As of 2020, the global workforce will be made up of 50% Millennials. 60% of our team at Accru Harris Orchard is already made up of Millennials. Though they often get a bad rap from older generations, Millennials have many positive traits to help companies grow and succeed. Here are five reasons why millennials are key for your business.
5 reasons why you need Millennials on your team
“They’re always late for work.”
“They’re constantly glued to their iPhones.”
“They have an unbelievable sense of entitlement!”
These and many other negative remarks have been used by business leaders to describe Millennials. The members of this generation – roughly those born between 1981 and 1996 – are often seen by Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers as being lazy, quick to change jobs and too focused on ‘what’s in it for them.’ These labels are not helpful, particularly when we think the term Millennial actually relates to people in their early 20’s right through to their late 30’s so you can’t treat them all the same way anyway.
As of 2020, the global workforce will be 50% Millennials, and the truth is that this group has many positive traits that can significantly help businesses, especially if you want to plan for the long-term. As a business with a workforce made up of 60% Millennials, Accru Harris Orchard has learned to adapt some of our working practices, so our workforce is even more engaged. This means providing meaningful work and offering more flexibility, as we certainly recognise Millennials are the future of our firm.
With that in mind, here are five reasons why Millennials are key for your business:
- They’ll stick around and help boost your brand.
Millennials are often criticised for leaving jobs quickly, but as shown in recent research by Gallup, Millennials want to work for and stay with companies where they feel a strong sense of meaning and purpose. They want a fair salary, but they’re more interested in the culture and company values. If a Millennial believes in your brand, vision and goals, they’re more likely to stay with you – AND more willing to talk about their work and your brand with friends, family and social media. - They’ll work hard for you. No, really
Millennials often get a bad rap for being lazy. Actually, most of them are very hard and very smart workers. They may not show up at the office punctually at 8:00 am every morning – they like to have a flexible schedule whenever possible – but they are very good at getting things done efficiently and will work hard to get a project done, even if it means staying late or taking work home. In fact, it has been noted that Millennials might view co-workers who are regular ‘8am to 5.30ers’ as inflexible and inefficient in their use of time. - They’re great with technology.
The millennial generation grew up surrounded by IT. They’re not afraid of new devices or software upgrades and they’re often happy to show others how to use them. Therefore, this generation is vital in bringing new technologies and new ideas into your company and finding ways to use them to help you do things more quickly and efficiently. Technology is only going to keep changing, so having this group on board will help you stay competitive in the future. - They’re social media savvy.
Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers often complain that Millennials are constantly using their phones or other devices. While that’s not entirely valid or fair, it is true that this group is actively engaged with the world around them. And often they are using their devices in productive ways, not just for social reasons. So, when it comes to knowing how to use social media to engage with customers or build your brand through online platforms, this generation knows how to get it done and help your brand gain a following. - They’re resourceful.
Millennials are fast learners and are quick to find answers. If they don’t have immediate solutions, they rapidly and effectively search for them by reaching out and using existing personal networks. Their strong tech skills help here, too, allowing them to do online research and come up with unique solutions to problems. To get the best from them, let them have some freedom to learn and explore – they just might end up teaching you too!
So, the bottom line is that if you haven’t already, you should invest more time in finding and attracting great Millennials for your team – especially if you want a long-term future for your company.
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