With millennials set to make up 35 percent of the global workforce by 2020, it’s worth taking a closer look at who these potential employees and employers are.
We’ve all heard it before—millennials are lazy and unmotivated in the workplace. But a new survey shows that might not be the case.
Millennials are hard-working, optimistic about their career futures, and good at prioritizing, according to a ManpowerGroup survey.
LEARN HOW MILLENNIALS CAN BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN YOUR WORKFORCE.
The survey, which looked at 19,000 working millennials across 25 countries, found millennials’ top five priorities they look for in a job are flexible working (79 percent), great people (80 percent), holidays/time off (86 percent), security (87 percent), and money (92 percent).
The ‘Work Hard’ Generation
Millennials are prepared to put in long hours. Over half the millennials surveyed expect to work past age 65, 27 percent expect to work over the age of 70, and 12 percent expect to never retire (particularly in Japan).
And there’s already proof of this mindset: 73 percent of millennials say they work more than 40 hours a week, while nearly a quarter work over 50 hours. Countries with the least amount of hours worked are Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United Kingdom, with India topping the list at 52 hours worked per week.
‘Career Security’
Millennials believe in job security, although they might see it a little differently from their parents’ generation. At the top of the list, 27 percent prioritize a secure job for the long-term, as well as having job skills that match market needs. Areas that aren’t priorities? Contacts to help them find employment and benefits if terminated fall at the bottom of the list (5 percent).
Listen Up, Small Business Owners
ManpowerGroup offers six recommendations for employers to consider when hiring millennials:
• Offer career security
• Focus on career variety and mobility
• Have regular career conversations
• Appreciate your millennials
• Be ready to ride the career waves and be flexible
• Be open to alternative work models
For those still unconvinced about the new generation, maybe two studies will help change your mindset. The first, the 2016 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneur Report, found that millennials are “starting more companies, managing bigger staff, and targeting higher profits,” than their parents’ generation, Fortune reports. The second study, Nationwide’s Small Business Indicator report, found “millennial business owners are the most prepared and forward-focused in the market,” according to Forbes.
Related:
5 Surprising Findings About Millennial Small Business Owners
What the Millennial-Majority Workforce Means for Small Business
4 Easy Ways to Attract Millennial Workers to Your Small Business
