Gen Y Myths Debunked

 The Kenexa High Performance Institute – a division of parent company Kenexa, recently made public their research on the work habits  of millennials – also known as Generation Y (those born between 1982 and 2003). Their findings, released in a white paper entitled “Attitude? What Attitude?” largely dismissed the sensationalist claims of the public media which often suggest, rather dubiously, that the millennial generation expected preferential treatment and would ultimately prove difficult to manage.

“Our research indicates the millennials often stand on common ground with their older counterparts, said white paper co-author, Rena Rasch Ph.D. of the Kenexa High Performance Institute. “In some key areas, the research suggests that the millennials may even turn out to better employees and – eventually – better employers than their predecessors.”

KHPI used their acclaimed WorkTrends study to produce the recent findings. The 2011 iteration of the WorkTrends study (which has existed for more than 25 years) included more than 30,000 participants in 28 countries, including Canada, China, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the U.K. and the United States. With over 80 million millennials in the U.S. alone, a vast portion of the generation has already integrated into the workforce.

KHPI’s findings revealed that 60% of millennials are extremely satisfied with their employers, and an additional 63 percent report that they have opportunities for growth and development at their companies.  On the other hand, baby boomers cite their overall satisfaction levels at 54 percent. 49 percent believe they have growth opportunities available. Members of generation X have similar results, with 54 percent citing satisfaction and 51 percent citing opportunities.

“The differences between millennials and their older counterparts are shockingly slight, said Rasch. “HR professionals and managers should take heart – there are huge opportunities to be capitalized on when it comes to leveraging the positive outlooks of millennials.”