6 Advantages Millennials Have In The Workplace
For being the largest generation of working people in the United States, millennials get a lot of flack for being seemingly lazy and entitled in the office. While we could go on for hours telling you how that is simply not true, we’d rather spend our time telling you how millennials actually benefit the workplace. Here are six advantages millennials have in their careers — and how they help their companies run more smoothly.
1. We’re tech-savvy.
It’s no surprise that millennials are the largest tech-savvy generation in the workforce. We’re used to adapting quickly to different forms of tech and computer systems. In a study conducted by Adobe, 81 percent of survey participants said that state-of-the-art technology was paramount to an ideal working environment, and because we’re comfortable with tech, we’re more likely to work efficiently alongside technology — especially mobile.
2. We’re social.
Millennials are digital natives, meaning that they’ve practically grown up with the rise of social media. As companies evolve to have a more online presence, millennials are already waiting on the other side of the finish line, ready to use our social media expertise in the workplace.
3. We’re green.
In a 2017 Deloitte survey, 59 percent of millennials said they felt accountable for protecting the environment. In another survey conducted by Cone Communications, a whopping 83 percent of millennials claimed to prefer companies that allowed them to contribute to environmental issues. Since we prioritize green living, our workplaces are more likely to reflect it, too.
4. We’re educated.
Aside from making up the largest generation in the workforce, millennials also are the most educated of all currently-employed generations. In particular, we’re most educated in history and in social issues (among tech, obviously), which means that we’re likely to be more socially and ethically aware in the workplace.
5. We’re non-traditional.
As a working group, millennials deviate from tradition in the workplace in that we are transparent about our salaries and more likely to ask for a raise than other generations. We’re also more likely to seek mentorship genuinely and closely compared to older generations. And we’re redefining the workday by deviating from the previously-common 9-to-5 career track and replacing it with more freelance work.
6. We’re brand-driven.
Eighty-six percent of millennial participants in a PricewaterhouseCoopers study reported that they’d consider leaving a company if its brand wasn’t aligned with their own personal values and goals or if its brand’s reputation was compromised. In a Cone Communications survey, 70 percent of millennials said that they invest more time and money engaging with brands they personally care about.