Millennial workers have developed a reputation for feeling entitled to undeserving promotions and raises, being addicted to social media, and job-hopping every time they get bored. They have been accused of lacking a strong work ethic, having no grit, and showing no respect for corporate culture. As a recent Forbes article stated, “It has become fashionable to trash millennials.”
After having worked with many Generation Y twenty-somethings, we at Area Temps believe not only are most of these stereotypes unwarranted, millennial employees are the secret weapon your workforce needs. In fact, we’ll even go out on a limb and tell you why these younger employees make the best candidates for managerial positions.
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They’re highly competent with technology.
Watching shows set in the 1960s, like Mad Men; you see characters struggling to come to terms with new technologies such as speakerphone. As the first generation to grow up with computers, millennials are obsessed with technology.
Millennials come into the workplace already having a solid foundation of computer knowledge. They are the bridge to the future, through social media, mobile, the cloud, and other real-time technologies that haven’t even been invented yet. When diagnosing IT problems at work, 61 percent of millennials said that they don’t immediately call the help desk. 71 percent admit to turning to Google for a solution first.
How does this contribute to success as a manager? They’re quick to learn new software, efficient, and are fast to master new skill sets needed to take on more responsibility.
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They expect things to happen at lightning speed.
Historically, expectations for accomplishing tasks have been based upon the resources and structures an organization has in place. In other words, things have moved slower. Data needed to make critical business decisions took weeks to come by mail and someone had to be sitting at their desk waiting for a phone call if you wanted to get a hold of them. This however, is not the way millennial workers have grown up. With the rapid pace of news and instantaneous communication, that’s how they’ve learned to approach their work. Older generations often describe millennials as impatient, but it’s because they know nothing else. With the necessary tools to support them, millennials tackle their work and expect the same out of their colleagues. A research assignment that would’ve taken a month or two to complete ten years ago, can now be done in less than 24 hours.
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They have an unmatched entrepreneurial spirit.
Millennial employees have grown up with a start-up mentality. They aren’t afraid to embrace failure, after learning from roles models like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. They’ve been encouraged to follow their dreams and passions by Mark Zuckerburg and Ashton Kutcher. They don’t dream of landing a job at a giant corporation and working there for life. Instead, they approach positions with the understanding that they’ll put in 120% in order to succeed, even with the knowledge that their employer may not be around in three years.
In a management role, millennials won’t be afraid to take risks and implement cutting edge strategies. They are authentic and audacious. If they try something and it fails, they’ll get right back up and try it a different way.
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They value social change.
When it comes to a job, money isn’t everything to millennials. Gen Y employees are more passionate about the purpose behind their jobs. They value fulfillment and don’t want to wait and do charitable work only after they’ve reached a certain financial well-being. In a managerial setting, they’ll open the doors for your organization by creating an environment where social impact is important. Studies show that in environments where employees are fulfilled there are lower turnover rates. Millennials are a driving force towards lasting social change that will benefit not only the company, but also the world as whole.
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They’re accepting.
Gen Y is the most diverse generation in U.S. history. Therefore, millennials don’t just embrace diversity in the workplace; they expect it. From gender and sexuality to religion and race, they’ve grown up with a greater acceptance than previous generations. As employees this pays off by opening doors to increased creativity, productivity, new attitudes, and a more global understanding.
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They’re cheaper hires.
Although we’re not advocating that you should underpay millennials, as aforementioned, they value other things besides money. Benefits such as work from home policies or health and wellness programs, are high on the list of things millennials value, and can be more cost effective than paying higher salaries. And with the job market for millennials not being so hot at the moment, a millennial that works for you will always be more than willing to rise to the challenge when it comes to job performance.
The way millennials have a strong relationship with technology, combined with their entrepreneurial spirit, can make them the best candidate for a managerial role within your company. And remember, when considering applicants for an open job, it’s illegal to discriminate based on age.
Whether you’re looking for qualified temporary workers, temp-to-hire, or direct hire employees, Area Temps can meet your requirements. Our exclusive applicant network features over 86,000 skilled candidates from multiple generations across the Greater Cleveland and Akron areas. Contact our experienced team of Cleveland-based recruiters today to see how we can offer customized staffing solutions for your organization.
