Why Millennials Are Good for A Growing Company
- by: Adam Coath
- On: 16, Oct 2018
4 min read
No matter what sector you’re in, millennials are the buzzword in recruitment right now. Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is a millennial. Millennials will make up 46% of the workforce by 2020, and many are likely already working at your company.
If they aren’t, why is that? There is a stereotype that millennials are lazy, entitled, and selfish. But these are just perceptions, ones that might be holding your business back. Millennials aren’t teenagers; they’re working professionals. They’re team members, designers, salespeople, project leaders and managers. They’re already making changes in your industry and will continue to climb the ladder as more of them enter the workplace.
A younger, more dynamic team can be a major asset, and the long-term viability of your business will be influenced by how your team handles changes that could be more easily navigated by hiring millennials.
If your company is growing, millennials can play a pivotal role in getting your company seen, getting more people onboard, and making sure you’re up to date with what’s going on right now. Here’s why you should hire millennials.
Millennials are the most educated generation in history, with more capability and capacity to learn than any generation before them. As their careers progress and change, they’ll often learn entirely new skillsets, bringing a wealth of experience to your business.
Millennials are often skilled in a variety of areas that may not be central to their role, but all these abilities build together into a more versatile, productive team member. Copywriters may know HTML code, salespeople may speak different languages and managers may have experience running events. Learning what your team can do can lead to exciting new opportunities.
A fresh perspective is one of the best reasons to hire millennials. After being in business for a while, some companies become complacent, stuck in their ways, unwilling to look at things differently. Things staying a certain way because ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’ does not mean things can’t be improved.
Bringing someone with new ideas into a company can revitalise it. Taking things in a new direction allows for experimentation and growth in unexpected areas. Streamlining processes, creating digital content, having a focus on inclusivity – these are all positive changes that millennials might take the initiative to implement. This will help your business stay current, relevant and ahead of your competitors.
Millennials grew up in a world that was changing all the time. This fluidity is even more pronounced today as technology is progressing faster than ever before. The ability to recognise changes and adapt to them is vital for business. As we saw with the internet and later social media, big technological changes shake up industries and birth entire new sectors. Ignoring this will lead to stagnation: a death sentence for any business in today’s fast-paced world.
What’s more, 71% of millennials said they’d like to work abroad. As the world becomes more connected thanks to the internet, it’s important not to neglect business opportunities outside your normal sphere of operations. Millennials will jump at the chance to start something new. Who better to take your business to new heights?
While it may be a cliché to suggest every millennial is a tech wiz, the fact that almost all of them will have grown up using technology every day of their lives is another pivotal reason to hire millennials. Younger millennials were born into the digital age, and may have grown up using computers, tablets, and other devices. This makes them more suited to handle new technology as it enters your business, maintaining efficiency. Even millennials with no tech background are still likely to be more competent with computers and apps than non-millennials, and technology isn’t going anywhere.
Millennials at the start of their careers want a good, stable position from which to grow. 65% said that personal development was key in deciding whether to take a job. Being career-motivated, millennials value honesty and integrity from their employers, and will be more likely to stay at a place where they feel valued.
This can do wonders for your company’s reputation. Retention of staff is a strong indicator of how a company is run, and well-satisfied millennials are unlikely to leave, placing workplace happiness and fulfilment over pay. Being challenged, learning new skills and being promoted are all things millennials are passionate about, which makes them ideal candidates.
Hiring millennials makes your company more diverse, more flexible and more attached to what’s happening online. From this strong starting point, you can move in new directions and attack old problems with new solutions. As the world changes, it’s important to change with it, and adopt the strategies and talents of people leading the pack.
