Common Characteristics of Millennials
Millennials (also known as Gen Y or Generation Y) were born in the 1980s and 1990s. Mainstream media has drawn a picture of Millennials as lazy, narcissistic and entitled selfie-lovers. But, let’s look at this generation in a more positive light.
Tech Enthusiasts: To be fair, they are the first generation ever who have grown up totally immersed in a world of technology. It’s no wonder they like to interact with people through email and text messaging rather than face-to-face. And, they adapt better to learning on-line through webinars and other internet-based technology than traditional learning methods.
Family-Centric: Millennials often choose family over work. They prefer to work less hours for flexible schedules and a less stressful work/life balance. Some older generations find this attitude to be a lack of commitment, discipline and drive.
Civic-Oriented: Millennials have a strong sense of community on a local and global scale. They focus on societal needs rather than individual needs. They feel obligated to do their part in the world to make it a better place to live.
Entrepreneurial: It’s no wonder Gen Y has an entrepreneurial spirit, they grew up watching Mark Zuckerberg create Facebook and Steve Jobs lead Apple to major success. They don’t believe there are jobs for life anymore and so they create their own work opportunities.
Achievement-Oriented: Millennials, although prefer flexible work hours and less stressful lifestyles they do look for new challenges and are not too shy to question authority. They are looking for meaningful work with a learning curve.
Team-Oriented: As children Generation Y participated in team sports, play groups and other group activities. Consequently, they like being involved in team environments and seek out the input and affirmation of others. (They are a bit like the marines; they are a no-person-left-behind generation, loyal and committed.) They just want to be included and involved.
Progressive and Diverse: Millennials do not accept the status quo. They will challenge the system and improve on it if that’s a possibility. Plus they are more accepting of all kinds of people not matter what their colour of skin is, what religion they are and how they dress.
Seek Attention: Generation Y purposefully seek out feedback and guidance. They want to be kept in the loop and crave frequent praise and reassurance.
Prone to Job-Hopping: A potential downside of Gen Y in the work force is that they’re always looking for something new and better. It’s not uncommon for a Millennial to stay with a company for only two to three years before moving on to a position he/she thinks is better. But don’t put aside someone who has worked for several firms — this just means they have many different experiences to draw from.
Work Attitude: Generation Y possess many characteristics that are unique in comparison to past generations. They tend to be excited about their jobs and will work hard and efficiently. They might see their superiors as equals more than previous generations did. But, once they understand the difference between them and their supervisor, Millennials will show a lot of respect for their supervisors and get the job done.
