If I had to put together a presentation with a team of people at work, the first thing I would do is make sure my team had representation across all generations. A couple and of baby boomers in my team will add experience and knowledge to the project. Boomers are known to be committed, hard working and focused which will be perfect for keeping the project on track. Then we’ll need a few from generation X. Xers are known to be resourceful and self-sufficient and will be perfect for setting the framework and pulling the presentation together. Finally we'll bring in the Millennials. Known for being social, multi-taskers who want speed and connection with their peers they will resourcefully and speedily research the facts and figures, come up with creative ideas on how we can present the information and despite their lack of experience, will expect their options to be heard.

Of course I'm stereotyping. Not all people that fall into each generational category will show these exact traits. Generations are not a box to categorise individuals.  We can however find powerful trends with each generation that provide clues on their strengths and weaknesses and how employers can get the best out of them.

Taking a multi-generational approach in setting my team for the project I would anticipate we'd pull together a creative, interesting and factual presentation that meets the set objects and all in record time...

With this in mind now consider the future workplace, by 2020 it will consist of no less than five generations. This of course brings numerous challenges in order to recruit, motivate and develop all of these different types of people but just for a moment, lets imagine the innovation this could bring if we take the right approach and maximise each groups strengths and opportunities.

The generation most largely represented in the future workplace will be the Millennials. 40% of today’s workforce are classified as millennials, with this number set to increase to 75% over the next ten years. For comparison, the previous generation, gen X currently represent only 20%. With a sizeable amount of research and discussion undertaken over the last few years into what makes Millennials tick, this group is proving to be an escalating conundrum for many employers.

Simon Sinek’s viral interview summarises many of the issues and implications employers face. With so much to understand there is one thing we can be certain of, millennials are coming and with them they will bring unprecedented change.

Millennials are those born after 1980 and the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. As has been with any new generation entering the workforce, Millennials are often labeled as tough to manage and in their particular case, are regularly accused of being entitled and narcissistic.  Interestingly when you ask this generation ‘ What is important when it comes to your work? ’ the overwhelming response is something along the lines of, ‘We want to work in a place with purpose and we want to make an impact’. Entitled? It seems not. So what will this generation bring to work and what will the future workplace look like?  To delve deeper we interviewed a handful of Millennials currently in the workforce to get some insight into this seemingly enigmatic group.

Redefining Leadership

A recent study revealed 91% of millennials aspire to be leaders and when asked what their biggest leadership motivator was, 43% said ‘empowering others’ (notably only 5% stated money and 1% power). While this group will soon be the next generation of leaders in their own right, currently they are looking for mentors who are supportive, inspirational and collaborative.

Carla, a 24 year old naturopath describes a good leader as “someone who empowers employees to take ownership of their roles within the company and helps to build up employee confidence and trust. In an ideal workplace, an awesome boss would be someone who presents the qualities of a friend, teacher, role model and confidant.”

While Chloe, a 23 year old marketing and communications coordinator says “I'm really motivated by feedback, so the more comments I get (good or bad) the more worthy I feel. This could be written or verbal communication but it just helps me feel supported and that I’m in a meaningful role”

Being more technologically literate, formally educated, and globally connected than any generation before them it is understandable this group have different motivators when it comes to work, one of which being the need for consistent and regular feedback. Some experts hypothesise that this desire for feedback is in part their craving for affirmation, and in part their pursuit for learning and improvement.

Chloe continues: “I'm also motivated by how much I can grow and where my next target is, so if this momentum was to be taken from me and I felt management were not providing the tools for my professional development then it could be a major factor in leaving a role.”

Giving us some insight into employment retention motivators, Oliver, a 24 year old SEO specialist said that “failure of a company to provide (him) the means to grow and learn would attribute to (him) rethinking a role.”

With these influences firmly on their agenda, it’s easy to see how companies that don’t provide a culture of opportunity and career progression will struggle to attract and retain Millennial talent now into the future.

Seeking to Innovate

Entrenched in the age of digital disruption, it’s not surprising members of Generation Y and Z overwhelmingly want to work for organisations that support collaboration and innovation. One survey revealed employment decisions for Millennials were strongly influenced by the organisations reputation for innovation.

We know Millennials approach to work is different to generations before them. They are uncomfortable with traditional corporate structures and are de-motivated by systems, processes and cultural norms that don’t move quickly, foster creativity and achieve outcomes. Peter Drucker’s famous words ‘innovate or die’ describes business as usual for Millennials and outlines how companies should seek to adopt a culture that fosters, rather than quashes innovative spirit in order to attract and retain emerging young talent.

Nik, a 22-year-old in sales told us “there is nothing, NOTHING more frustrating in a role when the systems and processes that dictate your workflow don’t make sense. I’ve been at places where I’ve missed deadlines because of a clunky system and been triple entering data into different programs. In 2016! Needless to say I didn’t last there long...”

Our interviewees viewed work/life balance in a similar light, with most respondents placing great emphasis on flexibility in their work hours when making career choices (over and above remuneration packages for some). Long working hours are fast becoming outdated and unsustainable, with many young people more concerned about their employers purpose and culture, believing this is leads to better personal and professional outcomes. As a consequence employers should be looking to integrate a balance between work and life into their organisational structure with initiatives such as flexible working and targeted wellbeing programs being the norm.  

Company Image Matters

Chloe told us that “an organisation's image is really important and would almost effect whether or not I would accept or continue a role in a business. I look for a brand that supports similar values to myself and the nature of the workplace are inline with myself as a consumer. I would find it very difficult to work for an organisation I knew nothing about or was not an advocate or consumer of that brand in someway.”

Marketers have long known that Millennials look deeper into the values of the brands they buy from. What we now know is they are applying this same scrutiny to the workplace, seeking out businesses whose missions align with their own personal values and beliefs. Carla confirms, “I want to work with an organisation that also reflects my ethical values.”

In a world where personal image is carefully curated through material and digital spheres it’s easy to see why millennials seek employment with companies that stand for values similar to their own.

Oliver says “I wouldn't work somewhere that I feel offers a bad service or product as then I become partly accountable for giving customers something I think is sub-par. Honesty of a company and quality of a product/service are super important for me to perform well at the company I work for.

“If I can't share on facebook (so to speak) where I work and be proud of it, then it would be hard for me to work there.” (Chloe)

Company values appeal to Millennials when it comes to their choice of employer. Whether it be innovative spirit, sustainability, consciousness, inclusion, diversity, market leading, or even specific views on work/life balance, organisations can entice younger talent by embedding authentic expressions of these values into the fabric of their culture.

The Bottom Line

Much research including ours reveal that many young professionals are driven by much more than financial rewards when it comes to their career. They’re motivated by a deep desire to change and improve themselves and the world around them. Millennials are no doubt transforming the workplace landscape. The challenge, is to harness their talent and drive it in such a way as to benefit both the employee and the organisation.  It will be critical for the business world to understand and embrace Millennials, if they are to win the war for talent and engage this group.