Millennial Meltdown?

By Elizabeth Macanufo 

This article first appeared in the Winter 2008 issue of IN magazine.

A New Generation is Joining the American Workforce.

If you pay attention to media headlines, the newest influx of workers into American businesses are a testy bunch. The millennials, born between 1977 and 1989, are rumored to be lazy, disloyal and selfish. Will they doom the future of American business, or are they merely misunderstood?

Sherry Wallace, director of MBA admissions for Kenan-Flagler Business School, has been tracking generational changes for seven years. The admissions office has adapted to better relate to prospective students who are “expecting things spelled out a little more. They’re forcing us to be better at communicating.”

Observing how current students communicate led to an evaluation of current policies. “Within the school setting their desire for quick communication forces us to examine our internal communication system. There’s more pressure on us to develop ways to connect."

As millennials head into the working world, Wallace notes that childhood experiences affect their viewpoint. “This group saw their parents become totally vested in their careers and were disappointed both in the 80s and with the recent corporate scandals."

Unlike their parents, who remained with one company from graduation to retirement, millennials expect to stay in one position for only a few years. Erika Kozolchyk, a second-year student at University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, witnessed her father’s tenure at one company for over three decades. Her career trajectory will look drastically different. “I’m not going to work somewhere for 35 years. There’s nothing wrong with being at a company for three to five years. That’s just the way it is.”

Another difference between today’s workforce and those of the past is a stronger desire to balance work and life demands.

Second-year University of Texas-Austin student Wendy Wheless prioritizes her personal life. “I’m looking at my own needs. I think about what is my family going to need or where do I want to live in five years.”

Adds Filpe Izqueirdo, a second-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “We tend to be more willing to do what’s best for us.” He counts plenty of personal time, flexible schedules and flexible work space among his top priorities for his ideal job.

Wallace notices, “The attitude is quite clear that they have certain criteria for jobs and even if they don’t have anything nailed down, they won’t take a job just because they have an opportunity.”