Why Millennials Matter??

By now we have all heard about the new Generation Y'sters born roughly between 1977 and 1995 and affectionately called Millennials. (Addtionally names Gen Y, Generation Why, Adultolescents, Echo Boomers, Generation Next, Gen I (Generation Internet), Generation Tech.) So what...we all know them and can site the know facts about them. Like our pop stats (based on figures from the U.S. Census Bureau) are # Baby boomers at 73 million, # of Gen X at 49 million and # Millennials a whopping 80 million. So they do have power just by their sheer numbers. And if you are a boomer you saw how that worked...to change the entire culture of a country and then a world.

From BNET - BUsiness Network http://www.bnet.com/2403-13059_23-201716.html
with my embellishments

The generation of workers born roughly between 1977 and 1995, known as Millennials or Generation Y, represents the biggest shift in the U.S. workforce since the baby boomers came of age. Eighty-million strong, they will soon account for the majority of American workers, especially as boomers start to retire.

Workplace experts say they’re unlike previous generations, and that’s forcing a cultural shift on companies and managers. According to Stan Smith, a national director for human resources at accounting giant Deloitte, Millennials are team-oriented, eager to tackle huge challenges, and quite particular about their leaders. “They won’t do something just because you say, ‘I’m the manager,’” Smith says. “On the other hand, they’ll work hard for someone who truly mentors them.”

Why Millennials Matter Now

We’re on the brink of a pronounced talent shortage as the baby boom generation nears retirement. (According to the Conference Board, 64 million skilled workers will be eligible to hang up their gloves by the end of this decade.) In the coming years, both Gen Xers and Millennials will be called upon to help fill the big shoes left by exiting boomers.

The effects of this imminent brain drain already are apparent across the labor spectrum. California police departments now host boot camps for 12-year-olds in the hopes of grooming future officers, while Deloitte is publishing books and launching interactive websites in attempts to woo high-school-age Millennials. Despite the current recession, college recruiters and HR staffs talk about the “seller’s market” that companies face. Until recently, many Millennials collected multiple job offers before making decisions, and experts see the trend returning when the economy perks up. One Manhattan-based national consulting firm has even sworn off “exploding” job offers, those that squeeze applicants with tight deadlines to either accept or decline a position.

Why Millennials Matter to You in Student Services

Sure, you’re going to need millennials simply to put butts in classroom seats, online or onground. But these folks are also change agents who may force your staff and instructors to rethink and improve your college methods of recruiting, instruction, and college management — the lifeblood elements of your institution. They’re accustomed to working away from their desks, using everything from library computers to smartphones and laptops.

They received intense and individualized mentoring from teachers and coaches, and they were never told that their elders should intimidate them. “The world is a flat hierarchy to these kids,” says Peter Johnson, director of admissions at the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. “Whether you think it’s a good or bad thing doesn’t really matter. It’s a market condition.”

Millennials’ Strong Points

According to Lynne Lancaster, a consultant on generational issues in the workplace, Millennials were the first generation to grow up with soccer moms, doting dads, and trophies for participation. All that adult attention gave them confidence and a knack for following directions. In addition, says Lancaster, many Millennials’ lives have been heavily scheduled since childhood, so they understand achievement and heavy workloads. And growing up with PCs has contributed to their comfort with technology and social networking. “There definitely are the speed processors among them,” says David Morrison, who runs Twentysomething, a consulting and marketing firm focusing on young adults. “They’re quick learners and quick to put together information. In that way, they’re an incredible asset to any team.”

Millennials are nicknamed Generation Why for a reason. Experts say they're like living, breathing search engines, asking question after question. This gives company and college mentors a huge opportunity to shape Millennials’ workplace beliefs and attitudes.

Millennials also are motivated by work they find meaningful. For some, that means the chance to give back through a company-sponsored charity. For others, it’s finding value in the daily work you give them. “Philanthropy doesn’t resonate with me,” says 24-year-old Dan Siroker, an associate product manager at Google. “What motivates me is working on products that I think help people’s lives.”

And to me that's why they matter...their mass motivations are already making a real difference in this world. It our job to help them as much much as possible by stepping up and being the best mentors we have ever been.