Data shows that Millennials tend to receive multiple offers in their job searches. So, how do businesses stay competitive and attract top talent? Here are ten attributes and benefits that Millennials will evaluate your business on during their job search.
What are millennials looking for in a job?
1. Corporate Learning
Being fairly new to the workforce, Millennials look for jobs where they can truly immerse themselves in all aspects of a business, learn quickly and make a positive impact early on. We polled our Millennial employees, and found that the number one thing they looked for when job hunting was a position where they could make an impact at their organization. Effectively onboarding and providing Millennials with opportunities to learn and develop will further help you retain Millennial employees.
2. Purpose
According to a study from Deloitte, Millennials hold businesses to high standards when it comes to their positive impact on society. In fact, almost 80 percent of young Millennials say they "would be more motivated and committed at work if they felt their employer made a positive impact on society." Showing employees how their work adds value and has an impact is a great way to keep employees engaged and motivated.
3. Culture
An inclusive work environment instills a sense of community, creates transparency, and encourages collaboration amongst your employees. Millennials in particular want to be involved in the process of building and maintaining a great working culture. It could be anything from more frequent feedback to all company meetings—get your Millennial employees involved! It is really a win-win: good for employees, good for business.
4. Flexibility
Millennials are constantly connected to their work, which means they don't need to physically be at work to work. A study done by PWC found "Millennials work well with clear instructions and concrete targets: and suggested that managers "focus on whether or not the task gets done well and on time, rather than where or how they complete task." Many of the organizations attracting top Millennial talent are encouraging flexibility.
5. Responsibilities
Millennials recognize their place on the totem pole, but as they enter into the workforce they want to be empowered to speak up, manage up, and take the lead on important tasks. This isn't to say Millennials don't need guidance or help along the way, but having a manager who truly believes in their Millennial employee's skills, abilities and potential makes a huge impact in that employee's happiness and success.
6. Strong Manager / Employee Relationships
Similarly, Millennials want a boss they can trust, someone they feel comfortable talking to and who is invested and interested in their professional and personal development. It's also essential to employee engagement. According to Gallup, 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores is attributed to the quality of the respondents' bosses.
7. Innovation
Innovation stimulates growth and expands opportunities. The greatest potential for entrepreneurship is for people to develop unique and marketable ideas that can help address the world's greatest challenges, explained Charles H. Rivkin, U.S. assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs. Companies who want to stay competitive have no choice but to constantly innovate, challenge the norms and progress their people and ideas forward. Millennials not only want to be a part of this, they want to be a driving force for its success.
8. Room to Fail
Along with innovation comes the ability to test new ideas and make big bets. Millennials want to work for a business that embraces opportunities to take risks and either reap the rewards or learn from failures. No one celebrates your failures, which is why failure seems like the enemy. In reality, as long as we don't fail the same way twice, it's a natural part of the learning process. Millennials look for managers who encourage failure, and guide them through the process of learning from it.
9. Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities are a great way for companies to show their commitment to their mission and their employees. Volunteering also boosts engagement levels, encourages collaboration and builds stronger teams. It's also a productive reason to get out of the office and help make a positive impact on the world.
10. Perks
Millennial or not, who says no to free snacks and having the ability to bring your dog to work?
Interested in learning more about WeSpire and how we can help you to engage your workforce and improve employee experience? Request a demo below!