By 2030 75% of the workforce in the US will be comprised of millennial workers. Many companies today are desperately trying to better understand this generation of workers because we see that what they value differs from the generations of workers that came before them. Some common negative misconceptions of millennial workers are that they are lazy, they are impatient when it comes to career growth, and they all have a sense of entitlement. These stereotypes are misconstrued and can be used by companies in a positive light to use the new skills that millennials have to their advantage.
Millennials are lazy and not interested in working as hard as older employees.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the Gen-Y generation. While millennials are not interested in the typical 9-5 work schedule, it does not mean that they are not hard workers. Millennials value flexibility and they like to be able to have schedules that allow them to have a good work-life balance. They want to work for companies that are open to flexibility such as allowing employees to work from home, offering generous vacation time, or varied schedules and they are not afraid to work hard and produce quality work in order to receive these benefits.
Millennials are impatient and will not stay with their current employer for more than a year.
While the fact that millennials are more likely than previous generations to move from job to job is true, they are still interested in finding a stable career. They are much less likely to stay at companies for a long period of time, not because they get bored, but because they see other opportunities out there that might accelerate their career growth and earn them a larger salary. However, they are not solely motivated by money. Millennials are interested in working for a company that will support furthering their education, have a good culture and values, and working for a company that will allow them to create a well-rounded career and personal life. If they don’t find these qualities in the company they are working for, they are going to continue searching until they find the right fit.
Millennials are entitled and believe everything should be handed to them.
Millennials are a hard working generation that is misunderstood. They look forward to working in leadership roles and are not afraid to do what it takes to get there, as long as they don’t have to completely sacrifice their personal life as their parents did before them. The biggest difference we see in millennials is that they are willing to speak up when it comes to things they are unhappy about. Their ambition is often mistaken as entitlement and because they are willing to ask for things, it is assumed they expect to get what they ask for.
Millennials are our future leaders. Understanding what motivates them and how to bring out their best skills and qualities are only going to be an advantage to your company and the future of our workforce.