Millennials... Are they all that different from my Grandad? (Norman Churchward pictured)

Millennials. What are they? Who are they? How should I speak to them? Do they bite? And my main question should we change our hiring criteria to accommodate a myth?

The phrase is bandied around in business leader peer groups with the same smugness usually reserved for portmanteaus such as Brexit or Brangelina but in this case with absolutely no concept of what they are. Outside of the comfort of a cozy board room they are talked about in hushed tones, as though making eye contact with one carries the same threat as a modern day Medusa. The eyes of many a CEO glaze over as they are presented with the personnel equivalent of the Enigma code. It got me thinking is do Millennials actually exist?

If they do exist then should expectations levels of employers of today’s graduates change? Should we be more accepting of perceived weaknesses and more accommodating to new strengths?

Now I do not profess to be a 21st century Alan Turing. However, I do believe the phrase Millennial is a lazy and overused phrase that attempts to generalise and reduce a generation to fit into a well-worn narrative. What actually is a Millennial? It is widely accepted that it relates to anyone who was born after 1982. Now don’t get me wrong, as someone who was born in 1981 I see 1982 babies as young but would someone born in 1995 feel the same? I would hazard a guess at no, but then again when I was 21 I probably thought 34 was old too.

Sure there are huge shifts in the way workforces operate, both physically and philosophically. I agree that employee motivations outwardly appear to have changed but has the actual person fundamentally changed. I would argue that motivations have actually stayed the same but external factors such as rapid technological advancement have created environments within which employers are now able to provide the framework for greater flexibility. In my opinion a ‘Millennial’ is no different than our grandparents generation, it is the opportunities that are different.

To illustrate this I will list three of the most common motivators associated with a ‘Millennial’ and then decide whether given the opportunity this would have also motivated my Grandad (Norman Churchward, ex-Farmer aged 98 in July for those who are interested!)

1. Flexible working schedules that are output driven not time driven allowing for more work life balance.

Would my Grandad have wanted to have more free time to play golf, go ball room dancing and spend time with his children. Yes of course he would have. Well maybe not the kids part.

1. They want to be inspired, to be working for a cause and to grow their skill sets professionally and interpersonally

Given the choice would my Grandad have chosen to learn from the best farmer in Devon who raised award winning cattle and grew incredible crops or would he have wanted to learn from someone dispassionate about animals and the countryside?

1. They want to have a voice and help contribute to their company – flat structures are preferred over hierarchy

Despite passing the phrase “Children should be seen and not heard” down the family tree do you think as a young farmer he would have appreciated being able to contribute or put forward his own point of view without fear of getting a hiding?! Of course he would but he was a product of the environment he grew up in, not what his fundamental human nature would have desired.

In conclusion I do not think we can generalize generations of workforces based upon their motivations and desires. The modern human race had existed for around 200,000 years and these will not have shifted much in that time. It is the opportunity to realise them that has. This leads me back to my original question should we change our hiring criteria to accommodate a myth?

The answer is no. We should evolve our businesses to ensure we can meet new motivations not treat younger generations with kid gloves, this would be disrespectful. When I look around our sales floor common traits still link the successful performers across the age groups. Strong work ethic, team work, passion, energy, creativity, honesty, tenacity, these are all still essential whether you work from the beach or are ploughing fields in the 1930s.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I am writing this myself so I won't talk about myself in the third person. I am not a published or award winning author or self-proclaimed business guru. Errrmm that is about all I can think of... Maybe I should get my mum to write this.

I do write a lot about my thoughts on the recruitment industry so if this made generated any passing interest please check out notsosecretrecruiter.wordpress.com or check out my bi-monthly column in The Recruiter magazine www.recruiter.co.uk 

Alternatively we are always looking for brilliant people at for our high growth team here at The Asoria Group so check us out www.asoriagroup.com!