We Love Hiring Millennials! Here’s Why

Jun 8, 2017

Even if you aren’t one yourself, chances are that you interact with millennials on a daily basis. According to an article by Forbes titled “Why You Can’t Ignore Millennials,” about one in every three employees in the US is a millennial, and by the year 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be comprised of millennials. According to the US Census Bureau in 2015, their size represents more than a quarter of the entire US population.

It’s no surprise, then, that within the last couple years, online discussions and articles about millennials in the workforce have been widely circulated. As the youngest in the millennial generation are over 18 and have already entered the workforce to join their older comrades, employers are taking note. As with generation Y and the baby boomers before them, office environments and employee expectations naturally shift with the addition of new hires who have new sets of desires and expectations.

At Friday Services, we love interacting with millennials, hiring them, and helping them find jobs they love. Let’s take a look three reasons why employers are excited about the millennial generation.

How old are They?

First, let’s define who a millennial is. While there is inconsistency about which age ranges qualify someone as a millennial, The Pew Research Center defines a millennial as someone born between 1981 and 1997 (ages 20–36 today). In a post from April 2016, the Center reports, “Millennials, whom we define as those ages 18-34 in 2015, now number 75.4 million, surpassing the 74.9 million Baby Boomers (ages 51-69).”

1. Making a Difference: Millennials Want More Than Just a Job

In a recent article on NBC News titled “7 Ways Millennials are Changing the Workplace for the Better,” writer Brianna Steinhilber takes a look at a survey conducted by Gallup that gives a snapshot of the American workplace today. She explains that millennials want their work to have purpose: “Thanks to millennials, long gone are the days where you log your eight hours behind a desk doing the bare minimum until you can clock out at 5 on the dot… Sixty percent of employees say the ability to do what they do best in a role is ‘very important’ to them.”

While some observers have criticized millennials as self-absorbed and addicted to technology, many have rejected such conclusions and instead praised them for their innovative, technological know-how, and desire to do good for others through their work.

At Friday Services, we’ve helped many millennials find jobs that speak to their interests and career goals. This was certainly the case with one employee, Danielle F., who is 30 years old. Since 2012, we’ve helped Danielle find positions in WNC. Three months ago, she landed a temp-to-hire assembly position with a laminate company in Fletcher. She says she couldn’t be happier!

“You couldn’t dynamite me out of here if you wanted to,” she says with a smile. Danielle says she is so thrilled with her current job and understands exactly what she needs to feel accomplished.

“What makes me feel I had a good day at work is I walk out with a smile and I’m happy because I completed my job. I maintained the quality level that exceeds customer expectations and brings in the new customer. I’m a firm believer in sending out better than the customer wants… Maintaining my production and quality, both, and doing it right the first time. Everything coming together at the end of the day—that includes the interpersonal relationships, too. That’s a big thing for me.”

2. Flexibility: Millennials Can Juggle Multiple Goals

While heavy multitasking can actually be inefficient, millennials tend to exhibit flexibility in the workplace when it comes to multiple assignments and meeting goals set by supervisors. On a typical day, Danielle gets ready for the next set of paper while waiting for the first to finish with step one. She says it’s a lot of “go-go-go,” which she enjoys as there’s never a dull moment.

Emma B. is a 23-year-old picker working with inventory at a powersports distribution company. “My main duties are picking the parts, restocking all the parts and packing them for shipment occasionally,” she says.

Millennial’s enthusiasm and flexibility in the workplace also applies to other areas. In general, millennials seek out new opportunities and jump right in. Emma, who moved to North Carolina last November, says she chose to work with Friday Services because she had confidence they would find her a good job. She says, “I have been working since I was 16 at all different kinds of jobs but I just recently started working here. I went through Friday Services and eventually got hired on at my company. And I love it. It’s very different from anything I’ve done so I was nervous at first but as it turned out I love working here.

Danielle’s schedule alternates night and day shifts, which she says has been super helpful while she earns her applied science technology degree in Mechatronics Engineering. “I was looking for something like this so I can get back in and finish my degree.”

3. Check-ins: Millennials Seek Feedback

Emma and Danielle both work in office environments that are intergenerational. Emma says, “I’d say the ages range from 21 to 60.” In any workplace, unique personalities lend themselves to a range of preferred communication styles, but clear communication is key to a smoothly operating workplace.

While, in this post, The Center for Generational Kinetics says that most millennials prefer texting over in-person visits when it comes to communication, they acknowledge that “millennials want communication from the boss more frequently than any other generation in the workforce—up to 54% more based on one of The Center’s national studies.”

At the plant where Danielle works, she says in-person chats are more common than any other form of communication: “I can just go over to my boss and say, ‘I need this’ or ‘This is going on.’ It’s face to face.” Instead of resenting this form of communication, Danielle says that it creates a personal bond with your coworkers or supervisors that you don’t get from text or phone.

The “7 Ways” article reported, “What millennials seeks is ongoing feedback, clear goals and ‘collaborative goal setting,’ which gives them a voice in setting performance expectations they see as fair, relevant and challenging.”

As for her younger co-workers who may feel more intimidated by this form, Danielle says they can grow into it, “like with public speaking.” Danielle prioritizes healthy interpersonal work relationships and values regular feedback so she can do the best job possible. She adds, “We all have no problem talking to our boss because he’s awesome and down to earth.”

Find a Job Today!

At Friday Services, we are proud to work with employees of all ages. Our goal is to place the right people in the right jobs every time. We would love to get to know you and match you with a job that helps you feel fulfilled. Check out all of our available job posts, and contact us with any questions.

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