One of the biggest challenges that companies face is integrating new generations of workers into their business, including millennials. HR professionals have to make their companies attractive to these young tech-savvy workers, but how? What do millennials expect from their employer? This article will unpack these questions for you. You’ll also learn 3 reasons why millennials want to work for a company that uses Google Workspace.
But first, let’s take a closer look at who we’re talking about when we mention millennials.
Who are the millennials?
The millennials were born between 1981 and 1996 and they are currently between 25 and 40 years old. Most of them were kids or even teenagers when the internet and then smartphones took off. This gives them certain expectations towards their employer in terms of technology usage.
Millennials are sometimes accused of being entitled and lazy, but is it accurate?
Myths about millennials
“They’re lazy, entitled, and narcissistic. But they will save us all”. These are the words of Joel Stein, a famous journalist who wrote for the Los Angeles Times. In one of his articles about millennials, he complained about how demanding and entitled they are, but ultimately concluded that “they will save us.” This is the heart of the matter : millennials have expectations and companies have no choice but to adapt to them, otherwise they won’t attract these young workers.
Despite the accusations, millennials are driven by success and achievement. They may be young, but they are serious about their careers.
However, this is a double-edged sword. Millennials can stay with an employer for a long time, but only if their personal goals are met. If it’s not the case, they have no problem leaving a company, even after just a few months. According to research firm Gallup, millennials change jobs three times more often than previous generations.
But what do they really want? It can be summarised in the three following bullet points.
What do millennials really want?
According to a research conducted by The Intelligence Group, millennials want :
- To be coached : 72% want to be their own boss, but if they have to work for one, 79% of them would want that boss to act as a mentor
- To collaborate : 88% want to work in a collaborative environment rather than a competitive one
- To be connected and flexible : 74% want flexible work schedules and remote work prospects
These are imperatives to attract millennials. Collaboration, communication, and frequent feedback tools are very important for them, and they are also a cornerstone of Google Workspace.
There are many reasons why your company should switch to Google Workspace, one of them being that it acts as a magnet for millennial job seekers.
Here are 3 reasons why millennials want to work for a company that uses Google Workspace.
Most millennials are already proficient with Google Workspace
There’s a high chance that the millennials you will interview used Google Docs to write their thesis or to collaborate on a group project. If that group project also required a presentation, you can include Google Slides as well. As for Gmail, it is almost a given.
In other words, millennials are more likely to apply for a job if the company can highlight the fact that they use applications and tools that are familiar to them.
{% video_player “embed_player” overrideable=False, type=’scriptV4′, hide_playlist=True, viral_sharing=False, embed_button=False, autoplay=False, hidden_controls=False, loop=False, muted=False, full_width=False, width=’570′, height=’320′, player_id=’55077121699′, style=” %}
Google Workspace is designed for communication & collaboration
As mentioned previously, collaboration, communication and frequent feedback are very important for millennials.
Everything about Google Workspace was built with collaboration in mind : achieving goals as a team in a faster and easier way by working on the same file simultaneously, for instance. Millennials are used to working this way and they won’t settle for any less.
Google Workspace is designed for flexibility and mobility
No internet access? No problem! Google Workspace can be accessed from any browser or mobile device, either online or offline. Whether it’s about real-time team chat, checking calendars or virtual Google Voice phone calls, the flexibility that millennials can get from Google Workspace is massive. It is also exactly what they look for.
These are three reasons why millennials want to work for a company that uses Google Workspace. But there is actually a fourth one as well.
Google Workspace and innovation go hand in hand
According to the Millennial Career Survey, millennials rank Google as a top three company that they dream to work for. The reasons cited are : opportunity to innovate, create, grow, and make meaningful contributions.
Google applications and tools carry an innate “cool factor” because it is part of a company that so many millennials love. Switching to Google Workspace might just be the right thing to do to get that “sexiness” that is necessary to attract young talents.
As an HR leader, do not assume that millennials are “not here to stay”. It is a common assumption about young job seekers. The fact is that millennials are more than willing to stay with an employer if a culture of collaboration and flexibility can be provided to them, as well as coaching.
Google Workspace was built in an effort to make workplaces more inclusive, flexible, and collaborative. If you feel that your company is struggling to attract millennials, ask yourself if your technological set up and culture match their expectations.
If you would like to find out more ways in which you can make your workplace millennial friendly, join our webinar dedicated for HR Leaders. We will discuss the topics of attracting and retaining young talents and how Google Workspace can help.
