Office culture for employee retention: what is attractive and important for millennials.

Millennials – that is, the generation born between 1980 and 2000 – are increasingly entering the labor market, gradually replacing the previous generations of Baby Boomers and Gen X. Starting in 2020, Millennials – also known as Generation Y or simply Gen Y – will make up 35 percent of the global workforce . By 2025, this is even expected to rise to 75 percent. In some of the advanced economies of Europe and North America, they already represent the largest share of the workforce.

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Millions of Millennials worldwide share common experiences: they have survived the financial crisis of 2008. They have been online and digitally connected throughout their entire adult lives, and they often have an even better education than their parents’ generation. Even though the characteristics of this generation can differ from culture to culture, they share many core values shaped by cultural, political, and economic events.

As a result of this influence, Millennials tend to be tech-savvy, willing to perform, and more globally oriented. Growing up in a time of global uncertainty, this generation strongly identifies with their work.

All these traits make employees of this generation an important asset within companies. However, since they are constantly striving for improvement and self-fulfillment, Millennials are not afraid to leave a company that does not meet their expectations. Inefficient and unfriendly work environments are the main reasons for seeking a job change. So what does modern office culture need to look like to meet the expectations of Millennials?

Those employers who act with foresight and make adjustments in the following three areas can harness the demographic potential that Millennials represent by continuing to satisfy them and thus retain them.

Flexibility desired

Rigid schedules and inflexible working conditions are the surest way to lose Millennials. According to a study, 77 percent of this generation believe that flexible working conditions would make them more productive. Some of these studies even show that this generation would prefer flexibility over a pay raise.

Although Millennials are among the most committed employees, they want to complete their tasks on their own terms. An office culture that allows flexible working hours is extremely attractive to talented candidates of this generation and is suitable for attracting and retaining them in the company.

Since the possibility of mobile working increases job satisfaction, a well-functioning digital infrastructure is an indispensable prerequisite for future-oriented companies.

Complete digital integration

Although smartphones broke through to the mass market as early as 1996, this technology only achieved groundbreaking popularity in the 2010s. Once considered a luxury, smartphones, along with other digital devices, are now a matter of course and ubiquitous.

Millennials are the first generation to spend a large part of their adult lives online, for whom digital networking is part of everyday life. This networking has a huge impact on all areas of life – from the way Millennials consume media to their attitude toward work. As a result, they expect the ideal office to also have these technologies to make their lives easier. This is in direct alignment with their desire for flexibility.

From personalized access to the office via smartphone to IoT-controlled office lighting – digital integration keeps Millennials happy.

Promoting sustainability

With regard to climate change, the world faces major challenges. Millennials are among the generation most intensely engaged with this issue. Whether it’s preferring clean energy or optimizing water usage: Millennials make more environmentally friendly decisions in everyday life than previous generations. Therefore, they value having their employment relationships reflect these values and are highly committed to sustainability.

Attracting and retaining Millennials is only ONE advantage of a sustainable office culture. Greener offices also reduce costs and create a more productive, happier, and healthier work environment for everyone.

Millennials are redefining work

Millennials are not the future, but the present. In the coming decades, their values and demands will continue to shape the global economy and change working life and work culture.

Those companies that understand the needs of Millennials, take them seriously, and also try to meet them are well positioned to fully benefit from the profound demographic changes.