Last year, millennials (individuals born between 1980-2000) surpassed Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest living generation.
According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials now make up 34% of the nation’s workforce – a number that is expected to grow to 50% by 2020.
This is a significant shift for companies that now have to figure out how to effectively attract, retain, and develop these younger workers. The construction industry faces particularly high obstacles in this area, given the drastic ebbs and flows of the industry.
In 2015, FMI surveyed almost 400 construction industry professionals, more than 200 of which were Millennials, in order to measure this young generation’s level of engagement and explore what a Millennial worker is truly looking for in an employer.
This article presents the survey’s key findings from the report, “Millennials in Construction: Learning to Engage a New Workforce,”1 and debunks several common myths and generational stereotypes surrounding this largely misunderstood workforce. It will also highlight what Millennials want from employers and how companies can best leverage the strengths of this young workforce.
Debunking Millennial Myths
Millennials are often saddled with a reputation for being entitled, disloyal, or self-centered. However, they are in fact dedicated and loyal to their companies. And when it comes to career aspirations, attitudes, and goals, Millennials share similar values as Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers.
Here are some ways in which many stigmas about the Millennial generation have been debunked.
Challenge & Dedication
Countering the stereotypes about Millennials being lazy and entitled, a recent survey published by the HR Policy Foundation found that more than two-thirds of companies surveyed said that their own Millennial workforce was above-average or even exceptional.2
This generation is making significant contributions in the workplace, where their technological skills, inquisitive nature, market knowledge, and drive have resulted in companies changing their policies to be more appealing to Millennials.