Millennials have more workplace power than ever

The pandemic led to radical shifts in the way we approach work. Beyond working remotely, there were also changes in how employers and employees interacted.

Many employees looked to managers and senior leadership for support in a world-altering event, as work and life became interlinked to a greater extent than ever before.

To understand the current sentiments of employees, the employee experience platform Benefex spoke to 4,027 employees within companies with over 200 staff. The surveys were conducted in the US, UK, Singapore, and India. 

Interestingly, millennials, people aged 40 and below, saw significant changes. This includes 40% of respondents in this age bracket saying that flexible working was a right and not a perk.

What the workforce needs

People under 40 make up the majority of the workforce and this means that their needs can’t be ignored, at least not at a time when organizations are battling for talent.

Technology is a hot topic, with 64% of millennials criticizing their place of work for the technology it offers. Additionally, 51% expect more wellbeing support from their employers.

While 77% of all workers have admitted that their expectations from their employer have changed over the pandemic, organizations still need to adapt to these changes.

Matt Macri-Waller, Benefex founder and CEO, commented on the data: “Many of the heightened demands placed on employers are stemming from younger workers.

“The onus is very much on employers to recognize these rising expectations are unlikely to fade away over time.”

He added: “New generations of workers have very different ideas about what employers should be doing to support them, both in and outside work, and the likelihood is that their needs will continue to evolve over time.”

Of course, what employees want isn’t purely based on their generation. With this in mind, it is vital for employers to speak to staff and understand what is needed to not only retain talent but get the best out of them.

These discussions can take place face-to-face or online. Many will be familiar with the benefits of surveys and they can inform leaders about the state of the workforce.

The caveat to any survey is ensuring that responses are anonymized and employees need to feel able to be honest in their feedback. However, if these conditions are met, then companies can begin to address changes that need to be made.

Not all changes will be manageable and in these instances, it is vital to communicate and provide feedback to staff. After all, whether feedback is taken or not, no one wants to feel ignored.