R.I.P. Millennials – Recreation, Inspiration, Perspiration

So, here is the second installment of “Thoughts with Zack: The Consistently Inconsistent Articles about Business and Everything Else That Other People Have Probably Already Talked About And Said Way Better Than Me.” 

I can’t tell you how many articles I have read, serious and comical, that have talked about all the things that Millennials have ruined. I am a Millennial, and I do not appreciate being accused of killing the napkin (https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-hate-napkins-2016-3).

The truth is, I just don’t see the point of napkins. Especially when you have those awesome paper towels that you can rip off into smaller sheets. And don’t get my started on cloth napkins. Am I the only person in the world that notices the fact that they don’t work? Every experience I have had with a cloth napkin consists of me smearing whatever it was I was trying to clean until it looks like it has disappeared.

The absorbency of a cloth napkin is 0%. Just think of the time you were at a wedding and someone spilled one of the 60000 glasses of water that are on the table. Uncle Louie throws a cloth napkin into the mix and if you pay close enough attention, you can actually hear the water laughing at this feeble attempt to return the table to a semi-dry state.

Anyway, I digress. As a Millennial working with Millennials, I have noticed somethings about those of us that may not be your stereotypical Millennial, who wants everything for nothing. 

Recreation: The title hints at, what I believe, are three main elements in a millennials life, or really anyone’s life, but I am a Millennial, so that is my focus. At any given time, these three words can be in a different order of priority. Rarely do they stay consistent, in true millennial fashion. While many may assert that one holds greater value over the others, I see this as being a lot more fluid than that. Each of these three elements are in an intricate dance looking for the spotlight at different times in our lives.

I have heard many accuse Millennials of only being interested in recreation and their professional lives take a back seat to the greater desire of fulfilling their “recreational” dreams. These people would say that Millennials make recreation their biggest priority.

However, I would contest that recreation is not the biggest priority, but, rather, that we seek a balance between our work life and professional life (See last article about work life and professional life) more tenaciously. We have watched our parents work their asses off for 40+ years to be left with nothing; have their pensions taken away, and to be sold out by the government (Social Security? What’s that?).

Why would I want to take this one life that I have and dedicate it to a system that doesn’t give two-shits about me? I happen to enjoy where I work. And I have enjoyed almost all of the jobs that I have had. I love a challenge, new things, bettering myself, etc. But at the same time, I don’t have any trust for the system that I am still being told is for my benefit viz., Health Insurance. It’s almost unbearable how high my premiums are. And for what? I barely go to the dr. If I do, it’s typically a chiropractor, and isn’t covered by my insurance anyway.

So, Millennials, I would say, are not only about their recreation. We are just NOT about selling our soul to the corporate establishment that would just as quickly sell us to the highest bidder given the opportunity. The idea that you get what you put in does not exist in our job place. “You get what we want to give you, but you have to put in a lot more.”

We are now a generation that made the decision to enjoy our lives and work at the same time. No more of this, “work-now-so-you-can-retire-young-and-enjoy-the-remaining-years-of-your-life.” We will just do both now, thanks.

The second is Inspiration. There has been a plethora of inspirational and motivational fodder out there for several decades, but, IMHO, it seems like the millennial generation is enthralled with the inspirational/ motivational world and many are deeply entrenched in the self-help sphere. (This is not a critique. Many of that information is extremely helpful).  Any millennial loves the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Some cause, event, movement, etc. Who doesn’t though?

The truth is, in my time as a manager, what motivates and inspires each employee is completely different. Anyone would tell you the same thing. However, I have noticed that Millennials respond better to a little more appreciation and inspiration. They need to remain inspired in order to remain engaged and productive. I would say this is true of any generation, to desire appreciation and recognition, but Millennials are less likely to stick around if it doesn’t happen. Managers have to be creative in how they inspire their employees and express their appreciation, but it will go a long way. Not just in productivity and turnover rate, but in developing a stronger workforce that supports our national economy. AMIRIGHT?

Lastly, we look at Perspiration. While most Millennials appear to be obsessed with their image and working out…or perhaps just earing gym shorts or yoga pants, I have run into the stigma that Millennials don’t like to work, or are not willing to work. Let’s be honest, that is true of every generation and says more about the person than the generation as a whole. I learned to skate (get by with doing the bear minimum) by Boomer Town workers when I was 16. But, I have also met, and am friends with, Millennials who bust their @&$ day-in and day-out for themselves and/or their families. We just have different priorities about where we put our sweat equity. (see above)

With that being said, I would also say that we are looking for a challenge that does make us sweat. Maybe I am just talking for myself, but I would bet that there are a lot of people that do not feel challenged enough. Millennials are used to having everything right at their fingertips, which has it's own issues, but a major part of the information age, is that we get bored quickly. We want more, to be challenged more, to do more and have more. Most of the time it seems like the rest of the world cant keep up. If managers can find a way to keep their employees challenged, not just by adding more workload, but really stretching their employees professionally, helping them to grow, I think companies would see very different results from their Millennial workforce.

We are a passionate and emotional generation that is not afraid to put in the hours. We are willing to work for what we have, and work to keep it. But, we do expect to be treated as something more than just a line item on your expense reports. Employers and managers do have their work cut out for them. But, I believe, if you find the right recipe you can get the best out of most people. I have found, finding the right balance of Recreation, Inspiration and Perspiration has been key to my success. And, finding that right balance for others can do the same. This is no longer about pumping out robots, this generation requires managers to get in and get real.