Characteristics of Millennials/8 Characteristics/How to hire and engage these professionals

Millennials, or Generation Y, are known for their creativity, thirst for learning, and ambition. This generation grew up surrounded by new technologies, a large flow of information, the emergence of new online environments and the desire for professional success. In this article we will describe the Characteristics of Millennials. 

Born between 1980 and 2000, millennials have a more active, innovative, curious and creative behavioral profile . Therefore, in general, they are people who adapt better to dynamic and interactive environments, in which they can propose new ideals and actions.

Understanding what are the main characteristics of Generation Y is essential for companies to be able to adapt their culture and routine to receive these young professionals, who have a lot to contribute to the success of their organization.

Thinking about helping you and your company to welcome the new generations and perform a good people management, we prepared this complete article about the main characteristics of millennials. Continue reading and find out more!

What are the main characteristics of millennials anyway?

Each generation has specific particularities, depending on the context of the time in which they developed.

However, this does not mean that all people of Generation Y identify with this profile, although it is a pattern. Check out below the Characteristics of Millennials

1-They value professional recognition

Millennials have been encouraged from childhood to be ambitious and to look for new academic and professional opportunities .

That is why, even at the beginning of their careers, people from Generation Y already collect a baggage of experiences and knowledge acquired in courses, specializations and other projects even before entering the job market.

Another important point is that they are usually professionals with an analytical vision, they want regular feedback and they like it when they receive praise or even constructive criticism.

Recognition from leadership and teammates makes them feel valued for their capabilities and deliverables. For this reason, they are willing to work for the company to take it to the highest levels of prosperity — as long as they identify with its values.

2-They are flexible, curious and proactive

The millennial generation is marked by easy adaptability in new spaces and the constant search to go beyond. In this way, they are people who quickly adapt to your company’s routine and culture and want to deliver as much of themselves as possible.

However, this characteristic makes them able to recognize the best opportunities for themselves and do not hesitate to change jobs if they do not feel recognized, valued or do not perceive the possibility of career advancement.

This professional trait of Generation Y reveals more than their flexibility and adaptability to changes and contexts: they demonstrate curiosity to live new experiences and acquire knowledge, as well as their proactivity to perform tasks and propose innovations .

For this reason and for being more immediate, these young people have a great sense of urgency and want to be the change. So, don’t try to win them over with long-term career plans: their main focus is on what the next challenge will be.

3-They want to live new experiences and transform society

Millennials are thirsty to live new experiences, engage in social causes, care for the environment and be faithful to their purposes and values.

This can be explained by several reasons, but the great flow of information and genuine concern for future generations are some of the great motivators of these people.

This can perhaps be explained by the fact that they are young, the result of a post-war world, industrial revolution and delicate moments in the global sphere — both in societies and in the environment.

Therefore, they are professionals who want to experience a workspace that is also concerned with their causes, that fights for the preservation of the environment and shows interest in social struggles.

4-Interact very well with technology

Among the main characteristics of millennials, the desire to always learn more stands out, especially when we talk about technology. They are passionate about change and want to express themselves to the world, so they use online to connect people.

As we have seen, they are a generation that grew up in the midst of technological development and, for this reason, it is easier to use innovations in their favor (and in favor of the company they work for).

Keep an eye on news and changes

For Millennials, having knowledge at their fingertips is the most valuable asset. In addition, with new technologies, access to information has never been easier.

Therefore, it is common for them to choose to learn what will, in fact, add to their life and career, seeking to have content that is always updated in memory.

Another interesting point is that, with smartphones and the internet, “Google” is a great habit of generation Y, after all, this makes them always informed about what happens every minute.

This generation works and learns differently from previous generations. They instinctively know how to find information. This makes traditional learning more dynamic, interactive and challenging.

5-They are empathetic and close to the client.

This generation has a people-oriented approach: therefore, they seek to maintain good relationships and understand what their customers really need.

Unlike previous generations, who were looking for methods to sell their products, millennials are focused on understanding who their customers are and how to tailor their deliveries to this audience, focusing on targeted strategies and segmented marketing.

This has a direct influence on all your business relationships, after all, many of the innovations are aimed at solving public needs. In addition, they always opt for good service and customer satisfaction, offering facilities, bonuses and dialogue.

Empathy and real concern for business partners make work actions empathetic, generating a good organizational climate among the team and good relationships with customers — which is also very positive for the company’s deliveries and for the flow of sales.

6-Prioritize personal life

Although they are ambitious and focused on professional success, millennials are not willing to sacrifice their personal life for a successful career, as they believe it is possible to reconcile the two.

After all, they dedicate themselves to their fullest at work and want to reap these fruits in the form of studies, leisure, travel and, above all, relationships. Therefore, compared to other age groups, they are the most likely to accept a work accidents with sick leave, and unpaid leave for personal matters. In the latter case, the firm may cut the employee’s salary loss or give up a promotion.

If you want to attract and retain these young professionals, you need to be flexible, respect working hours and listen to their concerns. That’s because they are creative people and willing to innovate, but they need to feel that their ideas and needs are accepted.

7-Are important for the job market

Millennials are changing work and consumption relationships. After all, they are free thinkers, connected, big consumers and questioners.

They seek to re-signify relationships and adapt rules, requiring companies to adapt to new ways of working, creating and selling to take advantage of their ideas and connect with the new consumer market.

Although they are more complex to retain, companies that invest in a good organizational climate, in humanized leadership and in the development of these employees will find high-performance professionals who are loyal to the organization.

To learn more about how to develop these professionals who are essential for the job market, watch the video on the Individual Development Plan below !

8-They are short-sighted and have difficulty staying focused

Although they have several positive characteristics, millennials have a great challenge to maintain their concentration on priority actions and have the resilience to reap results in the medium and long term.

Due to the large volume of information received at all times, the desire for quick success and the constant feeling of being “falling behind”, Generation Y is one of the most anxious so far. Currently, Brazil is even considered the country with the highest levels of anxiety .

Therefore, companies need to know how to manage these relationships, invest in mental health promotion initiatives and understand how to approach these professionals.

In addition, organizations that invest in the well-being of employees are able to use immediacy in their favor to raise productivity rates and achieve better states of creativity.

How to hire and engage these professionals?

Millennials have a lot to add to companies, and more and more organizations are looking for innovative ways to promote their satisfaction and engagement .

After all, to be successful with these professionals, first of all, it is necessary to know the values ​​of these young people. Often they will be more motivated by learning and relationships than just financial issues, for example.

Other factors that make a difference to engage these people are a more informal work environment, prioritization of ideas, appreciation of achievements and promotion of professional updating, through courses and training.

Finally, keep in mind that breaking down barriers between generations is easier than you might think — the process can start with a simple conversation to align expectations.

We hope that you have noted the Characteristics of Millennials.