Millennials in the workplace

Hi, my name is Ben and I am a Millennial..

I recently read an old ( 2010) article by Susan Heathfield on Millennials in the workplace.

Until a recent visit to WhatIfInnovations offices in London I had never even heard of the phrase Millennials (sometimes called Gen-Y too), but I am amazed by how much I fit the ‘stereotype’ — do you?

The Millennials joining your workforce now are employees born between 1981 and 1999. Unlike the Gen-Xers and the Baby-Boomerse, the Millennials have developed work characteristics and tendencies from doting parents, structured lives, and contact with diverse people. Millennials are used to working in teams and want to make friends with people at work. Millennials work well with diverse coworkers.

I was born in 1984 to, not well off but, above average income parents who never left me needing for anything, but I wanted for plenty. By the end of the 1990's my Father’s career had really kicked off and as a family (Mum, Dad, Me and younger brother) we enjoyed some very good holidays across the world. My brother and I joined Private Schools and Mum’s weeks soon filled with after school activities and her weekends filled with kids’ parties and football practice.

University expanded my horizons further still and I made friends from all over the globe. Friends who were attracted to a top UK University, united by education and sports teams (mainly Football).

And since joining the workforce the people I work with have become some of my best friends.

Millennials have a “can-do” attitude about tasks at work and look for feedback about how they are doing frequently — even daily. Millennials want a variety of tasks and expect that they will accomplish every one of them. Positive and confident, millennials are ready to take on the world.

In 2011 I became a Product Manager; a jack-of-all-trades (master of none). Combining design, product, usability, technical knowledge, engaging with customers, innovative ideas, social media projects and thriving when giving presentations and public speaking. I love being involved in whatever projects are going on in the business.

Most of the people in my team are the same to more or less of a degree. Perhaps not ‘take on the world’ but when we get together as a peer-group there is a feeling that anything can be achieved, and we certainly feel we can be the best in our industry. And why shouldn’t we? We have been the best in class at School, best in our sports teams, and we have secured jobs with one of the UK’s best companies.

Look for feedback frequently — I have to admit almost all the work I produce gets shown to my boss. I am not actively looking for feedback and positive affirmation, but I am. It is like the Schrödinger’s Cat conundrum — if no one knows I am producing good work am I actually producing good work?

They seek leadership, and even structure, from their older and managerial coworkers, but expect that you will draw out and respect their ideas. Millennials seek a challenge and do not want to experience boredom.

I love it when the business is moving fast (and being agile) and hate it when there is little work to do; much preferring to have to squeeze in writing my next post, rather than having too long to procrastinate over the next topic.

Used to balancing many activities such as teams, friends, and philanthropic activities, millennials want flexibility in scheduling and a life away from work.

In 2010 I climbed Kilimanjaro for charity, and whilst in Tanzania we spent 2 days with the only school in Tanzania for mentally disabled children. Discussing this before we left with a friend who was doing her PhD in Social Care for children with disabilities it was amazing to see that 10 empty bottles and a small ball would be the best way to help the children learn their numeracy, and that after several months some still would not have the mental capacity to grasp it. We took lots of balls, pens, pencils, chalk, and stickers — they definitely gave us more in perspective than we gave them.

In 2013 I jumped out of a plane over Scunthorpe for charity — there is a reason Tinie Tempah has never been there! Being charitable and doing philanthropic activities is a big part of me and my friends and colleagues lives. Not a week goes by at our work where somebody is not doing a swim, run, or cycle ride for charity. And that is a really amazing thing when you step back and look at it.

In 2012 with a group of friends at work we started having Chinese (Mandarin) lessons in the evening. Wo-shuo-zhong-wen-dian bi wo-ting-de-dong-zhong-wen geng-hao yi-diar. I play football twice a week, go to the gym after work other days, and I am having snowboard lessons. I want my days filled both at work and outside of, nothing sounds worse than back to back nights in watching soap-opera television. That said I do have my shows I watch (House of Cards, Orange is the new Black, Criminal Minds, The Following, The Mentalist, UNCLE) but thanks to Sky+ and Netflix I watch them when I can fit them in

Millennials need to see where their career is going and they want to know exactly what they need to do to get there. Millennials await their next challenge — there better be a next challenge. Millennials are the most connected generation in history and will network right out of their current workplace if these needs are not met. Computer experts, millennials are connected all over the world by email, instant messages, text messages, and the Internet.

And then I stay true to type yet further: In my last job when projects had started to slow down and work was coming through less — I accepted a new job. A job that found me via LinkedIn. When considering the job-landscape, and my position, my first ports-of-call were social sites (Twitter, LinkedIn and Glassdoor).

Having read the article, and analysed it against my own profile, I had very mixed feelings. I definitely hope people (especially the older generation managers?!?) do not unjustly label us as selfish, egotistical, or narcissistic. It is genuinely not about me, but it is about the impact I can have, and I think other ‘Millennials’ will agree with that.

Heathfield’s article offers some pointers for managing Millennials:

• Provide structure.
• Provide leadership and guidance.
• Encourage the millennial’s self-assuredness, “can-do” attitude, and positive personal self-image.
• Take advantage of the millennial’s comfort level with teams. Encourage them to join.
• Listen to the millennial employee.
• Millennial employees are up for a challenge and change.
• Millennial employees are multi-taskers on a scale you’ve never seen before.
• Take advantage of your millennial employee’s computer, cell phone, and electronic literacy
• Capitalize on the millennial’s affinity for networking.
• Provide a life-work balanced workplace.
• Provide a fun, employee-centered workplace.

For me the tips are not just a guide for managing Millennials, they are a guide for being a good manager:

• Provide structure.
• Provide leadership and guidance.
• Encourage the employee’s self-assuredness, “can-do” attitude, and help build and reinforce a positive personal self-image.
• Listen to the employee.
• Take advantage of your employee’s computer, mobile, and electronic literacy
• Capitalize on your employee’s affinity for networking.
• Provide a life-work balanced workplace.
• Provide a fun, employee-centered workplace.

The world has changed, business has changed, and business management has to change. IT will continue to change, and with the next Generation (Z?) the same will happen again…