Use the Traits of Millennials to Benefit Your Company
It is easy for one to look down on millennials based on the stereotypes and negative portrayals found in the news and the media. However, millennials are the future of the workforce. It is important to accept that millennials will have a big impact on your business and to adjust the way your company brands itself based on the ideals and values that come with this new generation of employees.
(This is normally the place where we would quote studies and statistics. However, because the millennial generation is so new, we could not find any official studies. So, this article is based on our experience as well as opinions from sources such as the Ivey Business Journal, Forbes, and the Harvard Business School.)
Catapult Creative Media Inc. is a company blended with Generation X-ers and millennials. Through personal experience, we have gathered information about millennials in the workplace and compiled it into four tips on how your company should build your brand around them.
Technology – Is it Good or Bad?
Technology grows and changes every day. Baby boomers learned about technology at a later age while they were entering the workforce. Millennials, however, were born into a world that was already filled with technology, growing used to its constant and fast-paced changes. Some may think that millennials are too dependent on technology and that they take the easy way out. Being born into technology though, should be considered an advantage, as millennials have the ability to quickly adapt to new technology as it is developed. Workers born in the millennial generation grew up learning and influencing the standards of technology, making them more technologically advanced and better at adapting. As a business, it is important to recognize that millennials are tech-savvy and to utilize their skills to your advantage.
A Generation of “Go-Getters”
In our experience, millennials are not the type of workers who will sit back, watch the clock tick, and pretend to look busy when their boss walks by. They have high expectations for themselves and seek challenges within the workplace. The millennials that we have worked with are self-confident in their abilities and strive to advance within their careers at a speedy pace. Businesses should work with their millennial employees to create an appropriate career advancement timetable that will meet their desires to progress, while also retaining the traditional importance of working hard in order to be promoted.
Feedback – Too Much is Not Enough
Typically, a business gives its employees annual or semi-annual reviews. For the millennial employees that we have worked with, this isn’t near enough. Unlike their boomer parents, most millennials grew up in a school environment that included high involvement from parents, teachers, and mentors. This leads to a desire for constant feedback and praise for satisfactory work. Businesses should try to use this to their advantage by providing employees with checklists, mentors, frequent feedback, and compensation for creativity and innovation. Each employee is different, however, so it is important to find out what works best for each individual. If motivated in the proper way, millennials can accomplish even more than one might think. Businesses and employees will both benefit from an increase in communication via clear and specific feedback.
Work Life and Home Life: Two Different Things
As a generation, many millennials grew up with boomer parents that were very work-driven. This means that they may have watched one or both of their parents sacrifice family time for work. Because of this experience, a lot of millennials prefer a clear divide between the two spheres of their lives. We’ve noticed that the millennials we work with will work diligently during their work hours, but, when it comes to the nights and weekends, they want to focus on the other aspects of their lives. This can be an advantage to businesses, as most millennials are willing to work hard within their specified hours and will complete more tasks on time in order to enjoy their outside lives as a work-free environment.
That being said, the work environment should be a positive one. Our millennial employees thrive in environments that please them ethically and create a team-oriented philosophy. More so than any past generation, millennials seem to be concerned about social justices and ethical aspects of a business. It is important for your company to create a supportive environment where millennials will be passionate about their work and the team that they are a part of.
With the proper motivation, environment, and understanding of millennial employees, your business will accomplish even greater things and have a smooth adjustment into the ever-changing workforce.
Becca Andrus is a junior at LSU studying mass communications with a concentration in public relations. When she’s not studying or working, you can find Becca watching The Bachelor or saving Tasty videos on Facebook that she knows she’ll never actually cook.
Work with Catapult Creative Media Inc. Catapult Creative Media Inc. is a digital marketing and design agency serving clients over the United States but is proud to call Baton Rouge, Louisiana home. Founded in 2007, Catapult provides digital, social and mobile marketing solutions backed by relevant strategy and measurable results. Catapult works the web to their clients’ advantage, launching them to their next level of success.
