Millennial Misconceptions Abound – Take a Closer Look
While millennials have often been stereotyped in a negative way, the fact remains that they are tomorrow’s workforce and an increasingly important part of today’s workforce as well. Research from Bentley University’s The PreparedU Project has found that many of these generalizations can be wrong and some even dangerous to our economic growth.
Millennials’ preparedness for the workplace has become a hotly debated issue for good reason: by 2025, millennials will make up almost 75 percent of the global workforce and by the end of 2014, one of every three employees in the U.S. will be a millennial.
The PreparedU Project was launched in January 2014 as the concern about a skills gap among recent college graduates reached a fever pitch. Bentley conducted a comprehensive survey on the topic to spur a national dialogue and uncover solutions to bridge the preparedness gap. The findings of that survey were intriguing and prompted us to dig deeper into what millennials really think, especially about their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to work and career goals. Today we’re sharing the results of the latest “Millennial Mind Goes to Work” survey, which included responses from 1,031 millennials in the U.S. aged 18 to 34.
Some of the survey findings surprised us such as:
- Older generations think millennials favor text, IM and social media, but 51% would rather communicate with colleagues in person.
- Though millennials are often dismissed as “job hoppers” with no loyalty to employers, 80% believe they’ll work for four or fewer companies in their career.
- The typical 9-to-5 workday doesn’t work for many millennials. 77% say flexible work hours would make the workplace more productive for people their age.
Earlier research (ours included) questioned loyalty by both millennials and employers. But we live in the midst of a changing economy, a changing workforce, and a changing society. That’s why these findings and an ongoing dialogue among the key stakeholders is so important. It is vital that we stay on top of the issues through research and encourage an inclusive conversation that allows for different and often differing points of views. Our focus needs to be on what we can do to ensure millennials entering the workforce are prepared with the necessary skills and not on what is wrong with this generation.
Misconceptions about millennials are driving the need for campaigns like The PreparedU Project — providing a place where companies like HubSpot, BNY Mellon, Epsilon and others who support the skills that millennials bring to the table can fight against the stereotypes.
From their comfort with technology and “always on” reputation to their knowledge of global current events, millennials present a huge opportunity for our economy. It’s up to us in business and higher education — and millennials themselves — to work collaboratively to meet the pressing needs of the global economy and to support the generation that will drive it.
For the complete survey findings, check out the Bentley “Millennial Mind Goes to Work” ebook and infographic. You can also hear what millennials themselves think about the workplace in this video, and learn their thoughts on a range of different career topics in this video series.
Gloria Larson is President of Bentley University.