EXPECTATIONS OF MILLENNIALS FROM THEIR

SUPERIORS AT WORKPLACE

GROUP 10
Shubhendu Satsangi (253)
Monika Srinivas P (228)
Sourabh Chopra (254)
 INDEX

Acknowledgement
Abstract
Introduction
Observations and results
Analysis
Conclusion
References
 ABSTRACT

This report aims to provide an insight into the minds of new graduates entering the
workforce for the first time or after taking a certain time break. There are a lot of studies
conducted about who Millennials are and what do they think and value and how do they
behave as they gain more experience in their workplace. But as the millennials begin
their working lives what exactly are their expectations from their employer? The
purpose of this report is to provide an overview on the generational differences in
expectations at workplace and to check if there is a necessity to revise the existing
strategies in workplaces by employers.
 INTRODUCTION

Millennials, also known as Generation Y are the demographic cohort following

Generation X. They are typically born between 1980 and 2000. This millennial
generation is now entering employment in vast numbers and will shape the world of
work for years to come. Hence attracting the best of these millennial employees is
critical to the future of the business world. Their career aspirations, attitudes about work
and knowledge of new technologies will define the work culture of the 21st century.

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, Millennials will be the largest

generation in the workforce by then end of 2015 (which is rapidly approaching). This
should not be shocking considering Millennials are quickly becoming the most
influential population in our market today as they are graduating from college and
reaching their peak employment years.

These Millennials are entering the workforce and they are bringing with them a new
perception of what office life should be like and how relationships between employers
and employees should be structured. In order to create the most Millennial friendly
workplace, there are a few things you should know about the generation that will
represent nearly 75 percent of the work force by 2030.

1. They want to grow, even if that means growing out of your company.

Can you guess the average tenure of Millennial employees? Two years. In the span of
a professional career, two years seems to hardly make dent. In comparison, the
average tenure for Gen X employees is five years and seven years for Baby Boomers.
One of the primary reasons Millennials are more likely to change jobs is because they
are not willing to stick around if they do not believe they are receiving any personal
benefit or growth.

Millennials embrace a strong entrepreneurial mindset and they are often on the
lookout for opportunities that can continue to move them up the ladder, even if that
means up and out of their current position. As digital natives, Millennials have grown
up in an era where the number of resources they have is almost infinite making them
more efficient problem solvers and critical thinkers.

In order to keep up with this fast-moving generation, dont slow them down. If you
notice your Millennial employees looking for more advanced opportunities give them
more challenging work or encourage them to keep moving. Sound crazy? Its not. If a
Millennial employee feels like their bosses are invested in their personal growth they
will be more likely to develop a stronger relationship not just with the company but
with the people in it.
2. They want a coach, not a boss.

Piggy backing off of the previous insight, Millennial employees expect greater
accessibility to the leadership in their offices and are looking for more mentorship
rather than just direction. Research shows that the number one reason Millennials are
likely to leave their current job is because of their boss. Creating an environment
where Millennial employees feel supported and valued by the leadership will lead to
increased productivity and valuable relationships.

That means that employee/employer relationships must extend beyond just the formal
annual work review. According to a recent survey conducted by TriNet, a company
dedicated to providing HR solutions, 69 percent of Millennials see their companys
review process as flawed. A major reason for this is because of the lack of feedback
throughout the year. The survey also found that three out four Millennials feel in dark
about their performance and nearly 90 percent would feel more confident if they had
ongoing check-ins with their bosses.

The more frequent the check-ins are, the better, said Rob Hernandez, Perform
Product Manager at Trinet. The biggest issue with the annual review process is the
formality. There is often more emphasis on reflection rather than opportunities for
improvement in the future.

3. They dont want to waste time on the little things.

According to another survey from TriNet, business expense reporting procedures by

some companies have caused negative impact on Millennials. This includes their
personal finances and ability to take advantage of professional opportunities leading
some Millennials to look for other jobs. Three out of five respondents to the survey
reported that they have had problems paying a personal bill because they were waiting
for an expense reimbursement from their employer and Millennials are 21
percent more likely than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers to have difficulty paying a
personal bill because they were waiting to be reimbursed for business expenses.

More than half of employees who responded to the survey also said they have given
up the opportunity to attend a conference, training or other professional opportunities
because their employers reimbursement policy made it too difficult. We already
know that professional development is vital to Millennial employment satisfaction.
While many employers are willing to invest in expensive growth opportunities, their
outdated reimbursement processes could be turning this important benefit from
tempting to tedious.

It is surprising that any employer should lose Millennial employees due to archaic
expense reporting policies when there are inexpensive, reliable and efficient expense
reporting tools readily available. The most successful brands with high Millennial
retention are adopting a cloud-based app, with a mobile component, that allows them
to fully automate the expense-reporting processfrom anywhere. Expense-reporting
technology cuts down tremendously on administrative time, reimbursement time,
human errors and potentially the loss of valuable Millennial employees.

4. They want balance and democracy.

It is no secret that Millennials have inspired a new wave of consumer democracy in

our market today. Dont believe me? Just take a look at some of the fastest growing
brands. Uber, GoPro, Airbnb, and more have all built their companies on the idea of
consumer equality in regards to accessibility and shared consciousness. For
Millennials, there is no reason why these same principles cannot be transitioned into
the workplace.

Millennials have very much re-imagined the 40-hour work week with many
employers working to provide more benefits and waste less time commuting a win
for both the enlightened company, as well as the employee. An estimated three million
Americans work from home and that number is expected to increase 63 percent over
the next five years. According to Pew Research Centre, if they were able to make
their current job more flexible, 64 percent of Millennials want to occasionally work
from home and 66 percent would like to shift their hours.

This is not a result of Millennial laziness. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Millennials
base their performance on output rather than time spent on a project. By focusing on
number of hours rather than quality of work, employers are setting a standard that can
neither be beaten nor lost. Millennial employees are happy to work long hours on the
projects that require additional time however, they do not want to sit around the office
until 5pm if their work was completed two hours earlier.

While keeping these four things is mind is imperative as you start to increase the
number of Millennials in your office, the most important thing to remember is
that Millennials no longer work for you; they work with you.

As the most collaborative and inclusive generation to date, these young adults expect
their place of work to embrace the same idealism and values they hold so dear.
Creating an environment that aligns with the participation economy will be your
biggest opportunity to create a company where Millennials not only want to work, but
seek out as a top professional career.

If you want to attract and retain great employees, it pays to be a great boss. Here are
some simple expectations that the best employees have of their bosses:
1. Be consistent with meaningful communication.
Smart employees want clear expectations and communication when it comes to whats
expected of them. The No. 1 problem people cite with their bosses and managers is a
lack of communication. If you can improve your communication skills and create a
culture of open communication with your team, you will go a long way to creating an
environment where the best employees will be happy.
2. Give recognition and praise.
Across the board, most people like to feel appreciated in their job. According
to Entrepreneur, 65 percent of employees would be happier if they got more
recognition at work, whereas only 35 percent say they would be happier if they got a
raise. If you can build a routine of recognition and praise, you will encourage your
best employees to be happy at work and therefore stay. Dont worry too much
about awards or rewards; words go a long way.
3. Provide feedback, mentorship, and training.
The best employees want to improve and grow, and crave a development and
mentorship role from their managers. Watch for opportunities to teach, to provide
additional support, or to invite the right training for your employees. Making
individual development a part of every job description is an excellent way to
encourage and retain strong employees (and help them get even stronger).
4. Create a work culture by design.
Good bosses find ways to foster a sense of community at work. Great bosses build
that culture intentionally. A big part of that is finding and attracting the right team
members and making sure that the wrong ones move on quickly. Nothing can hurt
morale of your best employees more than feeling like theyre supporting a poor team
member. Culture design is also about making sure those team members are in the right
roles, the ones that make the best use of their particular talents and skills.
5. Create a safe space for failure.
Employees who trust that their failures will be met with constructive feedback and
support are more likely to think creatively, work outside the box, and come up with
innovative solutions to problems. Its important to foster a sense that you succeed and
fail together as a team, so that no one is thrown under the bus. If people are too busy
worrying about losing their job to take chances, youll never get their best work out of
them.
6. Provide strong leadership and a clear vision
The captain must steer the ship. If leadership doesnt know where a project or
company is headed, how can the employee know? This isnt just about action steps or
deliverables, either, but a clear vision of the department or companys future that you
can communicate to your employees. The best employees feel more confident when
they feel that someone is steering the ship competently.
7. Hold yourself and others accountable
Many bosses hold their staff accountable, but the best hold themselves accountable as
well. This means adhering to the same guidelines you set for your employees and
taking responsibility for both team successes and failures. If your employees feel like
you have their back, no matter what, they are much more comfortable and confident in
their jobs, and will produce better work and stay longer.
8. Demonstrate good problem solving
Employees need their boss to be consummate problem solvers. You need to be able to
not only spot a problem before it becomes a catastrophe, but brainstorm successful
and innovative ways to fix it. When an employee comes to a manager with a problem,
he or she needs to have confidence that they will get the help they need to fix it.
9. Avoid micromanaging
Learn to understand the art of delegation. One employee once told me that the best
bosses have fired themselves from their previous job meaning that they dont
interfere in the day-to-day and minute-to-minute workflow or processes. In essence,
learning to delegate instead of micromanage is about trust, and the best employees
want to feel trusted, and thrive in that environment.
10. Be an effective decision maker
Sometimes the worst position an employee can be in is when they are waiting for a
decision from above. Effective bosses must be effective decision makers. You cannot
vacillate over every tiny decision. Being able to make decisions quickly and
decisively and then take responsibility for the outcome (see number 7) is an
important business skill, especially when managing others. The more quickly and
effectively you can make decisions, the better your employees can implement them,
and that makes employees feel more efficient and effective.
11. Put people first
A great employee is going to want to find a job that fits his or her lifestyle and
work/life balance needs. The best bosses understand that there must be a balance
between the company or clients needs and the needs of his or her employees. You
must be willing to listen and talk about any issues an employee may be having and
understand that a happy employee is a more productive employee.
12. Manage up, down, and sideways
Managers are expected to manage the people below them on the corporate hierarchy,
but the best bosses also have ways of managing their superiors and co-workers on
behalf of their team. This might mean effective communication, managing
expectations, and requesting help in a timely manner. This sort of support is key from
an employees perspective, who may not have any direct contact with those other
partners.
13. Be honest
Theres nothing worse than a boss who says one thing and does another and
nothing will make a great employee start looking for a new position any faster than
being lied to. Just as managers must trust their team, employees must trust their boss
to have their best interests at heart. Its always going to be in your best interest to be
honest with your employees. (This is also a great way to ensure that they want to be
honest with you.)
14. Be dedicated and balanced
The very best bosses Ive seen are passionate about their work; they live and breathe
their jobs and strive to do the best work possible. Yet at the same time, they have lives
outside of work. They understand the need to balance family and work or play and
work. And they set a good example of how to do that for their employees. Employees
want to know that their outside lives are understood and valued because they can see
that you value life outside the office as well.
OBSERVATIONS:
In order to see how relevant are the above expectations among the millennials, we
conducted a small survey. The questionnaire is as follows:
The observations are as follows: