Millennials currently make up 50% of the global workforce, and as Gen-Z gets older, more and more the people who are employable in this world are going to be from a younger generation. To build a business that can truly stand the test of time and remain relevant, appealing to this particular part of the workforce is key.
Businesses require innovation and agility in today’s world and working with millennials is a powerful strategy to achieve that. They see the world in a different way and provide a different perspective on how a business can function and thrive. Never underestimate why the insight of the younger generation can be a huge asset to your organization in any industry you’re working in.
Millennials are at the helm at some of the greatest businesses in the world right now. They can be just as great inside your organization, especially if you understand how they tick and how to create an amazing professional experience for them.
In order to attract and keep millennials on your team, there are certain value points your business needs to provide to set your company apart and become somewhere millennials want to contribute to. So how do you build a business that attracts and retains millennials? What do they care about? Here are the things your business has to provide.
Make The Workplace An Experience
There’s a reason why the most innovative startups have the best offices to spend time in. They have offices that are designed with happiness and productivity in mind, which helps to create an environment that makes work feel like less of a burden.
Millennials want to work with offices that don’t have that old look and feel, they want to step into a modern office that promotes openness and a sense of freedom. According to Collaborative Office Interiors, a company that provides office furniture in Houston, “if you own a business and want to be seen as relevant, innovative, and approachable, modern office furniture is important. It will also help you attract bright, up-and-coming professionals to work on your team. The new generation of skilled professionals entering the workforce often feels more comfortable in an environment that reflects more modern style preferences.”
Creating a modern office doesn’t have to be expensive. By choosing the right pieces and placing them thoughtfully, you don’t just create an office, you create a work experience.
Focus On Fulfillment And Purpose
Millennials don’t just want a job and a paycheck, they want to do work that gives them meaning. When we think of the kind of culture we want to create, it should be about fulfillment and giving them the type of job and workplace that makes them feel like they are contributing to making the world a better place or to a mission that has a bigger goal and ambition. Millennials care about;
● Doing work that’s unique and different
● Working in jobs that move the world forward
● Working in companies that push back against the status quo
● Feeling like their work is a vehicle for the life they really want
Give your employees a chance to grow and develop and make your culture about the larger fulfillment they can get from the work. If you only focus on the work, you won’t be able to keep millennials around in the long-term, and the business will suffer.
Don’t Be Rigid About What Work Looks Like
In the past, there really was only one structure to work. You came into the office, worked till lunch, took a break, got back to work and clocked out at the end of the day.
Nowadays, with things like freelancing, consulting, content creation and working from home, the meaning of work is very different. You don’t have to work for 8 hours to turn out your best work, and you can work in different ways and still be productive.
If you want to appeal to millennials, you have to make allowance for things like remote work. What most companies have done really well is creating a hybrid work model, where there is both a work-from-home option and an in-office option. That way, you give your employees the freedom to choose for themselves and create the kind of work model that suits them.
One of the biggest mistakes many businesses have made is overlooking millennial talent because of the misconception that millennials are lazy and entitled. Millennials can be a huge value-add to your organization if you understand how different they are from other generations, and how much of an asset that can be.
If you want to build a business that goes swiftly into the future, think of how you can tailor your work experience for younger people like Gen Y and Gen Z. They can not only produce great work and make your organization succeed, they can even become the future leaders that will make the company successful going forward.