Millennials at Work: What Do They REALLY Want?

Newsflash: if you’re an employer who scoffs at the idea of creating a Millennial-friendly company culture, you’re about to be left in the dust. By the end of this decade, Millennials will represent roughly 50% of the workforce, and that number will rise to 75% by 2020. In short, companies that wish to attract (and retain) top Gen Y talent will need to adapt to the ‘Gen Y Mindset’ and accommodate their millennials at work in order to stay competitive.

If you’re beginning to cringe at the thought of ping pong tables, bean bag chairs and beer coolers turning your professional office into a college dorm, relax. Breathe. It’s not that serious. Millennials simply have a different mindset than other generations.

In his recent post How Millennials Think and What To Do About It, Hubspot CEO and Co-Founder Brian Halligan highlighted four key differences between Millennials and previous generations:

Money vs. Mission
Millennials are motivated by mission, whereas Boomers and Gen X-ers have traditionally been motivated by financial security.

OCD vs. ADD
Previous generations followed a traditional career path, worked their way up the corporate ladder and tend to stay with a company for more than seven years. On the flip side, Millennials enjoy learning and feeling challenged – and as a result, most typically stay with an employer for roughly 1.5 years.

Place vs. Idea
In stark opposition to the traditional office set-up (strict 9-5 schedule, cubicles, etc.) Gen Y employees seek flexibility in scheduling and enjoy open-plan offices that allow them to collaborate with their colleagues.

Rules vs. Judgment
While the good old employee handbook has been a workplace staple for decades, Millennials don’t like rules and prefer to be trusted and treated like adults. Instead of having pages of “rules”, Gen Y-ers respond best to simple guidelines.

The truth is, you can invest in all of the “fun” perks in the world, but if you don’t adapt your company culture to meet their core beliefs and desires, you’ll still have a difficult time pulling in top Gen Y talent …although you may attract a few beer pong loving frat boys!