Millennials are entering the workforce in increasing numbers as they come of age and graduate college. As an HR professional, it is important that you understand the characteristics and personality traits of each individual you hire. Doing so can ensure that you provide them with the work experience they need while encouraging maximum productivity.
While each individual is unique in his or her own ways, this particular generation as a whole grew up in a drastically different environment from a political, social and technological standpoint than previous generations. Therefore, they generally have different expectations, skills and ways of thinking that can affect your company. By learning more about what to expect from millennials, you can make a more informed hiring decision.
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They Cherish Their Private Time
Millennials are often, unfortunately, viewed as being lazy and lacking focus, but this is actually a misleading mentality. The reality is that millennials are focused on achieving a positive and enriching work-life balance in their lives at a young age.
This may have been influenced by the prevalence of technology and how social media in particular has taught individuals to live in the moment and to enjoy time with their family and friends. It may have also been influenced by watching their parents work long, hard hours and seeing them mostly make little headway in improving their lives as a result.
In essence, they have seen what has not worked for previous generations, and they want a different experience in their own lives. Because of these factors, many millennials are reluctant to sacrifice free time for the sake of advancing their careers.
This, however, does not mean that they are not career-minded. Instead, they are focused on finding ways to minimize stress and maximize productivity so that they can enjoy life as much as possible.
Through the use of technology, they may be inspired to travel more as well, and the affordable travel options advertised online make this a possibility. With this in mind, millennials often seek flexible work hours and remote work opportunities in an effort to achieve their ideal balance.
In addition, many millennials seek start-up and self-employment opportunities to gain control over their lives. These are not traditional workers, and instead, they enjoy career freedom and completing tasks in innovative ways.
Technology Brings Up Their Full Potential
This is a generation that has grown up during a time of rapid technological change, and they have typically had access to any information they’ve needed right at their fingertips throughout most of their lives. If they want to know something, they simply have to use their smartphone right at their side to conduct rapid research.
This technology has affected how they look for jobs as well as how they network professionally and reach out to successful professionals in their field. They are very aware of their own digital presence as well as how to use it to their advantage professionally. For example, they know that their social media accounts may be viewed during the hiring process.
Millennials also use technology to their benefit, pushing their companies to follow their lifestyle and opt for working in a digital environment rather than wasting time, paper and other supplies by working in the traditional manner. Being used to a fast pace and always on the go, they insist on visual presentations, mobile collaborations and cloud services. Insisting on the latest technologies, such as Microsoft 365 PowerBI or OneDrive, results in faster completion of projects, easier communication and all around higher efficiency and effectiveness at work.
They Value Feedback
This is a generation that is accustomed to receiving positive feedback and reinforcement at home as well as in an educational setting. Because of this, they can easily feel discouraged or confused when older generations fail to give them expected feedback.
Constructive criticism is well-received by millennials, and it can typically motivate them and encourage them to improve their job performance. Feedback as well as professional socialization and teamwork give millennials a sense of belonging and importance in the workplace.
Since millennials are often richly educated in a variety of areas through both formal and informal education, they may have lofty career goals, and they can unfortunately expect immediate success in achieving those goals. Nonetheless, they want to receive feedback so that they know their contributions are valued. By offering constructive criticism, you may encourage millennials to seek additional skills and education so that they can more fully reach their potential.
By exploring their options through technology, they may refine their skills and interests, and this can steer their career path to broader horizons or open their eyes up to the benefits of part-time opportunities or volunteerism. Your millennial employees need to know that they are valued and that their contributions matter, so plan to give this generation plenty of constructive advice.
To Conclude, …
It is important to understand the driving force behind millennials as a generation, but it is also important to focus on each person as an individual. You can see that this generation exhibits many unique traits and qualities that differentiate it from previous generations. This is why you may need to alter your management policies and work environment to suit this up and coming generation. As you bring more millennials into your office, your ability to properly accommodate them can help you to create a more productive work environment and a more enriching experience for your younger employees.
Author Bio
Sandra Moncada is a cycling enthusiast, who frequently escapes to hang out with her literary and movie heroes. She is vitamin D’s biggest fan, who is passionate about meditation, Pilates and beating stress. When she’s not floating in the ocean or her outdoor pool, she loves to write about lifestyle improvements, self-development and stress-relief methods.
You can connect with her @SandramoncadaOh
