Unwiring Singapore’s Millennials

UNWIRING  SINGAPORE’S  MILLENNIALS  

The  Millennials  People  born  in  the  Digital  Age  who  have  always  had  the  internet  in  their  lives.  

Under  25  years  of  age  

 What  we  don`t  want  to  focus  on  

Reality  check  

Real  world  

Virtual  world  

REALITY  for  Millennials  No  difference  

My  world  =  Communal  cocooning    

‘Full  control’  

Self  image  

‘CAN  DO’  GENERATION…  SoluSons  are  always  available  

•  They  see  themselves  as  very  different  –  “We’re  open  to  change  &  advancement”  

–  “We’re  much  more  global  &  connected”  

–  “We’re  cri8cal  thinkers…  we  ques8on  the  norm,  we  don’t  just  blindly  follow  the  machine  

•  Believe  the  ‘old  way’,  the  ‘old  mentality’  is  inefficient  –   given  the  opportunity  they  probably  could  do  a  beBer  

and  more  efficient  job  •  A  generaSon  of    confident  ‘empowered’  

individuals……who  operate  in  an  intensely  communal  environment  

The  result  

SO  WHAT  IS  DRIVING  THEM?  

The  psyche  

Driven  to  progress  

Psyche:  Millennials  must  have  a  sense  of  momentum  

ATTITUDES  &  BEHAVIOURS  TOWARDS  WORK  

•  They  want    –  instant  progress  –  instant  success  

•  So  when  it  comes  to  work/career  they  tend  to  be  focused  on:  

immediate  results,  &  less  concerned  about  the  long  

term!  

Want  it  now  

•  Not  willing  to  wait  &  work  their  way  –  “I’ve  done  a  degree,  so  why  

would  I  want  to  start  my  career  shovelling  poop?”  

•  Prefer  to  work  for  a  big  name  ‘status’  brand  today  so  that  they  can  ride  on  it’s  significance  now  

•  This  also  fills  them  with  self-­‐belief  –  “Give  me  the  opportunity  now  

and  I  won’t  let  you  down”  

I  want  to  be  significant  now  

•  Obsessed  with  upgrading  

•  Not  necessarily  ‘improving’  themselves,  but  more  about  adding  a  ‘premium’  to  one’s  self:  

–  new  skills  added  to  their  CV  –  New  achievements  are  

milestones  in  their  development,  ie  overseas  trip,  industry  courses  

•  With  each  upgrade  comes  even  greater  expectaUons:  –  Pay  increase,  be]er  Stle,  respect,  

status,  etc.  

Upgrade  now  

•  Millennials    are  looking  for  a  job  with  meaning  –  In  what  they  do  –  Their  role  within  the  team  

–  In  how  they  can  progress  with  it  

•  In  absence  of  that  emphasis  on  money  &  status  –  anything  that  recognizes  their  progress.  

•  If  meaning  and  money  is  short,  they  are  quick  in  changing  jobs  and  even  industry  

Search  for  true  meaning  

•  Result  is  very  few  Millennials  are  truly  ‘passionate’  about  their  jobs.  Highest  percentage  of  ‘disasUsfied  with  my  job’  employees*  

•  Any  ‘Passionates’  were  all  in  customer  interacUon  employment:    –  Sales,  customer  service,  nursing,  etc  

•  Possibly  due  to  them  receiving  direct,  posiUve  ‘feedback’  from  their  customers  which  recognises  that  they  are  mastering  new  skills,  and  making  a  difference  

Passion  

*WDA  study  2012  “Employee  needs”  

TRAVEL  INDUSTRY  AS  EMPLOYER  

A  problem  of  percepSon…  

“Not  an  industry  that  aBracts  really  talented  people”  

“It’s  low  paying,  so  they  don’t  even  want  good  people”  

Not  for  ‘smart’  people  

Serving  a  no-­‐no  

“In  this  society,  you  shouldn’t  be  in  a  job  where  you  serve.”  

“I’ve  studied  for  4  years,  I  don’t  want  to  be  a  server…”  

“I  tell  people  I  work  in  marke8ng  first,  tourism  second.”  

“People  always  assume  you’re  wearing  a  costume  or  a  8cket  seller.”  

Embarrassing  

Not  professional  

“Everyone  would  rather  work  in  an  office  in  Raffles  Place.”  

“I  want  my  friends  to  know  I’m  doing  well”  

Psychologically  driven  to  progress  &  advance  

A  big  perceptual  gap  

Offers  li]le  opportunity  for  advancement    

IMPLICATIONS  How  the  travel  industry  a]ract,  retain  and  opSmise  Millennials  

1.  Rethink  job  frameworks  

1.  Offer  jobs  that  are  perceived  as:  

-­‐  ‘Worthwhile’:  doing  something  that  makes  a  difference    

-­‐  Challenging:    learning  and  achieving  new  skills  

-­‐  Progressive:  offers  a  clear  path  for  personal  development  and  greater  income  

-­‐  RecogniUon:  ‘status’  8tles  &  constant  performance  feedback  are  cri8cal.  

2.  ReposiSon  Travel  industry  

•  Close  the  image  gap  

Psychologically  driven  to  progress  &  advance  

Offers  li]le  opportunity  for  advancement    

The  perfect  example  

DUXTON  CONSULTING  

Laurenz  Koehler,  Managing  Partner    

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