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Millennials changing the workplace

Posted on October 28th, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

Generation Y, who will make up 36 percent of the workforce in 2014, are prompting changes in the management of the workplace, EBN reported. The young workers, more commonly known as millennials, are making some companies change their organizational tactics.

Staple features of the young employees are their fast work pace and strong technological skills. Their distant demeanor, however, can be off-putting to some managers. Johnson & Johnson Executive and baby boomer Kendall O'Brien explained that their tendency to avoid eye contact and stare at their phones can make millennials seem rude and easily distracted when communicating with managers. In her experience, however, many young workers are simply taking notes or processing information.

One reason why millennials might seem disengaged is that they require engagement. One company found workers were uninspired by their monthly sales meetings, so they instead organized a series of one-on-one conversations, EBN reported. The more personalized engagement greatly increased productivity.

Another way the generation is changing the workplace is through their tendency to change jobs quickly. According to EBN, millennials usually leave their jobs after only two years, as though they prefer to be employed as temporary workers. Furthermore, a survey by PayScale revealed that Generation Y are least likely to be satisfied with their current job, which suggests that millennials could be consistently changing work during their lifetimes.

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