Millennials in the Workplace

Much has been made about how Millennials are at the forefront of digital innovation and social networking. However, the individuality characteristic of the generation has even broader reaches.

According to research done by the National Association of Personnel Services, Millennials have fewer attachments to traditional institutions than any previous generation, and have extremely little faith in the current Social Security system. Additional research by Pew Research Center suggests that fewer Millennials are marrying in their 20s than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, and even more interestingly, that 50% of Millennials consider themselves to be political independents (although they lean heavily democratic on social issues such as same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization).

What’s clear from all of this research is that the Millennials are a generation filled with individuals who are not concerned with going against the grain and bucking trends that have lasted for decades. This is exactly why today’s companies need to closely examine their hiring practices to determine ways that they can provide greater opportunities for Millennials to join their team and thrive.

Millennials have proven themselves to be extremely capable of thinking critically at a young age. Their refusal to blindly trust institutions and others and their avoidance of labels and tradition for tradition’s sake indicates that they are not afraid to pursue their own goals and beliefs. Can you think of a better type of employee to have on staff, one that won’t simply settle for doing a job a certain way because “that’s how it’s always been done?” One who will critically approach any problem that arises within a given project and not resort to old, standard methods?

The tendency for companies hiring employees is to not take younger applicants seriously, but all research suggests that Millennials are very much worth your time, and could be extremely valuable employees.