There isn’t a day that goes by that I see an article or a news segment about millennials “killing” something. The diamond industry, the divorce rate, the housing market, etc. Y’all know what I’m talking about. My generation is always getting blamed for doing better because we know better, and I don’t know about y’all but I’m tired of reading and hearing these clickbait stories.
This post isn’t that. This post is actually about what millennials are thriving at, and that’s the workplace.
We have these Captivate screens in our elevators at work where we share upcoming events on campus as well as fun facts and current events. It’s nice to see stock facts, I typically roll my eyes at the current mess this administration is putting us through, but what really gets my attention is the fun facts. Sometimes there are those bashing “facts” I talked about before, but other times it’s pretty interesting ones. In fact, I wanted to share some of the more interesting ones with y’all today. Here are how millennials are thriving in the workplace.
Salary – Long gone are the days where people stay with a company for 30+ years. I mean it still happens, but it’s rare. Between budget cuts, massive lay-offs, change in direction, or even living in an at-will state like Texas, it’s not uncommon for us to bounce around every 5-6 years. We typically stay in the same industry or an outlier, but we might not be at the same firm longer than 10 years. Which is why we get our money up front. Retirement isn’t what it used to be. Pensions are practically non-existent so we ask for what we deserve up front rather than wait. We know that the worst that an HR rep can say is “no”, and as a whole I feel like we know our worth and won’t settle for less.
Benefits – Not to be confused with salaries, and not just confined to medical. Don’t get me wrong, medical benefits are definitely where it’s at but there are so many other benefits that we’re asking for now. Working remotely, health initiatives, reimbursement or coverage of continued education, ride-share benefits, the list goes on. At the end of the day we know that our success outside of work also benefits the company so we’re not afraid to ask for help in that route to success.
Work-Life Balance – We’re taking more vacations than our parents, we’re taking more mental health days than those who’ve worked before us and we’re understanding that it benefits no one to burn the candle at both ends. Whether it’s short Fridays, more floating holidays or even longer lunches, I’ve found that more millennials now know when they’re most productive and will schedule their work day around that if their industry allows it.
Networking and Communication – I know that we didn’t invent the wheel with this one, but we’re definitely upgrading it. We’re more connected as a global community now, and that’s made networking thousands of times easier. Millennials are using technological tools that they use in their downtime and figuring out ways to incorporate them into their worklife. Whether it be messaging a friend across the pond about business standards in their neck of the woods, or mingling with a local Young Professionals group they’re not currently a member of. The world’s a lot closer now and we’re using it to our benefit.
Happiness – At the end of the day we value our happiness and quality of life. We’re not that generation that’s going to be miserable in a career for 30+ years just because there’s no other way for us to make a living. No. Folks have made millions and retired off of creating a hit app. There are people out there making a living because of the influence they have on their social media following. I know people who pull in a healthy six figures from blogging alone! At the end of the day, we know that our happiness and health matters the most so we prioritize that and it’s contagious! The other day I had a co-worker come by and tell me that he hears me humming every time he passes by my desk at work. I apologized immediately because I didn’t realize that I was being that loud and he assured me that I wasn’t and that it was okay. Me expressing my joy was okay! It’s contagious and it really boosts office morale.
I can’t be the only one who’s realized how much we’re crushing it in the workplace, and I’d love to hear some of your thoughts! Comment below or send me a message on Instagram and Twitter and let me know what you’ve seen at your place of employment!