“They’re here.” While horror movie fans might hear this line and immediately think of Poltergeist’s unhappy spirits, managers will think of another, potentially scary group: millennials in the workplace.
According to research by the Pew Center, millennials, also called the Digital Generation, are now the largest generational demographic in the American workforce. Unfortunately, lots of rumors have followed these young professionals to work: they’re lazy. They’re entitled. They’re narcissistic. And they’re a manager’s worst nightmare.
But is any of this true? While everyone likes to talk (and generalize) about the way in which the Digital Generation works, very little has been said about how talent management strategies affect them – or how they view that talent management. That’s why PeopleFluent launched a comprehensive survey and focus group to directly reach these young professionals to learn what works best to attract, motivate, and retain them. What we discovered is that this group is ambitious and engaged – and that your talent management tactics might need to shift to maximize their effectiveness.
For example, while over 75% of our survey respondents report being “engaged” or “very engaged” at their job, nearly two thirds are still entertaining other opportunities. Why? Remember, many of them grew up with information on-demand and started careers in the midst of the great recession. As a result, for the Digital Generation, careers are filled with possibility and instability. Just because they’re in a stable situation today doesn’t mean that things can change quickly. Plus, with job postings and company information constantly updated online, young professionals can keep their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in their industry or chosen fields – and make a quick move if the need should arise. Just understanding this one dynamic of your Digital Generation workers can help you better engage – and retain – them at your organization.
We’re excited to discuss some more of our findings, and what managers should take away from this information, with Kevin Grossman and Meghan Biro on TalentCulture’s #TChat Show on Wednesday, 09/23 from 1-2pm EDT. Join Frank Moreno, PeopleFluent’s VP of Product Marketing, and learn how to recruit, develop, and engage your top performers from the Digital Generation. Here’s a sneak peek of what that show will look like:
For more information about this week’s #TChat Show, see here. We look forward to seeing you on 09/23!
Stay on the lookout for our “The Digital Generation in the Workplace” proprietary research report, coming soon! In the meantime, learn how to empower your Digital Generation employees to become diversity-minded leaders with our ebook, “4 Steps to Developing Millennial Leaders with Diversity in Mind.”
PeopleFluent is a client of TalentCulture and sponsored this post.
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