Business

Three Ways to Woo Millennials to Your Workplace

A new Deloitte survey shows millennials' workplace wants have shifted in the last year. Here are the takeaways for associations looking to attract and retain a Gen Y workforce.

What a difference a year can make.

For instance, last year many young professionals said they were planning to say goodbye to their employers. “But, after 12 months of political and social upheaval, those ambitions have been tempered,” said the freshly released Deloitte Millennial Survey 2017.

On top of that, the survey—the aggregation of nearly 8,000 interviews with millennials with both university degrees and full-time employment in 30 countries worldwide—uncovered some interesting conclusions about what this group desires at their workplace and what leaves them feeling empowered and more productive. Here are three takeaways for associations looking to recruit and retain millennials:

Underscore your stability. According to the study, the majority of millennials prefer full-time, permanent positions rather than freelance or consultant positions, citing job security and fixed income as the reasons why. With that said, associations should highlight their stability, their competitive salaries, and their handsome benefits in everything from the job posting to the interview, since these are advantages that freelance gigs simply can’t compete with.

Focus on flexibility. Nearly 70 percent of millennials surveyed report that they choose when they start and finish their workdays, and 64 percent say that they choose whether to work from home, the office, or another location. While these types of arrangements are nice for the health and happiness of the employee, they are also nice for the employer, since they seem to promote increased loyalty and greater engagement, according to the report.

“Millennials grew up having access and influence on those higher than them in the hierarchy,” said Maddie Grant, coauthor of When Millennials Take Over. “In essence, they had the stability of being cared for, but the continuous flexibility of negotiating their schedules. It is no surprise to me that they are expecting, or at least asking for, that in the workplace.”

So, if your organization is not offering flexible hours and telework options, you might consider starting since millennials can find these work cultures elsewhere.

Emphasize your mission. Close to 80 percent of those surveyed have become involved with charities and nonprofits in order to do their part to make the world a better place. What’s more, the study finds that millennials believe their workplace can be a great platform for making that difference, whether it’s a company-sponsored charity or an office-wide environmental initiative.

Associations can hit a double with this one. As nonprofits, they’re already doing work that serves a larger mission, but they should also give staff the opportunity to participate in service events and volunteer at charities. According to Deloitte, doing so will allow your millennial employees to not only gain a stronger sense of purpose but also to become more engaged at the workplace.

Millennials, essentially, want more than just a job. “They are expecting deeper needs to be met,” said Grant.

Emily Bratcher

By Emily Bratcher

Emily Bratcher is a Contributing Editor for Associations Now. MORE

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