The Millennial Makeover Part 5: The Development Stage

Group of office workers in a boardroom presentation. 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.

Once employers hire millennials in their companies, they need to work on developing them.  As long as millennials feel like they have the right mindset and the ability to learn, they will strive for success. In a recent study, 56% of these young employees feel they can advance their careers with their current employers.  When it comes to development, companies should focus on defining clear goals and offering consistent feedback to millennials.  Let’s look further into the shaping of these workers.

Seeking gender equality – Even though a majority of millennials may feel they can achieve career advancement with their present employers, some female workers are not so sure that this opportunity will come as easily for them because of their gender.  According to the study, 29% of them said that an employer bias exists toward men as it relates to promoting from within, as opposed to only 16% of male workers feeling a bias toward women.  Evidently, there is more work to be done to close the gender gap in the workplace.

Learning opportunities – Being able to learn is something millennials expect as they enter into the workforce.  One way to do this is by assigning mentors.  What better way to obtain knowledge than to learn from someone who has been in the company for a while.  As a result, a mentor/millennial relationship is built, which can help generations get along better.  Another form of learning can be done using technology.  Remember, most of Gen Y is tech-savvy so they will appreciate online learning as part of their training and development.

Working internationally – Does your company have job opportunities abroad?  Millennials consider this factor to be an important part of their careers.  The study says that 71% of the group plan to work globally at some point.  Concerning the country where millennials would most like to work, 58% of them said the United States.

Millennials value development as part of their experience in the workplace.  Even though many of them believe they can advance with their current employers, companies can reinforce that belief by providing learning opportunities.  Additionally, establishing clear goals and giving consistent feedback will allow millennials to understand their roles in helping to make a company success.

In the next article, we will focus on managing millennials.

Source: PwC

To read previous articles in The Millennial Makeover series, click on the links below.

The Millennial Makeover: Why This Group Matters in the Workplace

The Millennial Makeover Part 2: What They Want in the Workplace

The Millennial Makeover Part 3: What Employers Should Know About These Modern Workers

The Millennial Makeover Part 4: What Attracts Them to Your Company