Millennials are often referred to as Generation Y. It indicates to the people born from 1981 to mid to late ’90s. As of 2019, this generation lies between the early 20s to late 30s and have resulted in a significant change in the work ethics over the last two decades. They have greatly impacted and transformed the way organizations work.
Contrary to the set belief system that the new generation is seemingly stuck to their gadgets, it has the potential to refresh and re-energize the workplace. The workplaces have now become more transparent, accommodating and adaptable. Organizations have over the time started valuing and encouraging work-life balance which has resulted in the holistic growth of the company and employees altogether. Since most of the organizations have millennials working in large numbers, they are held responsible for this change in the work culture.
Here are five ways in which the Millennials are different from the past generation:
- Passion Drives Millennials
When it comes to working, there is an extremely important aspect that the Millennials have brought in and that is that they do not work the stereotypical ways to only feed themselves and their families but seek passion and purpose even if it comes to making a living for themselves. They can walk an extra mile if the work is something they can identify with and can dedicate themselves to. Their passion is a guiding and driving force behind everything that they do. They come with a default attitude of being driven by passion.
When they associate with organizational goals, they tend to work with immense pride and dedication, which consequently adds on to their personal happiness and loyalty to the organization.
- They Like to Own It
This generation likes to be their own boss and seeks a complete sense of freedom when it comes to working and living. That’s what brings creativity and originality to the work they do. When you let people express and implement their own ideas and concepts, it helps the entire organization restructure the thought process behind the working of an organization.
With time, these creative people look forward to leading teams and take ownership of what they are expected to deliver. Taking ownership encourages these young minds to experiment and use learnings from the failures that come their way and come up with unique and innovative solutions.
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- Use Technology to Make Things Work
The way technology is spreading its clutches in every field of work these days, the best way to reap benefits is by using the technology at your disposal. Unlike the older generation, people from the millennial’s league make use of technology to reduce human efforts and would prefer to invest their energy and brains in analyzing and improving ways of doing things. They make use of tools to get almost everything done.
- They are Keen Learners
When it comes to venturing into new businesses or adopting newer ways of doing things, a millennial would like to break stereotypes and find out faster and more effective methods of doing things. Whether meeting deadlines or working for long hours, a millennial, when taking ownership understands and gives it all to complete the target within the given time. They are keen learners and willing to grow.
Even in the jobs that require a lot of travelling, it has been found out that this generation is open to taking lead and doesn’t hesitate when it comes to travelling to the remotest places when required for work.
- Open to Experimentation
The new age is all about innovation and experimentation. Generation Y is open to taking risks and finding out newer and faster methods of working. An old saying that fits right in case of millennials is that they believe in working smarter than harder. They believe in achieving more in less and are selective when it comes to investing their efforts and time into things.
They break barriers and believe in resolving issues. Their tendency to work smartly and reap more comes handy here and add to their problem- solving attitude.
There might be instances when their productivity is not apex but even in failures, a lot of learning is involved. They are less apprehensive when it comes to handling failures. Learning runs as undercurrents in failures, and Millennials are good at exploiting those learning opportunities.
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These are five ways in which companies can benefit from the Millennials’ and their ways of doing things:
- Millennials Act as Unsung Brand Ambassadors
When they are driven by passion and identify with what they do, they do not mind showcasing their skills and creativity to the world. And Social Media provides them with the platform to voice their opinion and flaunt their creations. As an employer, you must make use of this skill and encourage your employees to comment on your posts and share them. To make it easy for your employees to be the brand ambassadors on social media, you need to provide more curated content. Post blogs, videos, case studies and industry news on your company’s social media pages regularly.
That’s how these young aspirants can act in many ways as unsung brand ambassadors for your organization. The audience and brand name that you achieve through word of mouth is one of the best and most reliable ways to establish yourself long term in the marketplace.
- Bring Purpose to the Workplace
The Generation Y individuals are often fueled by purpose to achieve their professional and personal goals. Their everyday tasks at work should add to their higher calling. Seeking purpose in their work is in fact, one of the most commendable things that these Gen Y folks have instilled in them. Such a culture when you as an organization focus on inculcating will help you grow in manifolds.
- Build Personalized Connections
Like mentioned earlier, Gen-Y people believe in passion as a driving force. They seek meaning in their work and want to contribute to the company’s growth.
With these motivated young beings, if decision makers build a more personalized connection then it will help boost their spirit and enthusiasm. They will feel valued with a significant role to play in the working of the organization and achieving organizational goals. With personalized feedback to the progress of individual employee, bosses can motivate their employees to achieve more. And it is a win-win situation for both the parties.
- They Seek More Than a Pay-Check
Money isn’t all that millennials works for. These passion and purpose driven individuals seek more than just money as a remuneration. They would want to add value to the organization. So as an organization, you have to provide them with opportunities to learn, grow and expand their limits. You can take help of technologies like HRMS software to map the interest areas of your employees and create desired profiles for them. An inspired individual will also look for opportunities to learn, command and lead by example.
- More Productive In a Flexible Work Culture
The more your employees feel comfortable at work, the better they are going to perform. Many organizations nowadays have flexible working hours and facilities like work from home to let employees work at their own comfort. In fact, the need to take timely breaks are encouraged by many organizations these days.
So when it comes to hiring and making your organization achieve the unachievable growth, do not hesitate to have Millennials aboard. These smart chaps can bring remarkable results when they are mentored right to exploit their fullest potential.
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