The tech-loving, ambitious generation has already emerged as one of the most populous generations currently taking over the workforce. Their ingenuity, inherent understanding of all things digital, and their perseverance are among some of their most prominent features that have made them a true asset for any modern-day business. However, Baby Boomers are still in positions of power in many industries, while Gen X also makes valuable professionals, although they were born on the cusp of the tech revolution as we know it. In such a diverse pool of potential employees, opting for Millennials may not always seem like the best of ideas.
If you’re looking to expand your teams and you’re in need of savvy professionals who can enrich your company culture, try taking a closer look at this particular generation. Their many useful traits in addition to their education and experience make them truly indispensable in the business world. Here are a few reasons to support your decision to hire Millennials during your next growth spurt.
Meaning over money
We all know that profitable careers always attract top talent and well-educated, well-rounded individuals. When it comes to motivation in general, money has always been a key incentive for people to devote their time, energy, as well as creativity to delivering stellar work. With Millennials, it doesn’t boil down to the number of zeros on their paycheck. Although their financial independence comes high on their list of priorities, purpose and meaning are still more relevant when choosing a career.
In a sense, when a Millennial applying for a position in your company shares your values, you’ll know that you have a long-term employee on your hands, since they’ll feel motivated to stay under your wing.
Audience and customer insight
Since Canada is home to over seven million Millennials, appealing to such a major portion of the population comes with a lot of challenges. They are not only a unique bunch as a whole, but they are made up of individuals with very specific needs and preferences, making them all the more complex and challenging to market to. This is precisely why having one or more Millennials working with you will help your business grow.
Working with Millennials will help you gain more hands-on experience about the generation, and you’ll be able to harness their knowledge to market your brand to that particular part of the population. Make sure you always seek feedback and inspire transparency, and rest assured their contribution will fuel your success.
Digital literacy
To get a better idea of the impact Millennials have on the global market, let’s hop over to the other hemisphere. Millennials make up 22% of the Australian population, and their digital preferences are the ones dictating not just your brand’s online presence from that customer perspective, but also your recruitment trends and best practices. Australians are learning from their Millennial population by changing their recruitment methods as well as their channels of communication based on their location.
If you take a closer look at this fast-growing market, you’ll see, for instance, that finding jobs in Brisbane via digital channels such as dedicated job platforms is more prevalent than their more traditional alternatives. We’re well beyond the times of posting ads in local papers alone – we need reputable websites, business review sites, and social media to expand our reach as employers, and more Millennials will come to our doors.
Diversity in education and skillset
Unlike their predecessors who would mostly focus on a single expertise, Millennials like to mix and match. They don’t stick to a single language, they are typically bilingual, they are able to pick up new tech trends, and they like the ability to learn as they age. Although college still plays a role in their lives, Millennials think of education as a lifelong journey of expanding their knowledge and abilities, beyond a degree.
Four in ten American Millennials have a bachelor’s degree (or higher), which gives them a major advantage in the employment world. Add to that, their ability to meander the complex digital world allows them to keep taking online courses, making them better prepared for the market.
Thriving on transparency
As we’ve mentioned earlier, feedback is vital for Millennials. Knowing that they are entering a transparent work environment makes them feel welcome and wanted, and they will be all the more interested in staying loyal to your business. Transparency is a key prerequisite for many Millennials to even consider working within a business. How do they know if your company is transparent?
They’ll check you out on social media, how you interact with your followers, they’ll read online reviews about your business, and they’ll ask you a few questions during the interview to see how open you really are. They’ll want to know if you have regular performance reviews, how you ask for feedback, and if you ever implement any of the suggestions your employees make. Without transparency, you won’t be able to keep them on the team for too long.
Collaboration over competition
Finally, one of the traits that make Millennials true team players is their preference for collaboration over competition. While some companies still encourage healthy levels of competition in their teams to inspire productivity, Millennials will rather work in a “we” mindset.
Millennials, unlike earlier generations, have a greater tendency to build social bonds with their colleagues. They know that innovation will happen as a result of putting several heads together rather than working against one another, so they’ll always choose an environment that lets them be creative and collaborate.
The Millennial lifestyle has greatly affected how we hire them and how we work with them. They bring many benefits to the workplace and to each industry, so do your best to create an environment that will make them feel welcome, and they’ll help your business thrive.
About the Author
Jacob Wilson is a business consultant, and an organizational psychologist, based in Brisbane. Passionate about marketing, social networks, and business in general. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing for Bizzmarkblog.com.
