Millennials – your new workforce
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Millennials in the Workforce
Chances are you’ve heard of ‘Millennials’ and ‘Gen Z’, heck you’ve probably read a million blog posts and crowbarred your way into one of the categories (Millennials 1983-1994, Gen Z 1995-1999). But, have you ever considered how to recruit, and more importantly get these digital natives to stay in your company?
It’s estimated that by 2020, so in less than 2 years time, 34% of the workforce will be made up of Millennials and Gen Z. What’s even scarier is there’s a good number of businesses that are RUN by Millennials, with some of the biggest brands’ decisions made by under 37s.
Businesses are being created far earlier than previous generations, with an average age of 27. This means soon you’ll be doing a lot of business with companies powered by 20-somethings. Millennials in the workforce are taking the business world by storm, so to get ahead of the curve you’ll need to rethink how you sell, work with and attract this new generation to work for you. Yes, you!
Selling to Millennials & Gen Z
As a Millennial myself, it’s not as easy as it sounds. They’re smarter than any other generation when it comes to ads, some reports have even found that many are ‘ad blind’. In this climate where a huge market is opening up, you have to appeal to the generation who have never known a time without ad-blockers.
Bin your sales dictionary, and read some tweets. Make sure your language isn’t too salsey, you’ll immediately be ignored if your CTAs are too brash. Get on their level, do some research. 90% of Millennials and Z’ers say that ethical issues are a big deal when it comes to brand loyalty, and 70% of them would leave a brand if their ethics didn’t align with their own. Don’t be fake and make up some corny green policy, but find something you actually believe in. Anyone can see through falsities, so be true to yourself.
Recruiting Millennials & Gen Z
Let’s break this stereotype of lazy Millennials, who have shallow values. Yes, they have a very different approach to ‘work’ and want something more than what previous generations have settled for, but that doesn’t make them idle and un-motivated. It’s quite the opposite, the Deloitte 2018 survey actually found that Millennials care as much about work ethic as anyone else.
The Job-hopping trend is likely to break as millennials in the workforce need stability in unsure times of terrorism, nuclear war and the dreaded Brexit in the U.K. (even if we’re yet to see it in action). So, if you’re worried about your employees leaving, it’s probably down to you, not their whole generation.
Balanced and happy
Millennials are found to strive for a good work-life balance and don’t want to be stuck in an office all day – I mean who does? They’ve seen their parents breaking their backs to make a quick quid, and want something rewarding that allows them to live their life alongside. This means flexible working hours and remote working. Allowing employees to work from home or even a different country gives them freedom and promotes fulfillment in their role. Many companies provide worldwide co-working spaces to encourage workers to explore, while still getting those contracts signed!
Reward them
A pat on the back is always nice and it’s proven that regular check-ins and validation of good work helps build confidence and satisfaction in the workplace. The younger generation also seek more personal relationships at work, which makes them the generation with the least definition between work and their personal lives. Planning team-building days is a great way for this to naturally happen, especially between departments.
Be open to change
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but, if you want to be in business in 15 years, get with the times. There’s no point holding onto old ways, be ready to change to suit the new humans making a difference in the world. Be more flexible and create a good environment for them to find satisfaction in their own way.
