Work Ethics You Can Learn from Millennials

By Elizabeth Ndembei

Millennials, the name that runs a cold sweat on employers. Millennials by definition are the demographic cohort born between the early 1980s to 2000s, also known as generation Y. The generation is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies.

Millennials have been in the limelight for so many wrong reasons from mobile dependency to work culture. Despite all that has been said about Millennials, there are a number of things one can learn from them, especially in terms of work ethics.

5 work ethics you should be learning from millennials.

1.The work-life blend works 

Millennials have the boldness in emphasizing that work-life balance is achievable. They believe that they should spend time with family, friends, indulge in hobbies and accomplish their work obligations. Although disturbing, they’re absolutely right!

Muthoni Ndegwa, Recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing adds, “Workaholics are almost less innovative, efficient or productive compared to employees who work for eight to ten hours”. Millennial has picked this up and running by being so flexible, which allows them to work harder and achieve more. Their argument of being able to work out of the office “brick & Mortal” and being able to work from home “virtual” holds some truth to it on its productivity.

2.Travelling is good for you

Millennials have brought a new twist to the old school ‘work martyrs’ who don’t go for leave all year round all in the name of being paid for the leave days. The number of leave days a company offers to its employees is among the top considerations for millennials before signing the papers.

“The number of times millennials ask me in an interview, the number of annual leave days they are entitled to the position they are applying are uncountable”, says Muthoni. They take 80% of their leave days to go for road trips to Mombasa, Dar-es-Salaam, Kigali or other parts of the world for global experiences.

Travelling allows one to relax, forget the office stress, get inspiration from cultural interactions as well as build confidence. “To them that break to travel is more important than being all grumpy for a paycheck at the end of the year” adds Muthoni.

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3.Job hopping is healthy

We all know millennials love to job hop, more than a half of them don’t wish to stay longer than one and a half years at the same workplace or position. Barely 16% expect to keep working for their current employers for the next decade.

Melody Mwendwa, the Interview coaching manager at Corporate staffing, says, “Job change is something very important in the growth of one’s career as staying long in one place brings about so much comfort and unproductiveness”. Millennials are happy to change jobs just because the prospective employer is willing to throw in something small like seven more leave days to their annual leave.

4.Education is continuous

Millennials are unanimous in their desire for lifelong learning and willingness to invest their time and money in their education. With the rate at which technology is accelerating, the workplace needs skills that are adaptable and updateable through continuous learning.

Millennials have identified this and they have gone all out to invest in their skills so as to position themselves strategically. Millennials have identified a loop that will see them become indispensable workforce as they keep metamorphosizing their skills.

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5.Values are imperative

Millennials are a hard nut to crack in getting them to disregard their values for pay. Millennials are known to refuse engagements that conflict with their personal ethics is it at workplace or outside.

The cost of business in dealing with unmotivated force is huge, just because you are being paid that 40K and you operate at a bare minimum, you are costing the company so much more in terms of revenue. “Values that speak to you at a workplace are important as they will see you become more productive at work” concludes Muthoni. Get a job with values that you relate with and like it’s said, you will never have to work a day in your life when you do what you love.

Millenials might be in a league of their own but there are a number of things as we have seen we can borrow from them. They have things that we can use to transform our work experience experiences.

What are some of the things you have learned from Millenials that have helped you? share with us.

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The writer is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading Recruitment firm that offers CV Writing, Job Placement & Career Advice.  Email: Elizabeth@corporatestaffing.co.ke