The Millennial Makeover: Why This Group Matters in the Workplace

Hello I’m a Millennial words on a nametag or sticker to illustrate a young person in the demographic group interested in mobile technology, texting and social networking. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

When it comes to today’s workforce, there is no doubt that millennials are creating an atmosphere of change in the workplace.  So, who are millennials?  This group was born between 1980 and the year 2000, and reflect a generation with their own career goals, attitudes, and oh yes, their understanding of how to use technology.  For employers to take their companies to the next level, they will need to find ways to recruit and retain millennials, also known as Generation Y.

Why do millennials matter in the workplace?  They are the largest group of workers since the Baby Boomers, who are moving into retirement.  According to one source, millennials already account for 25% of the workforce in the United States and by 2020 will represent 50% of all employees around the world.  If they do not see it this way now, these numbers might provide a sense of urgency for employers to hire Gen Y.

If employers want to improve their chances of attracting millennials to their companies, they must know the characteristics of this group.  Some of them include the following:

• Being ambitious
• Having a willingness to learn
• Being flexible
• Feeling worthwhile
• Being recognized

While the workforce today and in the future is looking like a millennial makeover, employers are wondering if they will be able to find the talent to fill their needs.  As mentioned before, there are characteristics that employers should pay attention to recruit this workforce.  In the next article, we’ll focus in more detail on them.

Source: PwC