How to Boost the Employee Satisfaction of Millennials

Defined as the generation born between 1981 and 1996, millennials now comprise around 35% of the workforce [1], making them the largest generational labor force.  

For HR managers, this necessitates the need for a closer look at their employee satisfaction levels. One of the reasons it needs more than a cursory examination is that millennials differ significantly from the previous generations on their attitude towards and engagement with work, as evidenced by multiple employee satisfaction surveys.

Millennials in the workplace

They are the most educated workforce in history. They graduated high school at a time when the overall graduation rate was 72% [2], the highest in 20 years. Almost 60% of them [3] are open to finding new jobs and only half are sure that they will be at their current place of employment. Unlike Generation X and Baby Boomers, millennials don’t have any special affinity towards their first job. It shouldn’t be surprising then that they are likely to change jobs 4 times [4] in the first 10 years after college.

Less than 50% [5] feel that companies behave in an ethical fashion. Close to 50% of millennials reveal that they feel stressed most of the time [6], and needless to say, among other factors, job satisfaction plays a crucial role in that. Less than a third [3] of this large workforce feels engaged at work. The majority of millennials believe that corporations are in it just for the money and have no ambition beyond that [5]. These statistics call for an in-depth review of the employee satisfaction score of millennials, and a series of urgent and long-term measures to improve their employee satisfaction.

Measures to improve millennial job satisfaction

1. Make it about something more

Millennials want their companies to look beyond profits. For corporates, this means that they have to not only stand for something that’s inclusive and inspiring but communicate that to their employees. It shouldn’t be just about financial opportunities for the company. They should look beyond the next quarter and make it about something larger than the firm. The company’s mission should inspire the largest part of its workforce. And when the occasion calls for it, the company should be ready to stand up for those values.

2. Engagement is a two-way street

Just like HR managers expect employees to feel more engaged with the companies, they should also focus on how companies can be more engaged with their employees. This can be done by detailed employee surveys after which HR managers can share a growth map with employees. This should be a regular process that lists out both parties’ responsibilities. Employee training should be tailored to the needs of the workers in mind. Perks should be imaginative and customized to suit the specific likes and desires of the employee.

3. Mentoring and sponsoring

Mere mentoring may not work. It should be focused and customized. Millennial employees should be paired with people who have the same skillsets or are from the same domain. In the beginning, mentors should be aware that millennials may not look at loyalty the same way. Beyond mentoring, outstanding millennial employees should be given an opportunity to be sponsored by C-Suite executives. This will give them access to decision-makers and increase their involvement at work.

4. Go digital-first

This is a digital-native generation that doesn’t expect and can’t tolerate delays in communication. Unnecessary firewalls and out-of-date equipment can make them look at the company in disdain. Corporates should willingly integrate all digital technologies that their employees are comfortable with. The focus should be on productivity and not archaic notions of work. This is especially true in a world where remote work and virtual meetings are becoming the norm.

Many job satisfaction surveys and studies about millennials in the workplace have shown that there is a lot more that companies can do. To increase their employee satisfaction scores, HR managers should use advanced employee-engagement platforms.

Many companies have successfully integrated Qualee’s mobile-first solutions to boost their employee satisfaction levels. With an intuitive app for employee engagement, Qualee makes it easy for companies to create compelling and inspiring employee experiences. Give Qualee a try by joining our Starter Plan today!

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/

[2] https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/reports/millennial-generation-research-review

[3] https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231587/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx

[4] https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/12/news/economy/millennials-change-jobs-frequently/

[5] https://dynamicsignal.com/2018/10/09/key-statistics-millennials-in-the-workplace/

[6] https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html