4 Millennial Myths that Should Not Impact Your Talent Strategy
While there is a growing number of publications on generational differences, much is incorrect or misleading. Typically information falls into one of two categories:
First, widely generalized statements that apply to anyone. Often these are a marketing exercise, like “Top 8 Tips for Managing Millennials in the Workplace.” Suggestions include tips like “explain the company vision” or “provide professional development,” neither of which are surprising or unique to Millennials.
Second are more harmful and untrue statements with no supporting evidence, such as “Millennials are notorious job-hoppers who dislike bureaucracy and hierarchies.” Data points to support these claims, if any are provided, are merely based on simple, unscientific polling and have no basis in scientific fact.
Source: Adapted from Motivation and Performance by MacRae and Furnham (Kogan Page, 2017)
I’d like to think that I’m not a person with many pet peeves. I generally don’t get bothered by very much, and even if I do, it passes quickly. But there’s one specific set of misinformation that totally drives me up the wall, has for years, and will continue to as long as we build our talent strategies around it. That information, as you may have guessed from the title of this post, is about Millennials.
It’s one thing to passively listen to or read something about Millennial generalizations that makes vague claims, but when we as business leaders start making plans for budgeting around what we assume to be true, nothing good can come of this. In other words, how would you like to be the one that budgets for a “Millennial engagement project” only to find out after the fact that it was a waste of time, resources, and effort?
Below is a podcast interview I performed with a friend and colleague focusing on four key myths about managing Millennials. Every business leader should listen to this as it’s one of the most common issues or challenges I hear about in the workplace and it’s only going to become more so over time. In the conversation I make some shocking claims about other workplace demographics to try and demonstrate the point that overgeneralizing and stereotyping is the best way to sabotage critical talent planning and execution.
Listen to the Episode
Episode URL: https://beneubanks.podbean.com/e/were-only-human-28-4-millennial-myths-and-a-very-hard-truth/
Show Notes
Millennials are entitled–they think they need a trophy. Millennials need constant praise and feedback. Millennials can’t survive without technology.
These kinds of conversations happen every day at employers globally. But are they true? Do they reflect reality? In this episode, I talk with Kristina Minyard (a fellow Millennial) about some of these and other comments that are directed at Millennials around the world
It’s hard to get through a day today without hearing something about Millennials in the workplace. Recently this demographic group surpassed all others, taking the slot as the largest population in the workplace. In this entertaining and insightful episode, listeners will not only change how they think about Millennials and generations in the workplace–they will also rethink some of the marketing messages they see targeting this group on a daily basis.
If you enjoy the episode, be sure to give us a rating on iTunes! We appreciate it.
Connect with Kristina on Twitter: http://twitter.com/hrecruit
Learn more about Ben’s new book on how artificial intelligence technologies are changing the face of HR: http:/AIHRBook.com
Ben Eubanks is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He is an author, speaker, and researcher with a passion for telling stories and making complex topics easy to understand.
His latest book Talent Scarcity answers the question every business leader has asked in recent years: “Where are all the people, and how do we get them back to work?” It shares practical and strategic recruiting and retention ideas and case studies for every employer.
His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, is the world’s most-cited resource on AI applications for hiring, development, and employee experience.
Ben has more than 10 years of experience both as an HR/recruiting executive as well as a researcher on workplace topics. His work is practical, relevant, and valued by practitioners from F100 firms to SMB organizations across the globe.
He has spoken to tens of thousands of HR professionals across the globe and enjoys sharing about technology, talent practices, and more. His speaking credits include the SHRM Annual Conference, Seminarium International, PeopleMatters Dubai and India, and over 100 other notable events.