The 21st-century workplace is changing fast. The youngest generations of workers differ in key ways from those who came before and companies need to make major changes to motivate and inspire these digital natives.
Millennials – loosely defined as those born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s – already make up a sizable chunk of the workforce and, according to Deloitte, are predicted to make up 75% of employees globally by 2025. Their successors, Generation Z, are just beginning to enter the workplace. Having come of age during and after the 2008 financial crisis, these workers expect to work hard to stand out from the crowd to their employers and value the freedom to work flexibly as a trade off.
Joe Wade, founder of advertising agency Don’t Panic, whose workforce is made up of 85% millennials and Gen Z, says: “Compared with my generation, they’re harder working, more professional and tend to be adaptable and flexible. Working in a corner on a laptop, from home or at a desk is all the same to them.”
This is a principle that global travel search site Skyscanner has embedded into its workplace culture. Half of its employees are under 32 and, says Paula Humphry, senior talent manager of early careers programmes, they value the lack of strict hours and the ability to sign off their own holiday. “We hire the best, and we trust them to do their jobs,” she says. “There’s a lot of autonomy, which appeals to younger employees, who might, in other companies, feel that they’re managed very tightly.”
Workplace freedom and autonomy can, however, mean that they need to be reminded to clock off. Their tech-savviness and deep attachment to social media means that some workers can be always “on” and find it difficult to make themselves unavailable outside office hours. “We tend to spend more time telling people to check out rather than check in, reminding them it’s their holiday, they’re up a mountain and no, they don’t need to get on that conference call!” says Wade.
Being constantly plugged in via technology means young employees have been forced to merge work and life, believes Maria Raga, CEO of social selling app Depop, whose workforce is 80% under 35 – a sizable 37% of whom are under 25. As long as employers remind their staff to take time off and unplug as much as possible, this can be beneficial for companies, suggests Raga. “At Depop, interacting with our community is key, so it’s not uncommon to have users visiting the office, shaping new product features and even becoming friends with employees.”
Young people also expect a comfortable workplace. “They’re concerned with their working environment,” says Marisa Hordern, founder and creative director of designer jewellery brand Missoma, whose team comprises 82% millennials. “We decorate the space to make it open and attractive. The idea of ‘office goals’ is important and you need to make the office inviting.” Social media makes it easier than ever to see inside other people’s workplaces, so young employees want to be proud of theirs.
‘A palette of places’
Many companies now realise that a “palette of places” is the most productive way of laying out an office, and workers appreciate the freedom to vary their immediate work setting. Humphry says that Skyscanner’s workplaces are open plan, but also have quiet booths, themed meeting rooms and various different spaces in which to work. “There are also table tennis and games rooms, meditation areas and break-out spaces,” she adds.
It’s important for companies to have a relaxed atmosphere and a non-hierarchical structure if they are to retain young employees, says Hordern, who describes Missoma as more like “a close-knit family, where everyone mucks in, than a corporate environment. Everyone’s opinion counts and we listen to all suggestions and ideas. Plus, we don’t ask anyone to do anything we wouldn’t do ourselves – even taking out the bins.”
Missoma has an informal dress code and team bonding is key, with regular drinks, birthday celebrations and company gym sessions. “[The generation] is also health conscious, so we buy fruit baskets every week. Little things like that are really appreciated,” Hordern says. “Make the workplace enjoyable and people look forward to being part of the team, coming to work and giving you their best.
Feedback and encouragement
Research by PricewaterhouseCoopers suggests that younger workers particularly appreciate regular feedback and encouragement. “We have a recognition programme where everyone gets a chance to nominate the employee of the week and highlight their contribution to the team,” says Raga. Depop also has a buddy initiative where it puts together people who may not have otherwise been able to exchange feedback and ideas.
According to PWC, millennials and Generation Z also consider personal development opportunities and quality of life as more important than financial reward. “We believe they’re less motivated by linear career progression and more by the chance to do meaningful work,” says Humphry. Ergo, Skyscanner offers a personalised 18-month graduate programme that includes a variety of work and international travel opportunities, offering the chance to build a global network of colleagues with whom they can share ideas. “It’s important to motivate all generations of employees, but we certainly believe that millennials look to constantly learn and develop, and we’re very aware of ensuring we fulfil that need,” Humphry adds.
The first step to motivating the youngest generation of employees, however, is to actually hire them. “Studies show that only 4% of people employed in the world are under 25, so [Depop is] very different to most other businesses,” Raga says. Employers should listen to and empower them, and ensure they don’t get too comfortable in order to keep the younger generations on their toes. “You need to keep learning, changing and innovating,” she adds.
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