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Amanda Helfand

Millennials already account for over a third of the workforce, but what are we like? What do we need? What makes us different from Gen X and the baby boomers before us? It’s time for us to shake the stigma of being lazy and entitled, because in reality, we are a diligent and dedicated group that simply needs to be cultivated in order to reach our full potential.

The responsibility to flourish is ultimately in our hands, but to achieve real success — for ourselves and for our employers — it takes collaboration between managers and millennials. Employers need to turn a blind eye to the stereotypes and understand the best ways to motivate and develop their younger cohorts. Millennials must learn to be patient and realize that a career is built over years; not every decision is going to be instantly gratifying.

Millennials: This one’s for you.

  1. Be willing to help out. While not every task in your first job is going to be exactly what you want to do, be gracious in accepting different kinds of work. Yes, this is partially “paying it forward,” but it’s also an opportunity to explore different opportunities. You may actually like something that you never would have otherwise thought to pursue.
  2. Show clear enthusiasm for the parts of your job that you enjoy the most. Your employer has no way of knowing what your interests are if you don’t make them obvious.
  3. Learn to say “no.” You are not doing your employer any favors by burning out or staying at work until your eyes glaze over and your brain is scrambled. Do good work, and know your limits.
  4. Understand how to tailor your communication. Some coworkers prefer a short, concise email, while others will see this as curt and rude. Some want to make best friends in the office, while others find it intrusive to even ask about their family vacation. Take a moment to read people before deciding on how to interact with them.
  5. Culture is key. Step back and get a feel for the culture of a company. Note what people are wearing, how well they are staying up to date on current news and trends, and what they tend to do during their lunch time. Make sure you know where the line is between dressing for success vs. looking out of place, between being oblivious to the world outside the office vs. spending too much time reading articles and discussing topics that make coworkers feel unintelligent, and between cranking out work vs. using lunch as a time to build relationships with coworkers.

Employers: Remember you are not off the hook.

  1. Individualized plans go a long way. Millennials are interested in personalization and understanding what their future can look like. To feed into this desire, corporations can do a couple of different things:
    • Have a clear growth path in place for each employee. Metrics will help them understand what they need to do in order to progress to the next step. Then fulfill on those promises of growth.
    • If the above requires too many resources, set up a structure so that employees can have mentor/mentee relationships. This way, employees still get the one-to-one attention, have the ability to share aspirations, and feel as though they are being heard.
  2. Put the “fit” in benefits. Offer benefits that are enticing and appropriate to the employees you are looking to attract and retain. Not all employees want the same thing. Some will enjoy that ping pong table upstairs and others would rather work through the day without so much as a lunch break so that they can head home as soon as possible. Do not assume that just because you have “cool” benefits, they are the right benefits for your particular employees.
  3. Be flexible. Even though not all benefits are created equal, I have yet to meet someone who does not appreciate flexible work hours. The numbers back me up; a recent Bentley study found that 77 percent of millennials feel that flexible hours would make the workplace more productive. No one is excited for their dentist appointment, and making them feel guilty for leaving early to go to it will only reduce their morale.
  4. Encourage employees to take their vacation time. Again, making an employee feel guilty will NOT win you any credit. Employees are known to work better and be more dedicated when they are well rested and have had some time away from the office, yet many companies still have a culture that frowns upon vacation. Embrace it. Encourage it. Rejoice in rejuvenated, happy employees.

According to Forbes contributor Jacob Morgan, millennials will make up 50 percent of the workforce by 2020 and 75 percent by 2025. This overwhelming majority just 10 years from now means that it is vitally important today to understand the generation and to ensure our success. Now is the time for millennials to work toward improving ourselves and the image we as a group portray. It is also the time for employers to recognize the different dynamic that this generation brings and learn to adapt. Together, millennials and employers can pave the way to a positive, effective workplace.

Amanda Helfand ’11, MBA '14 is a millennial and assistant director of Undergraduate Career Services at Bentley.