Why millennials matter
The millennial generation, born between 1980 and 2000 now entering employment in
vast numbers, will shape the world of work for years to come. Attracting the best of these
millennial workers is critical to the future of your business. Their career aspirations,
attitudes about work, and knowledge of new technologies will dene the culture of the 21st
centuryworkplace.
Millennials matter because they are not only different from those that have gone before,
they are also more numerous than any since the soon-to-retire Baby Boomer generation –
millennials already form 25% of the workforce in the US and account for over half of the
population in India. By 2020, millennials will form 50% of the global workforce.
But although they will soon outnumber their Generation X predecessors, they remain in
short supply, particularly in parts of the world where birth rates have been lower. They will
also be more valuable – this generation will work to support a signicantly larger older
generation as life expectancy increases. CEOs tell us that attracting and keeping younger
workers is one of their biggest talent challenges
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It’s clear that millennials will be a powerful generation of workers and that those with the
right skills will be in high demand. They may be able to command not only creative reward
packages by today’s standards, but also inuence the way they work and where and how
they operate in the workplace. They may also represent one of the biggest challenges that
many organisations will face.
Are millennials really any different to past generations? It’s true to say that some of the
behaviour and attributes of millennials can be explained by their age and relative lack of
responsibilities. Our behaviour and priorities change and adapt as we age, but to dismiss the
issues entirely on that basis would be a mistake.
Millennials’ use of technology clearly sets them apart. One of the dening characteristics
of the millennial generation is their afnity with the digital world. They have grown up
with broadband, smartphones, laptops and social media being the norm and expect instant
access to information. This is the rst generation to enter the workplace with a better grasp
of a key business tool than more senior workers.
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PwC’s 14th Annual Global CEO Survey
It’s more than just the way millennials use technology that makes today’s youth different
– they behave differently too. Their behaviour is coloured by their experience of the global
economic crisis and this generation place much more emphasis on their personal needs
than on those of the organisation. And employers should be wary – nearly three-quarters of
millenials in our survey said they had compromised to get into work – something we believe
will be set right as soon as economic conditions improve.
Millennials tend to be uncomfortable with rigid corporate structures and turned off by
information silos. They expect rapid progression, a varied and interesting career and
constant feedback. In other words, millennials want a management style and corporate
culture that is markedly different from anything that has gone before – one that meets
theirneeds.
The particular characteristics of millennials – such as their ambition and desire to keep
learning and move quickly upwards through an organisation, as well as their willingness to
move on quickly if their expectations are not being met – requires a focused response from
employers. Millennials want a exible approach to work, but very regular feedback and
encouragement. They want to feel their work is worthwhile and that their efforts are being
recognised. And they value similar things in an employer brand as they do ina consumer
brand. These are all characteristics that employers can actively address.
The companies that have already been the most successful in attracting talented millennials
– Google and Apple among them – are naturally innovative employers who are never
restrained by ‘how things used to be done’. These companies are not specically targeting
millennials, but their culture, management style and approach to recruitment and retention
naturally appeal to the millennial generation. And because of that, they are able to take
their pick of the best younger talent around.
Irrespective of the long-term aims and ambitions of an individual company, the ability to
attract and retain millennial talent will be a vital step to achieving it.
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