You’ve probably worked for your fair share of different companies over the years. And younger generations, millennials specifically, report higher rates of job-hopping than any generation before. In fact, 21% of millennials say they’ve changed jobs in the past year, while 60% report being open to a different job opportunity, according to Gallup’s report
How Millennials Want to Work and Live1.
But why is this?
If you read the news, you’d find one of the dozens of articles about how millennials are killing industries of old. Napkins, cable TV, diamonds, fast casual dining: the list goes on and on. But what’s lurking beneath the surface of all those stories and statistics is a lack of engagement.
Gallup’s report found that only 29% of millennials are engaged at work, while 55% are not engaged at work. They report being “checked out,” only showing up to put in the hours. This self-reported behavior appears to be a desire to do something different. Gallup suggests that millennials want a worthwhile career, and will keep looking until they find it.
The big challenge, then, is to create spaces where worthwhile careers can emerge.
Oddly enough, the oldest millennials are now entering their 40s. Generation Z is just beginning to enter the workforce, and will probably have different desires still.
So Millennials are disengaged at work, how do you solve this problem and ensure your company’s future success? Forbes Business Council member and partner of
Bonfire Jason Mayo says company culture is “about trust and mutual respect.”
2
“It's about creating an environment that feels safe and fosters creative thinking,”
he wrote for Forbes. “It's about allowing people to feel vulnerable but not fearful. Most importantly, it's about a shared vision throughout the organization, from the receptionist to the CMO.”
Establishing this culture starts at the top, and trickles down. Leaders lead by example, and employees will follow that example, for better or worse.
Stories have power, and every individual is unique. At Spark!, our workshop training “
Origins: The Power of Personal Story” is designed to guide you and your team through reclaiming your stories, and sharing them with others.
When we understand ourselves and listen to others and what they need, we build connections and forge a foundation of mutual trust and respect. This foundation is the first step toward building good company culture and leads to effective collaboration across all levels of your business.
Empty space, drag to resize
1 Adkins, A. (n.d.). Millennials: The Job-Hopping Generation. Gallup. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231587/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx
2 Mayo, J. (2019, November 21). Building Culture From The Top Down. Forbes. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2019/11/21/building-culture-from-the-top-down/?sh=5f2aea1540ea
