Millennial Myth Busting

​Millennial Myth Busting

Hold your eye rolls – this isn’t your average article on millennials. We promise there isn’t a single mention of a certain fruit that many people enjoy consuming with their morning toast.

For some reason, the fact that young people exist and are different to older people in some ways is a hot topic of conversation these days. And many people are quick to draw the knife when it comes to discussing their contribution to society. A quick Google search is enough to show that.

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Because the topic has proven so controversial, every angle has been explored, meaning there is a heap of conflicting content out there.

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So are millennials destroying all that is good and right with the world, or changing things for the better? Are they lazy and entitled, or simply working smart? And what does that mean for the employers who hire them? We’ve examined some of the common myths that get thrown around when the topic of millennials comes up in the office.

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#1: Millennials are entitled and lazy – MYTH

Studies are suggesting that this is far from reality, with perhaps more workaholics in the younger generations than in older generations. Thanks to being more connected and ‘always on’, millennials tend to work outside office hours regularly and many report wanting to be perceived as hard-working. Some people consider this a result of highly scheduled childhoods and/or less employment security than previous generations, meaning workers have to have as much experience as possible to stay desirable to employers.

Key takeaway: Millennials have entered the job market in times of uncertainty, meaning they understand what hard work is.

#2: Millennials change jobs more often – MYTH

Job-hopping is said to be a characteristic trait of millennials, who are reputed to always be looking for greener pastures. But this just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny; Pew Research Centre published findings that show the 18-35 age group is just as likely to stick with their employers as Gen X were when they were the same age. So while millennials may change jobs a few times throughout their career, they aren’t the unsettled, disloyal workplace nomads people think they are.

Key takeaway: High millennial turnover shouldn’t be attributed to the generation – employers need to take responsibility for factors that may affect retention rates.

#3: Millennials aren’t motivated by money – MYTH

There are many articles out there claiming millennials aren’t all about the dollar signs and are instead driven by culture and benefits. While we’re not sure who started this rumour, it’s far from the truth. Almost 90% of millennials who participated in a survey conducted by Accel and Qualtrics said they would happily stay with a company for 10+ years if they were assured annual raises and potential for upward career progression – so pay and promotions.

Key takeaway: Don’t try to swap fair pay for Friday drinks.

#4: Millennials spend a lot of time on their phone – Fact

Yep, this one is true. A report by Ipsos MORI tells us that there is some truth to the idea that millennials spend more time on their phone than other generations. In 2016, people aged 16-34 spent 1,457 minutes on their phone over the course of a week. Make sure you’re sitting down: that amounts to a little more than 24 hours spent scrolling over those 7 days.

Key takeaway: Understand how millennials prefer to multitask across screens and allow mobile use that doesn’t detract from work delivery.

Did you get sucked into the myths? Or did you resist the mainstream portrayals of the youth of today? Either way, now you can shut down the office debate with the facts. You’re welcome!