Millennials currently make up a third of the workforce and their preferences and needs are beginning to have a huge impact on the work culture and effectiveness of companies across all sector and industries. With the oldest millennials in their late thirties, they are no longer in just entry level positions, they run the gamut from early career to middle managers to leadership. Understanding their motivations and needs are critical to building an effective culture that retains top talent and delivers for you customers. Here are millennials’ top needs and the key questions you should be asking as an organizations (and some answers!). Let us know what else you seeing in the comments below or email me at jsmith@pointb.com or tweet me at @smJulie to discuss.

1. …and what organizations can do to address
their needs.
What Millennials want from work…
JULIE SMITH
@smJulie | jsmith@pointb.com
Principal, Point B
© 2016
80Million people
ages 22 – 38 1/3 of workforce

2. How do you help them connect the dots?
Help tie the company’s mission and vision and the work
they do to the big picture.
Demonstrate commitment to communities in which you
are located as well as broader world issues.
Millennials want a sense of purpose.
They want to see how their work helps the company,
customer, and world around them.
(c) 2016

3. How do you create a culture that recognizes
the value they bring?
Support individuals to develop expertise and share
information and ideas. Define clear roles in working
groups to foster understanding and respect based on
unique knowledge and insight.
Millennials want to feel valued.
Everyone can be a leader; tenure and experience should
not always outweigh knowledge and ability. Millennials
want respect for what they know and contribute.
(c) 2016

4. Millennials want to learn and grow.
Millennials want ongoing training and education; they
want to grow and learn on the job and want to share their
learning back to the organization.
What opportunities do you provide?
Provide opportunities for formal and informal learning.
Connect them to mentors (internal and external) - they
want it and respond well.
(c) 2016

5. Millennials crave immediate response.
Millennials want to provide and receive real-time
feedback. They expect acknowledgement (at the very
least) or action.
Do you give and receive feedback?
Provide ongoing feedback on performance and outcomes.
Ensure they have visibility to the impact of their work.
Welcome feedback from them.
Celebrate individual and team success – recognition can be
the best reward. (c) 2016

6. Millennials see technology as a way to
increase both productivity and connectivity.
Technology is highly intuitive for millennials and they
expect to use it to do their work. They may choose to
employ it in new or different ways.
Do you embrace technology savviness?
Keep up with technology changes and adapt organizational
practices to keep up.
Appreciate the opportunities new technologies present
and develop timely communication practices and
standards to ensure you can take advantage of them.(c) 2016

7. Millennials want to participate in company
growth and operations.
They want to share and exchange ideas to improve the
company and its offering and want to be involved in
formulation of policy.
Do you welcome input and engagement?
Tap into their energy to add creativity to corporate
development. Find ways to include millennials in the
formation of company principles and practices.
(c) 2016

8. Millennials put more emphasis on output
than process.
They want clear, objective measures for success. They
want the space to find creative solutions to business
challenges.
Are you focused on output and flexibility?
Provide clear expectations of what success looks like.
Tap into the value of variety of workstyles and
backgrounds. Allow employees to work flexible schedules
(recognizing what work occurs outside the office).
(c) 2016

9. Millennials respond best to sincerity and
authenticity.
They expect leaders and companies to live up to their
commitments and principles.
Do you walk the talk?
Ensure your organization is following through on corporate
principles and implicit promises within the organization,
community, and beyond.
(c) 2016

10. …and what organizations can do to address
their needs.
What Millennials want from work…
JULIE SMITH
@smJulie | jsmith@pointb.com
Principal, Point B
© 2016
80Million people
ages 22 – 38 1/3 of workforce