Changing Millennial Workforce Expectations

by Nathaniel Whittemore

categories: Entrepreneurial Careers, Millennial Generation

Published August 05, 2009 @ 10:22AM PT

Tonight I'll be speaking on a panel discussion in Palo Alto about the changing expectations of the millennial workforce. This is a topic increasingly at the forefront of discussions about industry and the changing economy.

One of my most commented posts ever was "Do Low Nonprofit Salaries Drive People to Social Enteprise?" In it, I quoted recent pieces by Sharon Schneider and Adrian Young who were both talking about the different expectations of younger people in their industries (philanthropy and law, respectively).

My basic thoughts on this are that the arguments that millennials are lazy just don't hold a lot of water. The argument that we have a bit of entitlement are a little bit closer to the truth, but I think that entitlement and expectation are relative. There is a growing sense that work should be a place where one can grow their talents, express their values, make enough to live comfortably, and at the same time give enough freedom (in the form of time) to have a life outside. The tension comes in professions for which one of those elements is majorly denied (think: time for young lawyers, money for young nonprofit workers, values for hedge fund kids?)

This tension can seem like entitlement, particularly when young people are either unwilling to work hard or are actively disrespectively of existing norms, versus pushing for a more balanced life and asserting themselves where appropriate. But it's also a pretty clear statement about our society when those sorts of things would be denied in important careers. The question more relevant than "why do millennials want those things," is "why aren't our careers already structured to provide them?"

Philosopher Alain de Botton gave an incredible talk about success and the heightened trauma of our careers at the recent TEDGlobal. He said: "It's perhaps easier now, than ever before, to make a good living. It's perhaps harder than ever before, to stay calm, to be free of career anxiety."

For those interested in these conversations, email me (nathaniel at change dot org) if you're interested in attending tonight in Palo Alto. Also, look into the BeDo Intrapraneurship event happening later this month in advance of the SoCap09 conference in San Francisco. The event will have a panel discussion focused exactly on this topic; just one of many excellent sessions.