Millennials, often referred to as the “job-hopping generation,” represent a group of young workers who once grabbed the national spotlight with their publicized demands for “fun” work perks, such as happy hours. However, researchers at the Novak Leadership Institute at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University discovered today’s young workers — ages 21-34 — represent a life-stage shift toward placing more value on having respectful communication in the workplace over trendy work perks.
“Millennials have been called the ‘entitled generation,’ and they kind of give young workers a bad rap because their often-publicized interests began with wanting to have fun in the workplace, but today’s young workers have shifted toward interests in doing valuable work and finding meaning in their day-to-day job functions,” said Danielle LaGree, an assistant professor of strategic communication at Kansas State University, who earned her doctorate at the Missouri School of Journalism. “Leaders and managers are the ones who have the power to help foster that connection of meaningful work, determine what employee well-being means and how to communicate that meaning in a respectful way to their employees.”