Make Way for the Millennials

As a Millennial I have both witnessed and experienced the Baby Boomer generation and the Millennial generation working hand in hand. While Millennials haven’t completely taken over (yet), they are becoming a major part of the workforce and will only continue to grow. As Baby Boomers retire the effects of this change will be felt more and more. This does not mean these two generations cannot work together cohesively. It does mean that a lot of compromise and understanding must take place in order to “keep the show on the road.”

Millennials (ages 11-32) have a different view on business relationships than the Baby Boomer generation (ages 50-68). Baby Boomers value their social relationship with their customers. They insist on face-to- face interaction and are much more likely to meet with a client over coffee or lunch to discuss something, or at the very least make a phone call. Millennials, on the other hand, find the end result as the most important aspect of business. We have more of a “get it done” mentality. That’s not to say that we do not value quality or customer input. We just obtain these through different avenues. We are much more likely to communicate through email, text, or the occasional phone call. Technology is important to the Millennial generation. It’s what we know. It’s what we grew up with. To us, it is the quickest, most effective way to communicate. I have experienced times that my boss (a Baby Boomer) will want me to call someone about something that I think requires an email. As a Millennial, I view a phone call as bothersome if it’s about something trivial or quick.

Expectations of working environments also differs between the generations. Millennials, and I myself, grew up in a structured, “helicopter parent” type atmosphere where everyone worked in groups. We had coaches and instructors guiding us through everything step by step. We also expect that to carry over into our careers, seeking mentors, teams, words of encouragement, and direction. Baby Boomers grew up in a more independent fashion. They didn’t have the extensive toys and video games that kids have now. They found ways to entertain themselves and didn’t need their parents to do that for them. Their independence gives them the ability to make quick decisions that they feel confident with. Coming from a world where I was part of every team and group I could possibly be a part of in school, I find it difficult at times to move on with decisions without consulting my boss or my coworkers. This is a struggle I work against every day, but as I see the self-assurance portrayed by fellow Baby Boomer coworkers, I grow more and more confident with my own decisions.

The digital world is what it’s all about for the Millennials. I can learn how to garden, get the best recipe for meatloaf, order tickets for the basketball game, create a financial spreadsheet of the company’s earnings, donate to a charity, and chat with my best friend from high school, all with the click of a button (and all in less than an hour). Operating in this way is not unusual for this generation and we do it in both our personal and work life. Baby Boomers do not prefer this method of obtaining information or analyzing documents. They prefer print. We “battle” the print vs digital issue on a daily basis. I say “You can read your email on your computer screen and you can save it in your email folders. It doesn’t need to be printed. That kills trees.” In which my boss responds, “If it isn’t printed, then it isn’t real.” A shared feeling amongst most Baby Boomers.

As time goes on, the changes in generations will continually affect the workforce, but change is a good thing. There is something to be learned from both generations, each of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. The collaboration of these two generations is what will make a strong company stronger. At least, that’s what happened at Clayman & Associates.

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Make Way for the Millennials