Are Millennials as bad as everyone makes out?

If you look at some of the most popular trend pieces being published, Millennials are being portrayed very negatively and these are mostly littered with generalised stereotypes. Millennials are said to be entitled, narcissistic, spoiled, shallow and lazy individuals. The word Millennials, however, feels like it has become a curse for the individuals associated with it, as it is not a true reflection of the entire generation. There are plenty of stereotypes that are being applied to this entire generation, when only a handful fall into this definition. I must declare at this point that I am a Millennial myself and feel as a generation we have so much to contribute to organisations at all levels.

What are some of the characteristics and influences that define Millennials?

Millennials are usually individuals born between 1980 and 1995 and are also known as Generation Y.

• In terms of technology Millennials:

o  Are true digital natives that grew up with globalisation, technology and connectivity;

o  Have learned to move quickly and adapt;

o  Are accustomed to getting and giving information quickly and from a variety of sources and devices;

o  Have been enabled to mix work and play in very different ways to previous generations; and

o  See Mobile phones, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tinder and Google as common place.

• At work, Millennials:

o  Are characteristically hungry for career progression;

o  Also recognise the value of learning and development;

o  Flourish on being mentored, trained and developed;

o  Are becoming the most productive generation with a “work wherever” attitude;

o  Prefer a more open and transparent work relationship;

o  Want to know where their career is going with an employer;

o  Are not devoted to an organisation but rather loyal to their own careers;

o  Long for the idea of a career and not just a job;

o  Are good at handling multiple responsibilities;

o  Demand constant feedback from organisations;

o  Are less willing to sacrifice personal time for their careers;

o  Work hard and feel strongly about wanting their work to be meaningful;

o  Feel that as long as the work is completed, that is all that matters;

o  Find more ways to fit their lives into their work and their work into their lives - the so-called career-life fit;

o  Put greater importance on promotions;

o  Leave a job because of the absence of career prospects;

o  Prefer working for smaller organisations; and

o  Are looking for organisations that provide more flexibility and that are open to their entrepreneurial spirit.

• When referring to relationships and social interactions, Millennials:

o  Are some of the most sheltered children in history;

o  Are confident and almost come across as arrogant;

o  Enjoy collaboration and teamwork;

o  Are principally driven by their strong sense of community; and

o  Crave authenticity from people.

• Worldviews that Millennials have:

o  They want to change the world;

o  They want to feel they contribute and are doing the right thing; and

o  The “why” is just as important as the for “what”.

• Millennials are influenced by:

o  Reality television and celebrity culture;

o  Instant gratification, luxury and affluence;

o  Distrust in government due to various failings;

o  Seeking straightforwardness;

o  Global climate change and the frustration due having to deal with the problem;

o  The movement for ethical consumerism; and

o  The change in education and parenting has given them an unrealistic view of what to expect from organisations.

 What can be done to change this stigma?

• The baton needs to be handed over

There has been a definite failure by some of the previous generations to ensure generativity has occurred. Generativity is defined as “a need to nurture and direct the next generation”. This failure has created tension between the way it was done and the way it is being done by this new generation. Instead of defaulting to scorn and distrust, previous generations should engage in nurturing and developing the next generation, and then, step back and yield power and control to the new generation. Such generativity certainly benefits all generations.

• We need to stop being so rigid and open to change

The previous generation used to be this new generation in the workplace and change is thus inevitable and should be embraced rather than avoided. Millennials have the same drive and ambition as what the previous generations had. Millennials don’t necessarily want different things than previous generations, they simply expect things to happen at a quicker pace.

• We must take responsibility and change our own behaviour

As Millennials, we can’t expect to receive the hand over on a silver platter. We have an instrumental part to play in this. We must be ready to show that most Millennials have a lot to offer organisations and that our contributions should not be overlooked. We should not play into the stereotypes that exist. Just because it has always been done in a certain way, doesn’t mean that is the only way. Millennials should help organisations transition into this new environment and foster a collaborative culture.

“First published in HR Future (June 2018), www.hrfuture.net.”

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