Why hiring millennials is a challenge that needs to be overcome

There are three types of individuals in today’s workforce. First came the baby boomers. Born between 1946 and 1964, most of them have, today, reached their retirement age, while others are heading towards it.

The second group has the Gen X, sandwiched between the baby boomers and the millennials. While there isn’t a specific birth date of birth for this class of individuals, most of them were born from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s.

Finally, we have the millennials, those born between 1989-2002. Digitally savvy and ambitious, the millennial force presently occupies 75 percent of the job market. Their mindset and skills differ from other generations and hence the method of recruiting a millennial is different from that of the baby boomers or the Gen X.

Today, the consumer demographic is mostly comprised of millennials, hence there is a need to hire those who think like them. This way, customer satisfaction is guaranteed. Also, some of the jobs present challenges that can only be handled by those with young blood and ample strength, unlike those from the previous generations who may be less agile because of their age.

However, hiring millennials comes with its own set of challenges. Some of them are:

Career expectations

Due to the amount of effort and cost that millennials put into their education, they always desire higher paying jobs, and are dissatisfied when they find themselves working with low pay and little responsibility. Also, many become frustrated with the processes and the time it takes to earn higher pay and responsibility.

Technology in companies

These days, millennials expect a company to be tech savvy especially during their hiring process. They also require the company to be active on social media. If a company doesn’t maintain its online presence, it’s challenging for the candidates to locate the company, and vice versa. Millennials feel that a company that is less tech savvy is nearing extinction, and they would much rather choose a place where their future is secure.

Faster career advancement

Usually, the norm of every organization is that career advancement is earned by seniority and the length of service. However, millennials disagree. They prefer an environment where the climb up the ladder is quicker and is based on the results they provide. They feel frustrated and unproductive when the climb is slow.

Entrepreneurial spirit

In today market, there is a greater risk losing talented millennials, because most millennials wish to be self-employed. They want to be in control of their growth, income, and time. Hence, employers need to create a more lucrative working environment that empowers employees and encourages entrepreneurial change. Making these changes will help in growing a business with a large millennial workforce.

Ambition

Employers are finding it difficult to fulfil the ambition of the millennials, as they are more impatient in their careers compared to baby boomers and the Gen X. Companies and employers are investing in human resources to understand and work with millennial behaviors. They have devised a way to tackle this challenge by creating transitional career steps and job titles that sound great for young job seekers.

Hunger to learn

Not only are they ambitious, but millennials are always up for new experiences. Employers and companies need to adapt to these personal goals of the millennials by creating opportunities that will make millennials grow in experience. This can be done by engaging them in challenging assignments and projects that will stimulate their creativity. You will be amazed by the new ways millennials will invent things; nothing is impossible for millennials. For instance, they are capable of working overseas to attain experience and this can be a potential resource for businesses that have the vision of going global.

In a nutshell, to hire a millennial and use her resources to grow the company, it is necessary that the human resources team and senior management think like one. Build a work culture that provides ease of working and flexibility, along with providing them opportunities to grow.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)