“Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R. R. Tolkien
Not all who wander are lost is a phrase taken from a poem by J.R.R. Tolkien in the fantasy trilogy Lord of the Rings. I believe that it also happens to be an appropriate description for the current generation we know as Millennials.
About the middle of the 20th century, sociologists began naming generations as a way to understand the unique behaviors of each epoch and as a way to explain the dynamic change associated with our society. The GI Generation was born between 1901-1926. They fought in WWII, grew up in the Depression, and were described by Tom Brokaw as the greatest generation. Mature/Silents were born between 1927-1945, and were raised during a time of general economic prosperity. Telephones, televisions, and automobiles became part of every American household during this period. Baby Boomers are the post-WWII children born between 1946-1964. Boomers ushered in Rock-n-Roll, fought in or protested Vietnam, and are the largest generation in American history. It’s because of Boomers the politicians are now concerned about the solvency of Social Security. Social Security balanced when Boomers were paying into it, but is now close to insolvency as the Boomers retire and begin drawing from it. Generation X (1965-1980) is the first generation to have been raised within the transition of written text to digital media, and they tend to be much more individualistic and highly suspicious of authority. Millennials (1981-2000) are the first generation to be defined post 9/11. They are fully digital, have their cell phones glued to their ears, and get nearly all their information from the Internet.
Over the last 20 years, I have worked in an environment filled with Millennials. I have found them to be a fascinating, inspiring, and the most interesting generation in my lifetime. I have also discovered that they are a generation that is least understood by those who seek to employ them. One reason for that confusion is that Millennials have a much different set of work-related values than previous generations.
The best way to describe it is that they perceive themselves as working with an organization rather than for an organization. That subtle shift in prepositions is a huge cue in facilitating the development of a Millennial-friendly organization. [bctt tweet=”Millennials perceive themselves as working WITH an organization rather than FOR an organization.” via=”no”]
Unlike previous generations, Millennials have no sense of spending a career with one organization. They are much more nimble on their feet than previous generations. They are far less concerned about the future in terms of a secure retirement, and much more prone to uprooting and switching jobs and locations, but they are fiercely loyal to entities that have what they perceive to be the right kind of organizational culture.[bctt tweet=”Millennials are fiercely loyal to entities that, they perceive, have the right kind of organizational culture.” via=”no”]
There are in my opinion at least three key ingredients to any organization that aspires to attract—and retain—Millennials. They are:
- Be an organization that gets involved in its community. Volunteer in food pantries, homeless shelters, tutoring centers, mentoring programs or elderly home repair initiatives. In other words, find a place to volunteer that is consistent with what your organization does very well. If you’re a construction company, for example, help “season ready” the homes of the poor or elderly in your community.
- Be an organization that listens to your employees. Take the time to really know your people, rather than being the one that has all of the answers. Listen to what is said, and particularly listen to what is NOT said. You’ll learn a lot about the health of your organization.
- Be an organization that is transparent. Provide your employees with regular updates on organizational performance. Be honest and truthful about both the threats and the opportunities—and ask them for their help and insight.
[bctt tweet=”Be an organization that get’s involved in the community, listens to its employees, and is transparent! ” via=”no”]
The single most important take away from this blog post is this: with Millennials, organizational culture trumps organizational strategy every time. [bctt tweet=”With Millennials, organizational culture trumps organizational strategy every time.” via=”no”]
Investing the time in creating the “right” kind of organizational culture, regardless of the industry, will pay dividends with this generation—and beyond.
In the comments section, please add to this list of ingredients. I look froward to learning about your organization’s philosophies and programs.
