Adapting to a new generation

As millennials take over, employers need to address their needs

One of the biggest trends i mpacting recruitment and retention strategies is the millennial generation — defined by generation theorists Neil Howe and William Strauss as individuals born between 1982 and 2004, although subsequent commentators have stretched the age range going as far as 1976, and as late as 2004.

While it’s clear that nobody born in 2004 is in the workplace yet, this generation is the one that has grown up in a world filled with electronics, and a world that has pervasive marketing and different forms of communication at every turn. They’re the most ethnically diverse generation, and the most tolerant of difference. With their parents being heavily influenced by changes in parenting philosophy, they’ve been told that they’re special their whole lives – and they believe it – giving them a level of confidence not seen in other generations entering the workplace for the first time.

The millennial generation places a greater emphasis on workplace satisfaction than it does on remuneration, although it could be argued that South African millennials may not conform to this: many are first generation graduates whose extended families depend on them for financial support. Even so, they are less likely to put up with an unpleasant work environment — but once their hard-won loyalty has been won, they’re great employer advocates, speaking freely and positively about their workplace.

Antony Dinesh, regional HR head at Tata Consultancy Services Africa, explains that more than 65% of TCS Africa’s talent is of the millennial generation, and that this is likely true for most employers in the IT and ITeS spaces. “We believe that a capability- and performancedriven environment needs to have a healthy mix of those with curiosity to think beyond normal, and those with knowledge and experience to guide at a project or programme level.”

Mi l l e n n i a l s c u r r e n t l y m a k e up 52% of the Nestlé workforce, outnumbering Baby Boomers and Generation X employees. “Millennials’ career aspirations, attitudes about work, knowledge acquisition and the use of new technologies are very different to those of their predecessors,” notes David Moloto, HR director at Nestlé South Africa.

“In addition to their familiarity with technology, we have also noted that they are concerned about the organisations’ involvement in the bigger social development space and our commitments to the environment and our ability to create shared value with stakeholders, including our shareholders, employees, and the communities we operate in. Therefore, they have a genuine interest in knowing what else the company is doing and among others, our bursaries programme for university and TVET students, environmental sustainability strategies and adopting schools to help eradicate poverty, are things that augur well with them,” he added.

“We have also observed that millennials seem to thrive in an environment where their learning is a continuous process paired with constant feedback to aid their development. They also appreciate opportunities to innovate and be creative when they think about solutions,” he explains.

Management style

Furthermore, Moloto notes that Nestlé management has adapted its leadership style to address the fact that millennials are often stifled when managed in rigid hierarchical structures, and have adapted their