Millennial and Post Millennial: Expectations from Career and Workplace

Millennial, born between 1981 and 1996, and those born after that (post millennial) are considered “future leaders” of the society. Compared to previous generations, they have ambitious career objectives, are technologically savvier in general, and bring other never experienced dimensions of their thinking and behaviour to the workplace and society in general.

Unlike their predecessors, who had stability and security as strong needs, millennials look for more than just a job. They look for roles which are interesting and career progressing. There is more confidence, a stronger ability and willingness to demand what they think is due, and significantly higher risk taking abilities around choices they make. In many research papers, it is also pointed out that there is a strong need for instant gratification. Historically, Careers were looked at as a straight line, with each job being progressively but incrementally value adding and rewarding, the gradient being steeper for some than the others. The newer generations look at careers as a series of experiences, all of them being rewarding, with a choice of moving on quickly if a particular experience does not seem rewarding enough. The culmination of many varied experiences is seen as far more value creating personally and professionally, than a series of incremental moves.

Organizations may well need to redefine their management style, company culture and workplace rules. There is certainly a need to manage expectations differently in order to be more appealing to the younger workforce. The returns from being able to design a workplace and culture could be huge—if the younger generation ‘connects’, they are truly willing to put in their best, including significant discretionary effort.

“Millennials want to work for organizations that prioritize purpose as well as profit. It's as simple as that.” – Punit Renjen, Global CEO, Deloitte

Here’s what millennials may be expecting out of their career and in the workplace:

• Flexibility

Millennials expect freedom, responsibility and flexibility early in their career. They like to adopt their own individualized approach and make their mark. Providing clear and concise instructions, achievable goals and clear deadlines but allowing them the freedom on "how to do it" will enable them to develop their individuality and nurture their leadership qualities.

• Using Technology

The millennial and post millennial generations are extremely comfortable in using technology and are almost addicted to new and upcoming technological changes. Most millennials prefer 'virtual' rather than face-to-face conversations with their managers and counterparts. Most of them believing that access to technology makes them more effective at work.While for some of us in the older generations, this may be neither intuitive nor very comfortable, adapting up-to-date technological advances in organizations will enable a millennial to be more productive and responsive. Millennials respond better to interactive online learning tools, online testing tools and training videos rather than lectures and conferences.

• Work Environment

Millennials expect the energy of the co-employees to be high and inviting rather than sit in closed cubicles. They feel more comfortable in a high energetic environment, a motivating, encouraging leader and open/well-ventilated work place. Millennials believe that having an open workplace gets rid of barriers – figuratively and literally – enabling them to engage with other co-workers in terms of work, knowledge, information sharing and creating a fun environment! They expect their employer to be more of a leader than just a manager. Having someone who will provide a constructive feedback, discuss goals and offer advice for betterment provides a more structured development in terms of career and self-growth.

• Work-Life Balance and Other Benefits

It is observed that millennials are ready to take up a lower paying job which provides a better balance and stability. Not only do millennials look for organizations providing better work-life balance but also mental and physical health programs. Companies may have to prioritize mental health of employees, as some studies show that millennial employees suffer from depression more than other generations (Approx. one in five millennials report experiencing depression – according to the Research from Bensinger, Dupont & Associates).

To conclude, millennials have different wishes and desires in terms of work and careers when compared to their predecessors. It is not uncommon to see these young workers have 4-5 jobs in the first 6-10 years of their career. Placing higher emphasis on skills development and career progression, millennials seek a job which provides growth in these areas. They want the company to inspire, support and invest in their potential. Encouraging their career development and workplace satisfaction will lead to better retention and happier future leaders.

This piece was written in conjunction and consultation with a bunch of young people from my office at Think Talent(www.thinktalentindia.com) as part of a discussion around "why they are at ThinkTalent and putting in discretionary effort". It reflects a summary of their wishes and desires. In their eyes, they have unique demands from their employers, and they are very happy to contribute to the purpose of the organization should these needs be met.