Depending on who you listen to, millennials are either lazy, entitled, and impatient or hard-working, dedicated, and forward-thinking – but one thing is for sure: we can’t afford to ignore them.
According to Deloitte, the global workforce is 75% made up of millennials, so change is inevitable.
We’ve pulled together what experts say on hiring millennials and summarised it for you – so you can draw your own conclusions without combing the web for hours.
From the benefits of hiring millennials to attracting, recruiting, managing, and retaining them – we’ve got you covered too.
Table of contents:
- Why hire Millennials?
- How to attract Millennials?
- How to recruit Millennials?
- How to manage Millennials?
- How to retain Millennials?
- Bonus: What Are the Best Jobs for Millennials?
Why Hire Millennials?
1. Digital and Social Experience
Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are the largest and most diverse generation in history. They have grown up with technology at their fingertips and are often seen as innovative and adaptable in the workplace.
Furthermore, Millennials value work-life balance and prioritize experiences over material possessions, leading to a strong desire for meaningful work.
These qualities make Millennials valuable assets to any company, as they bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table.
Sally Susman, Executive VP of Pfizer in ‘Why Hiring Millennials Could Be Good For Business’ for Fortune noted three main advantages of hiring millennials:
- Digital communication – Many millennials, writes Susman, have broad digital and social media experience that can help brands build stronger relationships online. The diversity in voice that millennials bring to the table can be critical in finding innovative ways to communicate online.
- Corporate responsibility – As the boundaries dissolve between the public, private and social sectors, there is an opportunity for businesses to create cross-divisional programs with tangible real-world social impact. Millennials bring a fluidity in thinking that can help move corporate responsibility programs beyond static charity-only based models and into a form of entrepreneurial.
- Corporate affairs – As a relatively new area, and the critical intersection between internal and external stakeholders and the public, corporate affairs is an area Susman feels can benefit most from millennial input.
Susman’s point is: millennials should proactively seek out opportunities to add value beyond their day job, and businesses should be prepared to let them into the fray – because the insight they bring can be invaluable.
2. Confidence, Innovation, and Experience
Author Andrew Carver spends a lot of time working within Board and Executive Advisory roles with innovative technology and media companies, so his insights are based on extensive first-hand experience of the millennial workforce.
For 3seven9 in ‘Taking a Bet on Millennials – They’re Connected, Is Your Company?’ Carver listed 4 main reasons:
- Enthusiasm & Excitement
- Confidence to take the initiative
- Digital Intuition
- Innovation vs. experience
He notes the “fresh enthusiasm” he sees in the millennial workforce. The ‘glass half-full’ approach is not only refreshing but essential to growing a sustainable business.
Part of the millennial charm is their confidence to innovate, born of a complete lack of risk awareness. This freedom allows real creativity without fear for the consequences, enabling real innovation.
Mirroring Susman, Carver comments on the digital awareness millennials bring to the table. He notes how digital connectivity is “intuitive”, and they’re automatically part of an “always-on ecosystem” that gives them the leg-up on less digital savvy counterparts.
Lastly, Carver comments on the need to balance experience with innovation, knowledge with optimism, and ambition. Maybe a team that was just millennial talent would struggle, but a team made up off cross-generational talent in which millennial insight is given free rein: that team could really go places.
How to Attract Millennials
