Lazy. Spoiled. Entitled. Unreliable. These are just some of the negative terms usually thrown around the Millennial Generation.
If these are to be believed, then business owners might have a cause for concern, as studies show that millennials are taking over the workforce – whether in a regular office or in the remote staff world.
The fact tank Pew Research Center – which classifies millennials as those born from 1981 to 1996 – found that in 2017, 35 percent of the labor force in America are millennials, making them the largest workforce in the area. A study by the Sydney-based startup, Found Careers, also stated that by 2025 “huge three-quarters of the Australian workforce will be made up of [millennials]”. And this holds true across the globe.
So how would one address the fear of hiring a generation which has garnered such a bad reputation? You look at the facts and debunk the myth behind this so-called “nightmare” generation.
Contrary to popular belief that millennials are lazy, spoiled, and entitled, this generation is actually very hungry – hungry to thrive, learn, live, and to prove themselves worthy.
An article published in The Economist stated that millennials “want…to be given interesting work to do, to be rewarded on the basis of their contributions and to be given the chance to work hard and get ahead.” This attitude is reflected in how millennials always attempt to set their performance bar high in every single industry they are in – from agriculture, information technology, and even telemarketing in the Philippines.
Also, further studies show that millennials are far from their notorious reputation as unreliable workers.
A study by the White House, titled “15 Economic Facts About Millennials”, found that “contrary to popular perceptions, millennials actually stay with their employers longer than Generation X workers did at the same ages.”
Millennials are not flip-floppers who go from one job to the next just because. In fact, a study by the global analytics and advice firm, Gallup, showed that around 60 percent of millennials are very much open to staying in their current employment for around two to five years. For business owners, this amount of time may mean a huge return on investment. Not only will employers get the benefit of having a long-term employee with institutional knowledge, but this also means avoiding additional recruitment work, onboarding training, and the stress that comes with having a high turnover rate.
What’s more, as so-called “digital natives”, millennials just might be the perfect candidates for virtual staffing. They are digitally flexible and are natural multitaskers – with the ability to switch on and off multiple applications all at the same time. Imagine hiring staff, such as our virtual assistants from the Philippines, who are naturally adept at current technology, and yet can naturally adapt to new trends. While others scoff at millennials for being “social media zombies”, other employers may choose to optimize that quality in his/her millennial employee and have them handle their social media marketing.
Just like the Baby Boomers and Generation X before them, millennials are a product of their generation. They are shaped by the culture, technology, and the social mores that surround them. Unfortunately, millennials are often judged based on things that are beyond their control. Of course, there might be a “few rotten apples”, but that is not a reason to overgeneralize a whole generation. A simple change in perspective and business owners just might see, that if given a chance, millennials can indeed be a powerful asset in any business.
