New Research Release: What we need to know NOW about our largest generation

The Millennial Generation Today: Impact of the economic environment on recruitment, retention and engagement white paper is available online at www.sbrconsult.com.  The white paper is available complimentary.

Almost 1,200 Millennials (21 to 30 years old) participated in the national online survey to gauge how this generation feels about working in corporate America, thoughts on future employment decisions, and changing consideration of what’s important about work and their future. 

So what did our survey find? Here are a few key highlights…

• We have entered a “flight pattern” of workers wanting to find new employment opportunities. 70% of Millennials say there is a possibility they will change jobs.
• Women are more likely than men to consider leaving.
• Top three priorities are compensation, flexible work schedule and opportunity to make a difference.
• Despite the economic reality, 70% are positive about their future in general.
• Only 41% make saving for retirement a priority.

Results include findings on Millennials and the Workplace (will they stay or go, what’s important and the continual layoff affect), the Education Debate (high cost versus ROI and does your degree work for you?) and Future Visions (retirement, entrepreneurism and CSR impact). 

Take a moment and read through the white paper and then let us know your thoughts on the results.  We look forward to engaging in conversation with you.

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Follow our blog over the next few months as we talk with experts from areas related to our findings to dig deeper into the story of our data.  Up first is Shay Prosser, author of Get It Together – The Real-World Money Guide for Graduates.  She’ll discuss her thoughts on the retirement findings and the financial impact of our new economic normal on this generation. Look for her blog interview on Monday, May 23, 2011.

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere

This generational moment brought to you by Marc Donelson, learning and development strategist, The Shaw Power Group. 

During a discussion with a VP, who is probably in his upper 60s and a year or two away from retirement, he told me that one of his frustrations is that “kids these days” are always looking at the clock. When five o’clock hits, they all leave. In his day, he said that if you were working on something, you stayed late until you finished it. There were a lot of late nights but the dedication to the job was so much higher. He also mentioned that he had one divorce to show for it. He had frustration for kids today who just don’t show that same level of commitment and never stay late to finish a project.

I responded by saying that the “kids these days” are the children that watched their dads work long hours that caused many broken homes. We are the kids that were left behind when our parents divorced. Now that we are adults, we aren’t willing to sacrifice that family time. We may leave sharply at five o’clock so we can be home for dinner and family time; however, we’ll log back into work at eight o’clock after the kids go to bed and continue working. We watched our parents and decided that we didn’t want to make the same mistakes they did. At the same time, our kids now are watching us, and their general behaviors towards work are being shaped by a behavior that we are displaying. Our kids will work differently to correct a mistake that we are making, whether we see it as a mistake or not.

I believe the moment Marc shared is being experienced throughout many, many companies.  I hear it from clients and colleagues all the time.  This impact – of valuing time and life outside of work – has been shaping the workplace and workforce for a few years now, but it is not consistent throughout all companies.  Depending on how progressive a company is and if leadership ”gets it,” the embrace of different values, defining what’s important and how (and when) work should get done varies.  And it’s that variety that will have some companies winning the talent retention game while others will surely come up on the losing end.  Where does your company fall?

All Things Generational – Moments to Share

When was your last generational moment?  You know, that moment when you realize you aren’t connecting with the other person and you distinctively know it has to do with your age difference or an experience they can’t relate to because they weren’t born yet when it happened.  Have a good one? If so, let’s share.  Through the month of August, I’ll be posting different generational moments here on my blog – some are mine and some belong to others.  Enjoy!

Entering the 3^rd Dimension

Entering the 3^rd dimension…that’s how I felt recently during a conversation with my mom.  Some background – my mom is an older Boomer (but looks so much younger) and I am a younger Gen Xer.  Eight weeks ago my daughter was born so my mom was in town helping out.  With a company, a husband who owns a restaurant and an active 2-year-old son, I can use a lot of help.  One particular visit after disciplining my son, I was explaining to my mom about our new “time out” routine so she could help keep the discipline consistent. 

After I finished my explanation and dropped exhaustedly on the couch, my mom says, “You know…he is getting to the age where you need to reason with him.”  My mouth hit the floor as I stared at her.  My parents never reasoned with my brother and me.  They parented more like traditionalists – ”do as I say because I’m the parent, not your friend.“  

So the 180-degree change in parenting caught me completely off guard.  After I picked my mouth off the floor, I looked at her and said, “I’m not raising a brat – he’ll do as I say because I’m the parent.”  And I added “Who are you and what have you done with my mom?” as she laughed.  

I would have told you that my comment about not raising a brat made me sound like my mother, but I guess not.  Or maybe her parenting is now grandparenting and the rules are considerably different.   

Bueller…Bueller…

This is a generational moment brought to you by Colleen Brannon, President of Branstorm PR.

Whenever someone doesn’t respond to me, I follow up with a ‘Bueller?’ (based on the 80s Ferris Bueller movie) and more times than not, 20-somethings have no idea what I’m talking about. Yet those my age and beyond get it the first time and LOL (laugh out loud).

If you don’t know what she is talking about, I highly recommend you order Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Netflix and watch it.  It’s an opportunity to connect with someone in a different generation (and enjoy a good movie). 

Have your own moment to share?

Please email it to me at stacey@sbrconsult.com or post a comment.  Check back on August 9th and every Monday after in August for additional moments.