Millennials (people born between 1980-1999) will make up the majority of the workforce by 2025, and what drives and motivates them at work is very different to the generations that have come before them.

Career progression, workplace culture and technology are all shaping Millennial attitudes towards work and career. 

What do employers need to consider when shaping their recruitment strategies to ensure they have a strategy propopsition for attracting and retaining Millennial professionals?

They are ambitious and eager to progress

91% of Millennials say the opportunity for rapid career progression is one of the most important things about their job, according to the Robert Walters whitepaper, Attracting and Retaining Millennial Professionals.

Millennials want more than just a job - 68% cited a clear path to grow in a role as the most important factor and motivator in keeping employees engaged, reflecting the ambitions of this generation. As a result, employers need to ensure Millennial employees are engaged and satisfied at work.

"Millennial workers have much in common with their older colleagues in terms of how they are motivated and what engages them at work. However, employers risk disconnecting with their Millennial workers if they fail to acknowledge the importance Millennials place on career progression," said Martin Fox, Managing Director at Robert Walters.

What keeps Millennials engaged at work?

Another priority for Millennial professionals is finding an employer who embraces technology, with 53% saying they would be more likely to take a job with an employer who used the same technology that they do.

With many of them feeling more at home in a digital workplace than any other generation, remaining open to adopting popular technology and investing in the latest systems and platforms  can give employers a powerful edge over competitors in attracting this target market.  

A social workplace - an important factor

Millennials were also shown to value a more social workplace, with 30% saying that a social outing with their colleagues was the most important part of their induction at a new job. 75% of Millennials also considered an engaging and fun workplace an important part of their job.

By treating your recruitment consultancy as a business partner and an extension of your brand you can help them to be as effective as possible.

However, the findings also showed that 59% of professionals have experienced intergenerational conflict at work, making it clear that businesses need strategies to ensure colleagues from different generations work together effectively. 

"Businesses that neglect the social aspects of their culture risk alientaing Millennial employees," said Fox.

"For more traditional businesses this may be particularly challenging, but embracing small changes can serve to show Millennial workers that managers are receptive to new ideas."