Millennials were born between 1980 and 1996, so we are talking about employees aged around aged 25-41.
Most millennials will be experienced, and in some cases, have extensive experience. They still have plenty of years left to work, making them attractive to prospective employers. Millennials are likely to change jobs more often than the older generations, with 6 in 10 looking for a new job, according to a report by Gallup (see reference at end of the blog). If you are looking to attract millennials to your company, you must understand what makes them tick. Our blog will offer you some insightful tips for attracting millennial workers to your company and retaining them.
Career Development
In years gone by, people worked to earn money to put food on the table for their families. There wasn’t as much concern about what the job was, as much as whether it would earn them enough to take care of their family. Nowadays, people are having smaller families, families much later in life and the earning potential is much greater. The priorities have changed, and millennials are now more interested in the opportunities a company can offer, than how much they get paid – although this is, of course, a major factor too. With fewer commitments, millennials are not afraid to move to other companies or even other countries, so you need to be able to offer them progression. These are the types of employees you want anyway; they will be eager to work, learn and will therefore thrive in your organisation. If you want to attract millennials make sure you have a clear career path in mind for them, and make sure opportunities to progress are stated on your job adverts.
Quick Process
Millennials are used to everything being available to them with a click of a button. They have reached adulthood in times where you can order food to your home within seconds, and they expect the same when applying for jobs. Millennials don’t want to sit and fill out mind-numbing application forms for hours on end, they want to be able to apply for roles quickly. Pay attention to your recruitment application process and figure out if it is putting candidates off. With plenty of opportunities at their fingertips, millennials don’t need to fill out applications when other companies are offering a much quicker application process. Make sure yours isn’t overly complex and consider implementing an ATS (applicant tracking system) as this can help you to screen CVs quicker and improve relationships with candidates. A quick process is what millennials want, and an ATS can help speed up the process. Mobile recruitment is also important for attracting millennials.
Flexible working
Flexible working was always a priority for many employees, but this has become more apparent since the pandemic. Millennials are more likely to want to work flexibly post-pandemic with twice as many employees aged under 35 preferring flexible working, compared to those aged over 55. If you want to attract and retain millennials, you should consider allowing flexible working, even if it is on a hybrid working model.
Sense of Purpose
Millennials want to feel valued; they want a sense of purpose at work. It doesn’t mean that they want you to buy them a gift card every year, they want to feel like they are doing something to make a difference. For example, is the work they are doing making an environmental impact? Are they being invited to important meetings to help improve the business? Are their opinions respected? Millennials don’t just want to be a number; they want to feel that their contribution is helping the business and that they are being respected for what they can offer.
Regular Communication
An annual appraisal doesn’t work with millennials. They prefer to speak regularly and communicate quickly. They want to be told if they make a mistake and move on from it. A quick, responsive way of working is what suits millennials, and this is something you should keep in mind when you are trying to attract them.
Competitive Salary
We must be realistic and talk about salary, even though that isn’t the main concern for millennials. It is unlikely that anyone (regardless of age group) will want to join a company that is paying less than they currently earn unless there are some astounding benefits. Make sure you are conducting regular market research to ensure you are paying a competitive salary. Your salary goes hand in hand with value, and millennials feel more valued if they are paid well.
A quick, responsive process is what you need to keep in mind during the recruitment process. At Rectec we can help you find the best ATS or CRM to suit your needs. You can click here to register for Rectec Compare – and best of all, it’s completely free of charge.
Source: How Millennials Want to Live and Work – a downloadable report by @Gallup – https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238073/millennials-work-live.aspx
A quick, responsive process is what you need to attract and engage the best talent.
At Rectec we help organisations to find the best Applicant Tracking System or best Recruitment CRM to suit your needs, accompanied by our unique complimentary tech marketplace, to help you build the perfect recruitment tech stack for your business.
You can click here to register for Rectec Compare – and best of all, it’s completely free of charge.