“Graduates now are quite different. I was quite happy to get a job with Kainos when I graduated. I was in a class of 28 at University of Ulster and 24 of us had to emigrate in order to get jobs. That’s very different to today where there is almost full employment for graduates.”
Highly educated and raised with optimism, the priorities for millennial workers are quite different to those of employees of older generations. Flexibility is important and having a purpose is ranked highly. A secure job is no longer the ideal and millennials are instead putting an increasingly large focus on giving back and CSR initiatives – all of which attribute to the sense of having a purpose at work.
In a recent study, It’s been found that Millennials who felt their employers made a positive impact on the world were:
- 4 times more likely to say their teams give extra to get the job done
- 11 times more likely to say they plan to stay with their organisations for the long haul
- 14 times more likely to say they look forward to coming to work
Kainos CEO Brendan Mooney confirms…
“I see Millennial graduates as better versions of ourselves. They are coming out with a good bit of knowledge and a real desire to change the world and make it a better place. That’s not to say that people of my age are cynical, but they are coming out with a real optimism about making a difference personally. That’s something we as an employer look to harness and develop. They have different expectations of us as an employer.”
To attract and retain millennials companies like Kainos are developing and implementing a variety of giving back initiatives, from global efforts by the alcohol industry to tackle harmful drinking to businesses such as Salesforce who have incorporated a People and Planet Frist business ethos.
At Kainos, Brendan has created an outreach programme for children – a move largely inspired by millennials within the business. “For the last three-and-a-half years, we have given career advice and help to 4,000 young people, primarily at secondary level. That’s really been fuelled by the ambition the young people in our company must pass on advice, guidance and help to others who are struggling to make their own career choices.”
The benefits of Giving Back broad for millennials workers and organisations as a whole – from keeping younger staff happy and engaged, to contributing to society and creating a more positive work culture.
