Lazy, unrealistic, narcissistic, uncommitted—four words Baby Boomers and Generation Xers use to describe Millennials. The stereotypes are certainly true in some cases. But, as Matt Ridings explains in a SideraWorks post, the remaining young professionals are just misunderstood.
In the post, Ridings reversed the perspective of these four commonly used millennial stereotypes. He explained the traits from the perspective of millennials. The result was very different.
Lazy
Millennials aren’t really lazy; they’re simply motivated by different things. To keep millennials interested in their work, companies must find the right motivators. Many young professionals need to pay back student loans, but salary isn’t high up on the list of job values.
Instead, companies need to offer millennials workshifting, flexibility and the ability to contribute beyond their station.
Unrealistic
Millennials aren’t unrealistic. Instead, they have a desire to work outside of the accepted traditional work environment. Millennials prefer open and collaborative work environments where they may voice their ideas and opinions without being shunned for their lack of experience. They want to be innovative without the repression of perceived barriers.
To meet this value, companies should develop a mentor-partnering program that pairs a young worker with an older, more experienced worker. The partnership will give millennials the voice they desire while subjecting their “unrealistic” ideas to structure.
Narcissistic
One reason Baby Boomers and Generation X’ers perceive Millennials as narcissistic because they’ve been coddled more than their predecessors. Yes, Millennials received a participation trophy for every organized activity and never needed to walk two miles without shoes to school…in the snow…uphill…both ways. And, yes, Millennials grew up with social networking and the validation of expressing their personal activities and thoughts online.
But companies should harness millennials’ sense of narcissism rather than hinder it. Their comfort with digital tools and platforms can facilitate communication and increase sharing and collaboration within a company.
Uncommitted
Millennials are certainly committed, just not to a company, job or paycheck. Instead, millennials are committed more toward finding a job that makes them truly happy. They’ll work numerous jobs in various professions until they find their calling.
To keep induction costs low and keep young talent from scurrying away, companies should offer easy lateral movement within. Doing so will allow Millennials to experience a variety of disciplines while maximizing their value.
Read the full SideraWorks post here.
What do you think? Do the words lazy, unrealistic, narcissistic and uncommitted accurately describe millennials? Or are they just misunderstood?
