal well-being for an organization they don’t feel is loyal to them.
Organizations are faced with the reality that Millennials want to invest their time into an organization they believe in and is fulfilling their ideals for life (Moritz, 2014), and they will leave an organization they can’t get behind: monetary compensation is simply not enough (Moritz, 2014).
References
Armour, S. (2005). Generation Y: They’ve arrived at work with a new attitude. USA Today. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-11-06-gen-y_x.htm
Bolser, K., & Gosciej, R. (2015). Millennials: Multi-Generational Leaders Staying Connected. Journal of Practical Consulting, vol. 5(iss. 2), pp. 1–9.
Moritz, B. (2014). The U.S. chairman of PwC on keeping Millennials engaged. Harvard Business Review, (11), 41.
Myers, K. K., & Sadaghiani, K. (2010). Millennials in the Workplace: A Communication Perspective on Millennials’ Organizational Relationships and Performance. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 225–238. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9172-7
Stein, J. (2013, May 20). Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/247/millennials-the-me-me-me-generation/
