Millennials are the new normal, and companies who disregard what’s important to them do so at their peril. There are more millennials in the workforce than any other generation (35%) – the oldest of them are in their mid-thirties and increasingly moving into management. So, what do millennials want in an employer?
Organisations like Deloite and Price Waterhouse Coopers have been counselling business that it’s not millennials that need to change to meet employer expectations, but that organisations will need to change to attract and keep the best millennials.
A recent document from the Property Council of Australia suggests that millennials want a sense of purpose in their work and they break that down into four categories.
Firstly, they want a positive culture in the workplace, one that’s fun, values people, has flexible conditions: millennials are ‘always on’ and prepared to work long hours, but not always 9 to 5.
Secondly, millennials value social responsibility; for example, they tend to prefer companies who ‘walk the walk’ on values such as sustainability.
Millennials also want to contribute to organisations – they want to feel a part of a company and want meaningful engagement with it.
Lastly, millennials are interested in progression, so employers are advised to ensure there are plenty of training and development opportunities, that achievements are recognised and that employees have a range of career opportunities available to them.
Millennials are the new normal, and companies who disregard what’s important to them do so at their peril. As the 2019 Deloite Millennial survey points out ‘Organisations that can make the future brighter for millennials and Gen Zs stand to have the brightest futures themselves.’
Lastly, millennials are interested in progression, so employers are advised to ensure there are plenty of training and development opportunities, that achievements are recognised and that employees have a range of career opportunities available to them.
