Millennials — Purpose is key
Today, a lot of media attention is given to the employees of the future — the so-called Millennials — whose helicopter parents have looked after, cared for and spoiled them to the extent that they today are unable to stand on their own feet and follow the rules that have been set for them. These young people say no to things in life that doesn’t fit their beliefs and they are used to ask questions about things they don’t understand. They are curious about life and very focused on defining their own purpose.
As a Millennial myself, I am a curious individual and when our politicians and our educational system keeps on talking about how my generation should hurry up, finish our studies and get out into the labor market to fill all the seats left empty by generations before us, I will rather ask why than follow the mainstream.
The Why — a part of the DNA of a Millennial
We, the Millennial Generation, are increasingly questioning the entire purpose of going to work and the way we are “rewarded” in terms of our gage, retirement and bonus schemes. Things that generations before us have considered to be “comme il faut” and thereby giving them a possibility to live a so-called “happy life”.
But what is happiness really? Maybe we ought to follow the advice of Simon Sinek, who talks about the necessity of taking a break now and then and ask questions about the basis of our own existence — also when it comes to our work.
According to the Deloitte Millennials Survey, young people no longer have the same confidence in politicians as before and they are also less optimistic when it comes to large corporations and their golden pledges about helping to solve the world’s many challenges, whether these are climate related or about social differences.
Recently, Nike decided to place social differences high on everyone’s agenda when they launched their campaign to celebrate their 30 years with “Just Do It”, by publicly backing the former and highly criticized Millennial NFL star Colin Kaepernick. This they did by displaying a large picture of him on the giant billboard on Times Square in New York City with the text “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
There were a lot of people who subsequently burned their shoes in protest of this PR stunt. However, the campaign went just how Nike anticipated, and since the launch, they have seen an increase in their sales of more than 31%. A great example of Corporate Activism.
Luckily, it is not just my own generation who understands the many loud WHY shout outs and questions about purpose and how life should make sense. A larger part of the older generation has also seen the necessity of making the current workforce aware of our generation — how we are to be managed as well as how we are to be integrated into the current system without making it a “us vs. them” battle. One of these more experienced people is Alexandra Krautwald, who just published her book “ Unge Generationer på Arbejde”. The book is about the differences and the prejudices that Generation X leaders have about Generation Y and the gap that often is between them. The book focuses on everything that Millennials will need to deal with in today’s workplace — It is truly wonderful reading!
My own Why — My own Purpose
We are in the middle of a movement where we, as young people, ask a lot of questions. Questions on how we intend to plan and live our lives at this very moment — and not how we will manage to take care of ourselves once we stop working — at the age of 80 that is.
After having worked seven years in Investment Banking — an industry I ended up in through a Graduate Program in Danske Bank — I ask myself, seven years later to this date, the very important question: What exactly is the purpose of my life and what is the difference that I make in the work that I do and in life in general?
But as the Millennial that I am — with this big “WHY” encoded in my DNA — I better pull the break now and get the change of figuring out what I really want.
It would be easy for me not to ask this question and just keep pursuing what many would call the perfect career: Advance in your current job, work on getting those sought-after high bonuses, enter into more lucrative retirement plans and the icing on the cake: getting a bigger company car.
But as the Millennial that I am — with this big “WHY” encoded in my DNA — I better pull the break now and get the chance of figuring out what I really want.
If we do not stop and think on a regular basis, how are we able to take responsibility and support the businesses that fight for a cause or have a core belief or a purpose of making this world a better place? How can the attitude and beliefs of both me and my generation help change the behavioural patterns that take place in the current labor market? And how can we all become part of something bigger, take care of the world we live in and change the environment that surrounds us? We must create a better world that is more sustainable and more socially responsible. How can I use my role and my experience to do exactly this?
Therefore, after many sleepless nights, numerous talks with friends, family and acquaintances, I have reached a conclusion: What really drives me, is my great interest is sustainability with a particular focus on investments. An area I have decided to explore further and thereby continuing my work with my WHY, my purpose and my future.
Imagine if I, alongside other Millennials, can help make sure that future generations — through sustainable investments — are in safe hands. I want to make the world a better place. Not only for myself and my children. But also, for my children’s children.
Why Impact Investing plays such an important part in making the world a better place and what the term actually covers, you can read more about in our next blog post.
Varan Pathmanathan is the CEO and founder of MakeImpact, a Nordic Impact Fintech that helps individuals make sustainable investment decisions using the UN SDGs framework. After graduating from Aalborg University in 2011, he spent several years working in the investment banking sector and worked in several banks in their business development units. He has a background in Human Computer Interaction from Aalborg University & University of Melbourne, in Persuasive Technology.
