Millennials tend to get labeled as bad workers in today’s workplaces being called lazy, entitled, or addicted to their phones. But millennials – people born between 1981 and 1996, actually add a lot of value to the workplace. There are many ways that they help in the office
but here are some of the more noticeable ways that they make work-life better.
Workplace change
In recent studies, it has been shown that millennials are the largest driving force behind change in the workplace. This could be because most millennials are better at navigating their careers and finding work that they want to do which then increases their levels of workplace engagement. Millennials have changed the way many people think of jobs. Instead of jobs having power over its employees, millennials are making practical changes for everyone, and giving them the power.
Changing attitudes
Thanks in large part to millennials, you can’t just work from nine to five doing the bare minimum anymore. They have completely changed their attitude towards work. Instead of working because they have to, most millennials aim to have their jobs play a larger role in their life overall. They want their job to have purpose and meaning in the long term, from both themselves and for others who come after them. Above all, they want a work
experience that best fits them and their goals in life.
Getting more perks
This benefits everyone at the office, including older generations. Most millennials don’t want anything extreme, like juice bars and more coffee breaks, but instead value realistic perks. Paid vacation days, retirement plans, and health insurance are some of the things everyone wants but millennials aren’t shy to ask for them. They want perks that improve their quality of life, give them greater flexibility, and autonomy to have a more fulfilling life. Millennials, like most other generations, want to spend time with their families, better educate themselves,
and adequately plan for the future.
Having group goals
Yearly performance reviews often end up being something that has to be done rather than something that is important. But millennials want more group engagement. They prefer more meetups with managers so they can better focus on what work needs to be done and what work is more important. They want hands-on management that pushes and challenges them to perform better. Millennials also want more informal check-ups that allow employees to better understand how their work impacts long term goals. This is great not only for the company, which gets more productive workers, but also for other employees by giving them a stimulating environment that challenges them.
Flexibility galore
Research into the benefits of having a flexible work schedule shows that productivity increases when workers are given more control over their time. And most millennials would agree because they are the ones pushing for more flexibility. People tend to work a lot better when they have a work-life balance they can regulate. But flexibility and working remotely go hand in hand. Millennials, along with most other employees, work best when they divide their time between working at the office with co-workers and working at home or a coffee shop. This means more flexibility with time and location.
