Survey Says: Are Millennial Employees Flakes?

Do you think millennial employees' work ethic falls short of other generations? If so, you're not alone. In a recent poll for Workplace Options, 68 percent of those surveyed say millennial employees -- ages 18 to 29 -- are less motivated to take on responsibility and produce quality work than their counterparts in other age groups, and 46 percent believe millennials are less engaged at work than other employees.

You may be surprised to know it's not just older generations who feel this way. More than half (55 percent) of millennials agree that workers of their generation are, in general, less motivated to take on more responsibilities. And 34 percent think their fellow millennials are less engaged than older generations.

Why it matters to your business: Part of me says we should take this survey with a (big) grain of salt. Just about every new generation entering the work force has been tagged as slackers by the generations before (remember the rap against Gen X?). But there might be some smaller grains of truth here. A raft of other studies suggest that millennials are more concerned with work-life balance than prior generations. There's also data that suggests they're happy to work -- if you let them use the smartphones and other technologies of their choice. And of course, I believe Gen Y is the most inherently entrepreneurial generation we've ever seen in this country, so perhaps they're writing business plans instead of concentrating on their jobs.

Comments

[MansfieldX]

02:15 AM on 03/21/2012

Now when I interview millennials my first question is: What was the last book that you read? and What did you like about it? It amazing how many interviews have ended right there. One responded: Uh, ya mean textbook? In defense of my time, I have a list of colleges that I immediately toss. C'est la vie. I sort of feel bad for them, briefly.

[Taylor Dankmyer]

02:05 AM on 03/20/2012

As a millennial, and a member of the Youth and Young Adult (YAYA) market, I think we may just be misunderstood. Yes, research shows that we do want more of a work-life balance, and we also want to be able to use our smartphones.

I think the answer here instead is that millennials approach work in a different way than prior generations. But it in no way means we are any less efficient or lazy. In fact, maybe if we are allowed to work the way we think is most comfortable, we may be even more productive than other generations.

Reports have shown that Millennials are not sticking around at companies for very long, which has made some label us as "flakes." However, as previously mentioned, we just approach our work differently than previous generations. So, if we do not like the work environment, we are moving on.

This exact matter is the focus of a white paper my company, YAYA Connection, is working on that will be released in May. We are researching what attracts and retains Millennials/Gen Y's/Echo Boomers to jobs, and what makes them stay. I think it would be useful information for any business. And it's free!

Until May, I encourage you to check our blog posts at http://yayaconnection.com/yaya-blog/ and our curated content posts at http://yayaconnection.com/our-products/yaya-wire/ for more insight into Gen Y's/Millennials/Echo Boomers!

Taylor Dankmyer
Researcher - Curated Content
YAYAConnection.com

[TuftBirdSays]

05:31 PM on 03/19/2012

What an incredibly slanderous article to publish in such an economically challenging time. You know that a lot of tech start-ups comprise members of this age-group, right? That these people create mindless flash games for mobile devices that EVERYONE purchases? That tapping into mindless, automated consumer markets is the most incredible business move someone can make right now and the older generation seems to have totally missed the boat?

[Corey Leamon]

01:21 PM on 03/19/2012

What a load. I am a millennial and maybe I'm in a "bubble", but the view of my generation is quite different. The way that businesses must operate is changing incredibly fast because of technological advancement. This is unprecedented.

The Millennial crowd knows how to use this technology and is full of entrepreneurial spirit. Start-ups are exploding. It's the innovation and creative problem-solving of the youth that will help the seasoned and experienced older generations bring their businesses into this new market. Not only that, but my generation cares more about the quality and connection of work/life. We generally have a more ethical view of business, as well.

The only reason people think we are "flakes" is because you finally have a generation that expects respect for their ideas. If we don't get it, we leave. We do not want to be "yes" monkeys in a 30-year career. Business is moving away from that and I suggest the older folks embrace our experiential spirit and take advantage of it in a global economy that requires such playful innovation.

[Henry Hawthorne]

12:25 PM on 03/19/2012

In that regard("Young folks are flaky") they need mentors.