Why you should look forward to hiring your Centennial kid

Five things about Centennials and ideas for creating an employee experience they’ll love.

My son was recently playing a video game. In fact a bit of a retro one for Centennials, Guitar Hero, and the controller stopped working. “Dad can I borrow a screwdriver?” He took it apart to check connections and wires – “nothing wrong here”. “Guess it’s time for a new one”, I said, figuring a used one would be cheap. “I already checked and they are asking for more than it’s worth”, he said hinting at his proactive resourcefulness. Bummer, I thought – guess we are stuck. But wait. He proceeded to program the game to make his keyboard work as his guitar-controller and in minutes, he was back in business and playing an 80s tune (an appeal to his Gen X Dad, I like to think). Tech-savvy? No doubt. In fact most Centennials don’t remember a world without the iPhone. But more importantly for employers is how resourceful this generation is around problem-solving, assessing and processing information, adapting, sharing, and learning. Some of the most important skills employers seek in a high-performance workforce.

As the last of the over-talked-about Millennials graduate from college this year, now is the time for employers to begin thinking more about the next generation, Centennials. (I like this name coined by our friends at the research firm Kantar Consulting much more than Generation Z, though I suspect any label will not sit well with this independent and diverse cohort.) Perhaps you’ve already had some experiences with Centennials in the workplace through part-time jobs, early career entrants, or as interns, but with the oldest of this generation turning 21 this year, they are at the trail head of their career paths.

Just who are the Centennials?

• Born 1997 – Present (maybe 2015 will be last year?)
• Oldest is turning 21 this year
• 27% of the U.S. population
• 5% of the U.S. workforce
• 49% Non-white

According to Kantar Consulting, this generation is approaching many areas of their lives differently than their Millennial counterparts. Alight Solutions Workforce Mindset Study supports that we should expect Centennials to approach the employment experience differently as well. The study shows these top 5 desired work experience characteristics for Centennials (ranked by most desired):

#1 Balanced

#2 Efficient

#3 Accountable

#4/#5 (tied) Trustworthy

#4/#5 (tied) Compassionate

Comparing the desired cultural characteristics

Looking at those top characteristics compared to Millennials, though “balanced” and “trustworthy” are similarly ranked by Millennials, the list does not include characteristics like “recognition” and “engagement-oriented” which have historically been in the top 5 for Millennials. Both “efficient” and “compassionate” are unique to this generation as a top 5 desired characteristic. Centennials are looking for employee experiences that are efficient – both in processes or practices as well as technology. They expect a consumer-grade technology experience in the workplace and require the workplace tools and technology that enable them, not create barriers, to solve problems effectively and creatively. Processes or practices that are perceived as time-wasters with limited added value will be met with less patience than with prior generations.

Outside the top 5, Centennials are also much more likely than Millennials to cite Coaching/Mentoring as a desirable characteristic reinforcing their appetite for learning and development. According to Kantar Consulting's 2017 US MONITOR survey, while Millennials may have tended to de-value college education for a more entrepreneurial experience, 72% of Centennials say getting a college education is the best way for a young person to get ahead in life (versus 58% for Millennials). Also, 83% of Centennials say that getting a graduate degree is worth the investment (compared to 65% of Millennials). This generation is poised to bring higher education credentials into the workplace and expect to continue to learn in order to stay valuable throughout their careers.

What Centennials seek

Centennials are looking for control in their lives and will be attracted to employers that provide a sense of meaning, stability, and security. This is a pragmatic generation (similar to their GenX parents and World War II generations) that places a higher value on security-oriented benefits like health and wellness, retirement and financial wellbeing, and learning & development. Paying off college loans and avoiding unnecessary spending is a real goal for this group. Growing up in a slow growth and uncertain economy has shaped their expectations – competition for good jobs is strong and they know success is not promised to them. So they bring a bit more competitive versus collaborative spirit than their Millennial brothers and sisters. From Kantar Consulting’s 2017 US MONITOR survey, these are the top 5 signs of success and accomplishment for Centennials (and the percentage citing each):

• Feeling your life is meaningful, 94%
• Being in control of your life, 94%
• Being really good at your job, 92%
• Being secure in your employment, 90%
• Being debt-free, 89%

When asked about potential areas that may differentiate one employer from another in Alight’s Workforce Mindset Study, Centennials are more likely than other generations to say most of the positive workplace characteristics (e.g., recognition, flexibility, communication, fun, development opportunities, etc.) don’t really differentiate. But one area stands out: “Provides Meaningful Work” is more likely to differentiate an employer for a Centennial than for other generations. Employers take note!

This generation places a high value on authenticity, especially in their employment experience. Similar to Millennials today, two-thirds say “It’s important that others see me as someone who can always see through exaggeration and hype”. But Centennials are adopting this outlook at a much younger age than Millennials did (less than half of Millennials agreed with this in 2002 when they were at similar age stage as today’s Centennials). They also place a higher level of importance on the alignment between what a company says it stands for outside and how it really works inside (i.e., its #culture). Centennials are also more likely to see characteristics that make the company unique as important to them. Therefore it will be important for employers to identify, promote, and reinforce through both experiences and their employee value proposition, what makes them truly unique.

Of course, social media has been an avenue for both of the youngest generations to express themselves and their perspectives on brands, companies, and employers. But while Millennials are more likely to call businesses out on their role in society on social media, Centennials are more likely to take action themselves. According to Kantar’s study, seventy percent of Centennials say they feel they can make a difference to the world around me through “the choices I make and the actions I take” - more so than Millennials and other generations. Like nearly any characteristic of us humans, there is a good side and a potential bad side.

So what can you expect this generation to be in the workforce (so far anyway)?

1.     Tenacious Problem-Solvers

The good: They will be persistent and resourceful while seeking creative solutions independently thus avoiding excessive need for attention.

The bad: It may drive a hesitation to ask managers (and others) for help when appropriate or potentially shy away from collaboration if not convenient.

2.     Change-Ready, Variety-Seekers

The good: They are better equipped to roll with and even welcome change as they seek a variety of different experiences.

The bad: They will be anxious and perhaps impatient for new projects and experiences; managers will need to be flexible around rotational assignments and work.

3.     Insatiable Learners

The good: Striving to improve products and processes and seeking new solutions from multiple sources will be their modus operandi. They will build their skills to stay valuable and relevant both on their own and by pursuing mentoring and coaching.

The bad: They may be challenged to balance opportunities for learning and creative brainstorming with requirements for specific performance and efficiency. Providing ready access to desired, right-now mentoring and coaching may be difficult for employers.

4.     Cross-Domain Knowledge Brokers

The good: They will bring a constant flow of new information and an eagerness to share what they know or have discovered. They will quickly connect ideas and information together that may not immediately seem related opening avenues for creativity and innovation.

The bad: Balancing telling with listening may be a struggle at times.

5.     Self-Sufficient Independents

The good: They will be proactive in asking about next steps in their career and developing personalized, unique plans to advance and grow - less about what others may have done in the past, but what they can do now and to prepare for the future.

The bad: Ongoing conversations about future plans will require agile managerial behaviors and evolving HR processes that have historically been rigid and slow to change.

Employee experience matters

While they will require an inclusive, straight-talking, and flexible managerial style and access to broad learning and development opportunities, there is much to be gained by embracing this youngest cohort in the workplace. Their creativity, independence, and resourcefulness will drive productivity and innovation if you create a truly compelling and share-worthy employee experience.

As you get ready to welcome this next generation into your employment experience, here are four critical areas of focus and some related ideas and advice. The first two, Culture & Purpose + Work Experience, are the defining pillars of the overall employee experience, and therefore critical to Centennials. I’ve extended to cover two other important areas, rewards and leadership, as these will be critical signals to Centennials about the authenticity of your employee value proposition.

1.     Culture & Purpose.

Inclusiveness is an expectation, along with a culture where diverse people feel they belong and are comfortable bringing their whole self (both bright and blemished) to work. They want to make a difference and be inspired to contribute to a meaningful and relevant purpose for their extended communities and broader world. Welcoming innovation and the integration of technology that acknowledges and supports a human-centered employee experience is desired as they see less of the separation between work and life and more integration, with work being an interwoven part of life

• Be clear on your purpose and your employee value proposition – make it clear, compelling, and differentiated
• Enhance and promote broadly defined diversity and inclusion efforts and outcomes
• Make flexibility a high priority in all aspects of the experience
• Build and expand channels for interactive dialogue to provide transparency, frequent feedback, and idea generation
• Reinforce the connection between how people work (your culture) and what you stand for in the market

2.     Work experience

Frequent feedback, easy access to information and resources, and consumer-grade technology and tools will be an expectation. Perceived inefficiency of processes or time- wasting activities will be a turn off. The day-to-day work experience will tell this generation a lot about what’s important to the company – make it a great story.

• Review your overall employee experience especially related to technology and finding information employees need to do their work or get answers – build mobile access to information and transactions - simple, personal, and relevant will be important criteria to consider
• Build in many paths to opportunities for innovation, experimentation, collaboration, and sharing
• Ensure the physical work environment (both onsite and virtual) align with and reinforce your culture and employee value proposition - seek adaptable design to accommodate both collaboration and independent work space

 3.     Rewards and benefits

Money matters and there is no shortage of opportunities to compare pay internally and externally. Individual achievement is important and valued for this group. Stability and security drive a strong desire for benefits that truly drive value and help provide for a secure future – physically, financially, emotionally, socially, and career-wise.

• Design exceptional benefit plans and promote awareness and participation – think like a marketer around these and differentiate to support your overall culture and value proposition
• Be clear about performance assessments and related linkage to pay and recognition – both short and long term incentives will be appealing
• Experiences matter, so look for ways to make the benefits and rewards experience seamless and compelling by bringing benefits to the people instead of people to the benefits

4.     Management and leadership

Involvement in decision making will be appealing and likely expected. Honesty, transparency, competency, and human compassion will be leadership characteristics that will appeal to this group. Managers that promote learning, flexibility, new ideas, experimentation, recognition for achievement, and frequent feedback, both positive and critical, will be most successful.

• Create opportunities for access to and authentic dialogue with leaders
• Train and support managers in delivering frequent performance feedback, inclusive communication, and perhaps most importantly, personalized career planning
• Ensure leadership behaviors and messages reinforce the values and energize the culture

So, that's it - easy right? Well maybe not, but well worth it. For now, continue to deepen your understanding of the attitudes and values of these new workforce participants, assess your programs, practices, and culture through that lens, and identify strategies and actions to produce the compelling employee experience that will enable the innate productivity and innovation that your business will need from this generation. And tell me how it's going - the future of work can be inspiring.

Oh and to address the question of whether I personally would hire my Centennial kid. Yes, I would absolutely hire my tech-forward, problem-solving, value-defining, meaning-seeking, and authentic kid, and I look forward to the culture-add this generation will bring to employment experiences around the world. Perhaps this will be the next Greatest Generation? I sure hope so!

(Just to say it, since I don’t play favorites with my children, I’d hire my Millennial kid too, but for entirely different, yet equally compelling, reasons.)