Want Millennials To Work For You? Don’t Have A Crappy Office, Study Shows

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A recent study by KI Furniture and global design firm HOK claims that while 90% of companies are looking to hire recent graduates, only 30% understand how this younger generation prefers to work. While I still question the generalizations, what can’t be denied is the changing face of the American workplace. Unlike older generations, Millennials have spent their entire, albeit short, professional lives in a far different environment.

“Employers can’t expect the next generation of workers to sit idly in their cubicles. For four years in college, they’ve dictated how they’ll work — day or night, alone in the library or in groups on the quad. That’s what they expect in the workplace,” claimed Jonathan Webb, a Vice President at KI Furniture and co-author of the study.

While it may be easy enough for companies to claim that the recent grads should adapt to them, not the other way around, enough companies are courting this age group with the exact perks they are asking for, and employee retention for those that don’t will continue to grow as a problem.

“Recent college grads want work environments that adapt to a variety of styles, facilitate collaboration and give employees control. Yet only 16 percent of companies respond to these needs.”

What the companies afraid of change need to realize is that the 16% willing to adapt are going to have their proverbial pick of the litter.

“In order to gain that knowledge, they should visit universities to see Millennials in action,” Webb continued. “Employers that do so will have a head start on attracting and retaining the workers of this generation — the most highly educated and tech-savvy in our nation’s history.”

Don’t assume that if your office is stuck in the 1990’s that it’s simply how the professional world works. There are enough companies out there that are as revolutionary as you are, and if they wish to compete for talent moving forward, more will follow.

[via Digital Journal]

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Hey, I saw this on Post Grad Problems. Check it out.

RogerSterlingJr

I used to write for TFM and PGP when they were funny.

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