How Millennials Are Changing The Workplace
Much has been said about Millennials. Specifically, how Millennial core values are quickly changing the way organizations and companies approach diversity and inclusion in today’s workplace.
Here are a few reasons why:
- Their Sheer Number: Millennials have surpassed Gen Xers as the largest demographic in the U.S. workforce according to the Pew Research Center.
- Workforce Diversity: This demographic is very in touch with diversity. Forty-seven percent of Millennials actively look for diversity and inclusion when sizing up potential employers, according to this survey from Webershandwick.
- Cognitive Diversity: In addition to demographic diversity, Millennials value cognitive diversity which means including people who have different styles of problem-solving and think differently, because they can offer unique perspective.
What can organizations do to effectively attract, develop and retain Millennials?
● Create a more collaborative environment that values open participation from people with different ideas and perspectives.
● Be clear about role expectations and career paths for advancement.
● Create the opportunity for exposure and access to those in positions of influence and power.
● Have remote work options so that they can navigate work life balance, and dual-careers.
● Depending upon the nature of your organization, you may need assess what works best for your talent. For example, in an entrepreneurial environment, you may need some structure and boundaries. In a corporate environment, you might want to establish onboarding and mentoring programs to help millennials navigate the culture.
Resources & Studies:
- http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/
- https://www.webershandwick.com/news/millennials-at-work-perspectives-on-diversity-inclusion/
- https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/inclusion-insights.html
- https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/is-there-a-payoff-from-top-team-diversity