The Influence of Millennials in the Workforce

September 14, 2018

How Millennials Have Changed the Scope of the Workplace

There are undoubtedly many stories of individuals who chose to resign from their respective employers due to an interpersonal conflict with a supervisor or colleague.  These departures often stemmed from differences of opinion that were borne along generational lines; that is, unwillingness on the part of more senior or traditional-minded staff members to listen to, let alone respect, new ideas and suggestions proposed by younger and/or more recent hires.

In many cases, those who remained behind placed the blame, so to speak, on the departed employees, stating such factors as lack of respect for authority, a disloyalty to the company, and reluctance to follow accepted business practices.  Conversely, those who chose to leave cited the absence of communication and feedback, an unyielding corporate structure, and a sense of being undervalued as their motivators to seek a fresh start elsewhere.

Now some may say that these types of situations have been playing out in organizations for decades, and that employee turnover is inevitable in any business, so why discuss it here?  Because the scope of the workforce has changed dramatically in recent years with the influx of millennials, and those businesses who fail to effectively adapt to this shift may be facing such employee departures more and more frequently.

Millennials are defined as people with birth years in the early 1980s to the mid-1990s; they grew up in an era that encouraged creativity, open communication, and, most importantly, the use of various technology – all elements that they have now brought to the workplace.  In fact, millennials currently account for almost 40% of Canada’s overall workforce and their influence is leading to major changes within organizations, not to mention the tensions and conflicts, as described above, with employees from different generational backgrounds.

The effects of the millennial generation on today’s workplace are widespread, and include:

• Open workspaces
• Real-time feedback
• Better work-life balance
• Less hierarchal structuring
• Transparent communication
• Elimination of standard processes
• Flexible work hours/remote locations
• Teamwork versus individual contributors
• Connectivity through social media platforms
• High-energy, fast-paced, multi-tasking capabilities

Another critical change attributable to the arrival of millennials in the workplace is evident in their sense of loyalty to their employer.  Unlike individuals from previous generations who would remain with the same company for the duration of their career and were reluctant to rock the boat, in a manner of speaking, millennials are more likely to voice their opinions and take the appropriate action or actions to achieve their goals; in many cases, this could mean moving from company to company in an effort to indulge and satisfy their needs.

Thus organizations that are willing to embrace and implement the above-noted changes will likely be far more successful in retaining highly skilled, high-performing millennials versus companies that prefer the status quo traditions and practices of previous generations.

Pre-Employment Screening to Identify People with the Right Fit for Your Business

Another fundamental aspect to employee retention lies with making good hiring decisions in the first place; just because an organization adapts its structure and operations to suit the millennial generation, it does not mean that every millennial is a good fit for that company.

The consequences of poor hiring decisions, millennials or otherwise, are not limited solely to higher employee turnover rates but can also impact such aspects of the business as:

• Productivity
• Team Morale
• Company Image
• Recruiting Budgets
• Customer Relationships

To assist employers and hiring managers in identifying the right people for their respective businesses from the outset, RightFit Plus offers a comprehensive pre-employment testing system that can be integrated into the hiring process and help to ensure that such decisions produce the best possible return; this pre-employment testing is comprised of the following:

• Personality Profiling
• Sales Aptitude and Knowledge
• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Testing
• Math and Verbal Communication Skills

Through the use of these pre-employment screening services, employers can make better and more informed hiring decisions, improve their employee retention rates, save money, and dedicate more time and focus to their daily business operations.

For additional information on the benefits of this pre-employment screening system for your organization, call the specialists at RightFit Plus today at 905-604-4951 or contact us to request a no-obligation demonstration and consultation.