Millennials are a different breed of worker, and overall, I am here to tell you that is a positive for our future work environment. The Millennial generation has watched their parents dedicate their “lives” to companies at the expense of their health, watching children grow up, attending children’s events, marriages, and many other negative trade-offs. All of this for organizations to overwork them, have zero loyalty to their workforce, while expecting complete allegiance from their staff, then downsizing the most dedicated employees.
Millennials aren’t about to put up with it, and I say AMEN! Oh, but they complain too much, or are entitled, you say. Yes, there are a few that are entitled or don’t quite get it, yet, but if you listen to most of them, they want to work, but don’t want to give up a personal life to do so. Working 70 hours a week just won’t cut it, and neither will day-to-day drudgery. This generation and I believe Generation Z as well, will be willing to take less money to have work-life balance, see their children grow up, maintain their personal relationships, and live a more stable life. This trend has been evident in many of my millennial clients.
The day of the stockholder ruling how a company does things and executives and owners who constantly treat their employees as indentured servants and call them “resources” will soon lose its appeal. The up and coming generations won’t put up with being treated poorly, they will quit a job in a heartbeat to get another one, knowing the company wasn’t going to be loyal to them anyway.
Companies must change how they do things if they want to retain and grow employees, particularly Millennials and Generation Z. Work-life balance will become key, inclusive of flexible work schedules, enhanced employee benefits to reduce out-of-pocket costs and save time, and an effort to make the work environment itself a more enjoyable place. Wellness initiatives, volunteer opportunities for community involvement, and a true open-door policy for ideas must become commonplace. Furthermore, companies will need to significantly expand training offerings, not just offer sexual harassment and compliance webinars, but a combination of in-classroom, teleconference, web-based, and even gamification training. The workplace of today will be changing. Get on board Corporate America or you will find yourself without anyone wanting the jobs you post!
Karen Silins is a multi-certified, award winning resume writer, career, business and personal branding coach working with individuals and small businesses. After graduating with degrees in education and vocal performance, she made her own career transition into the Human Resources realm. Karen left Human Resources to become an entrepreneur and help jobseekers and fellow entrepreneurs achieve their goals. She keeps current regarding trends in the resume writing, coaching, HR, small business and marketing industries by working daily with individual clients on resume development and career coaching, consulting for small businesses in business plan development, marketing, blogging, hiring and overall HR processes, and providing 30-70+ seminars and workshops annually to a variety of organizations in the greater Kansas City area. She can be reached via her website at www.careerandresume.com.