Tyler Durden have no fear: the Millennial generation is about to relieve your angst toward corporate America. Millennials, those born roughly in the range from 1975 and 2000, are currently bursting into the work force by the millions and shaking up corporate culture. Chances are if you are reading this right now, you are a Millennial and if you have a job, you’re going to be contributing to these changes.
Within the next 10 years, our generation will make up 75% of the work force and things are about to change around here. With Baby Boomers (our parents’ generation) rapidly approaching retirement, those from Gen X (currently 30/40-somethings) will move into the executive positions leaving us Millenials with leadership positions. A recent study examined how we view ourselves and what we look for in employment. Here’s what was found:
1. We don’t just want to be rich, we want to be happy
Young people entering the work force for the first time have a different set of priorities than our predecessors. We seek fulfilling jobs that will give as the opportunity to become well-rounded people. When ranking job priorities, Millennials said money was the most important factor (well, duh) but we don’t see it as THAT important comparatively speaking.
When the older generations were polled, 50% said high pay is important, compared to the 30% of Millennials. Following compensation, Millennials ranked flexibility in work schedules, and the opportunity to make a difference as other top priorities.
2. We don’t want to have a job that requires us to put on pants
Millenials are demanding more work place flexibility and mobile work arrangements. We want to have the option of working in the office on the days that demand concentration and have meetings, but also stay in our jammies on cold Monday mornings.
According to an Ernst & Young survey, employees say they would switch jobs, relocate, or take a pay-cut simply so they could have a better work/life balance. Older generations might say we’re entitled and spoiled, but maybe we’re just trying to have a healthy harmony between our career and our personal life, which our parents’ generation struggled to achieve.
3. If we don’t like our job, we’ll just up and quit
If you have a job that you aren’t crazy about, have no fear, you’ll have 19 others in the course of your career. The average American will change their job anywhere from 15-20 times in their life. You could criticize us for this, and call us spoiled. Who are we to demand our dream job when we’re only 22. But to be fair, the average American will spend 90,000 hours of their life at work, so excuse me for wanting to spend one-eighth of my existence being fulfilled.
We expect a rewarding job, and we don’t see the point of waiting out a miserable job, when there’s always the possibility of being laid off. Our parents were interested in stability and “settling down,” so many of them probably stuck with unsatisfying jobs. This could have turned out to be unprofitable for them when unemployment peaked around 2009. Without security, we have a sense of urgency in pursuing happiness.
4. There’s going to be a shift among young employees from those who NEED work to those who WANT work
We like to do things at our own pace. We lack a sense of urgency about moving out, taking a job, and struggling to pay rent each month just so we can be “independent.” Instead, we could move back home, save money, and work at Applebee’s while we wait for a job we really want.
Perhaps we’re lazy, but we know good things come to those who wait. Instead of being burdened by a job we don’t enjoy, we have alternate opportunities. This means, those who do work in the office are there because they like being a part of it.
5. We see our bosses as mentors and coaches
Back in the day, when you needed to know something, you had to trek all the way to the library (probably fight off a dinosaur), open the card catalog, and locate a book–or you could ask your superiors who probably already knew the answer. Accumulating information took a long time, and those in higher positions were seen as very wise with all their years of experience.
The internet changed that though (duh). Information is available to everyone, everywhere. It flipped how we view our employers and has made employees more independent. Now, not only are our superiors mainly giving us guidance, they are doing it over email while we sit in our kitchen without wearing pants.
How the Millennial Generation is Changing “Corporate America” is a post from: LifeDaily