The Work from Home revolution. The Great Resignation. Wordle taking over our work days and barely leaving us any time to eat or shower. If you’re someone who’s been paying any attention to the workplace, you’re not alone if you’re thinking “what the hell is going on?”
The truth is that even we, as Millennials, aren’t even really sure of the answer to that question. But we’ll do our best to try to answer it in this article.
Who is a Millennial?
First thing’s first—let’s talk about who we’re talking about when we use the phrase “Millennial”. While the word has become a kind of catch-all phrase to refer to young people, a lot of Millennials aren’t so young anymore.
Okay, so maybe that’s a hard pill to swallow. We don’t have to go so far as to call Millennials old yet. But the phrase “aging Millennials” or the even more flattering “geriatric Millennial” is a thing for a reason. Millennials can be largely defined as anyone born between the years 1981 and 1996, and because this is a broad range, it’s safe to say that this is a diverse and varied age group that’s hard to put in a basket.
However, there are some things that most if not all Millennials have in common. They came of age right around the Millennium. They were working their first jobs around the time of the Great Recession. They remember the glory (shame?) of MySpace. And they have an insatiable hunger for avocado toast.
Okay, we’re joking with that last one. The most important thing to remember is that Millennials make up the largest segment in the workplace and by 2025 a whopping 75% of the workforce is going to be a Millennial. More over, boomers and Generation X—the Millennials run the show now. And there’s early signs that show that things are about to get pretty different.
Why should we care about Millennials in the workplace?
As more and more Millennials enter the workforce, more Millennials will find themselves in positions of power. This means that we are likely to see a shift in the way that we think about work in society.
So what are our new Millennial overlords going to bring to the table? It’s still a bit early to say for sure, but there are some patterns that are already showing up.
Working Millennials: 5 trends that stick out
COVID-19 is still a thing (ugh)
Poor Millennials. As we mentioned above, many in this age group had to deal with finding their first jobs during economic tough times. Then, while many of them are in the prime of their working life, they’ve had to deal with a large-scale global pandemic.
Unfortunately, in 2022, COVID-19 is still very much a presence in our day-to-day lives. It would be hard to sum up the effects that the pandemic has had on employers in just one paragraph, especially since it largely depends in the industry. However, there’s no denying that the pandemic has shaped the job market considerably, and has also changed the way we work. Which brings us to our next point.
Remote work is king
Millennials are a digitally-savvy generation, with most individuals in this age range growing up with access to a computer from a young age. As a result, many Millennials work in jobs where they rely on the use of a computer. For these Millennials, being able to do these jobs from home is a huge plus. Two-thirds of Millennials feel like remote work gives them a better work-life balance. As a result, it’s been harder for workplaces to retain talent if they aren’t able to offer at the very least a hybrid set-up.
Millennials love office accessories
Millennials spend less than other generations. The reason for this is simple—for many of the reasons that we’ve already touched on, Millennials, on average, just don’t have a lot of money. Times are tough out there.
However, when Millennials do shop, they shop with purpose. And, with so many Millennials working from home, it’s no wonder that home office accessories are such a hit among this age group. After all, they’re been innovating new office trends for years.
Job hopping
For better or for worse, Millennials will have, on average, 7.8 jobs over their course of adulthood. There’s a reason why they’re called the “job hopping generation”. Some pundits may say that this is because Millennials are never satisfied, but there’s probably a more sinister reason for this. It can be hard to get a raise without changing careers, and with inflation higher than ever, it’s more important than ever to get a raise.
Many Millennials employ themselves
Many Millennials are turning to self-employment as a viable career option—and many more are loving it. The most likely reason for this is that it affords them a better work-life balance, but it’s also possible that Millennials see this as an opportune way to combine their passions with their careers and chase that “dream job” they’ve always wanted.
Whether you are a Millennial yourself or you’re working on a team with Millennials, one thing is clear—this age group is hard-working and determined. If you’re looking for a voice-over talent who understands the Millennial existence, consider hiring us, Ian and Maria. It’s an easy way to appeal to one of the world’s most coveted demographics.