YouthSpeak Survey Report Enabling the Best of Millennials Improving the educa9on to employment journey YouthSpeak Survey Insight Report Disclaimer: The YouthSpeak Survey is s2ll live and ongoing un2l June 2015, these are preliminary insights, and designed to preview the data. It does not represent the full survey output.
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YouthSpeak Survey Report Enabling the Best of Millennials
Improving the educa9on to employment journey YouthSpeak Survey Insight Report
Disclaimer: The YouthSpeak Survey is s2ll live and ongoing un2l June 2015, these are preliminary insights, and designed to preview the data. It does not represent the full survey output.
YouthSpeak youthspeak.aiesec.org
AIESEC AIESEC.org
About YouthSpeak YouthSpeak is a global youth movement and youth insight survey powered by AIESEC. We are focused on understanding the challenges surrounding the higher educaAon to employment journey for young people. Over 100 countries and territories and 50,000 voices will be captured in this comprehensive survey to engage stakeholders across government, business, third sector in leHng the voices of young people be heard. Throughout 2015, we will be engaging major decision makers ranging from the United NaAons, universiAes and some of the largest employers in the world.
Powered by AIESEC AIESEC is one of the world’s largest youth-‐run organisaAons developing the leadership potenAal of young people worldwide. Present in over 125 countries and territories with 70,000+ members across 2600 universiAes, we offer young people a chance to develop their leadership potenAal through life changing professional and personal development experiences. Since 1948, we’ve developed over one million people, including one Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and many prominent world, business and civil society leaders.
What we are trying to answer +
How can we evolve higher educa2on to become more effec2ve at mee2ng the needs of students and employers?
How can we ensure that students transi2on from educa2on to employment successfully?
How can employers beGer support the development of youth poten2al in and out of the workplace?
TRANSITION EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT
Today’s genera-on of youth — the largest the world has ever known, and the vast majority of whom live in developing countries — has unprecedented potenBal to advance the well-‐being of the enBre human family. Yet too many young people, including those who are highly educated, suffer from low-‐wage, dead-‐end work and record levels of unemployment. -‐ Ban-‐Ki Moon, Secretary-‐General of the United NaBons
Foreword: Enabling the best of millennials
Bringing the best out of millennials YouthSpeak started in late 2014 with a goal to capture the opinions of the global youth voice and support decision makers with more inclusive data that encompasses tradi2onal research of advanced economies and of emerging and developing economies that lacked broader youth insight and aGen2on.
With 27,000 survey respondents ages 18-‐25 across 100 countries and territories, we are inspired by the power and enthusiasm of young people to par2cipate in a global youth movement run by youth for youth.
Beyond our comprehensive survey, this report focuses on the unique opportunity to collaborate with PwC’s global human capital leaders to create four special ques2ons that would be integrated into the YouthSpeak Survey to address ques2ons surrounding millennials and the evolu2on of young talent.
The bigger picture To improve human capital strategies, the YouthSpeak survey fits into iden2fying how we can beGer support young people to become more aware of their hopes, challenges and ambi2ons as they pursue their careers. This is beyond talent management -‐-‐
it is looking at a young person’s life and their ability to ac2vate their poten2al.
Our global youth movement will take these insights to support the development of strategies, programmes and ini2a2ves that will beGer enable more young people to live more fulfilled lives in and out of the workplace.
With 1.8 billion young people in the world today, we are looking at humanity’s largest youth popula2on. The urgency behind this number grows when we realize that 80% of these youth come from emerging, developing or fragile states.
It is our responsibility to ensure that no young person is leV behind as we con2nue to develop and bring the global youth opinion to the decision making tables.
We cannot do this alone, and this is why we would like to invite organisa2ons who share a common purpose to advance the state of young people and let the voices of young people be heard.
By: Gordon Ching, Chief Digital Officer AIESEC Interna9onal
+
YouthSpeak Survey Report Enabling the Best of Millennials
Respondent Demographics
Demographics +18-‐25 were the primary age
range of our survey respondents
27,000 responses — A Genera9on between Y & Z The majority of respondents are between the age of 18 -‐ 25 -‐-‐ an age group that will enter university or are already seeking their first formal jobs, making the next big wave in decision making and market shiVs.
These millennials are a genera2on that is siYng on the edge of Genera2on Y & Z age brackets.
Demographics at a glance
51.6% are members of AIESEC, and 49.4% are young people in the general public not associated directly with AIESEC
53.1% of respondents are born between 1997 -‐ 1994
31.9% of respondents are born between 1993 -‐ 1990
Majority of respondents are business students, followed by social sciences and engineering
40/100 countries and territories that responded have over 100 responses
About the survey 9meline and response numbersThe 2014-‐2015 YouthSpeak survey has not ended yet, and will be open un2l the end of May 2015. This report showcases only a snapshot of our data, while the majority of our insights and findings will be displayed in early July. We will be focusing on balancing the sample size between regions and providing more in-‐depth analysis on region to region comparisons.
How we conduct the YouthSpeak Survey
The YouthSpeak survey is implemented primarily through the global AIESEC network of 125 countries and territories, leveraging both online and offline channels to reach students in and outside of AIESEC.
YouthSpeak has also developed into a broader youth movement to let young people voice their opinions and have them heard by decision makers. We worked together with organisa2ons to co-‐promote like the United Na2ons Millennium Campaign, United Na2ons Youth Office, dozens of universi2es around the world, and many other channels that we ac2vated through our partner and supporter networks.
It is a survey that has evolved into a broader youth campaign that enables young people to par2cipate and engage on issues relevant to them. Through physical channels, we also develop workshops and keynotes at conferences to s2mulate engagement on youth issues and to capture youth opinions on the data.
By also ac2va2ng “YouthSpeak Day” we had thousands of young people on social media take a picture of the issues they care about and take a photo saying “I speak up for…" and tagged 5 friends to ac2vate them on the cause. Through this movement, we have been able to capture over twenty thousand responses and we look forward to stretching it to fiVy thousand — further engaging young people on issues that are affec2ng them today.
were the primary age range of our survey respondents
Top 40 countries and territories of survey respondents AlgeriaPoland
IndonesiaPhilippines
IndiaBulgariaEgypt
MexicoMorocco
RussiaTurkeyGreece
GermanyBrazil
MalaysiaTunisia
ItalyNigeria
PakistanAfghanistan
ColombiaUkrainePortugal
United StatesSpain
China (Mainland)Ghana
AzerbaijanAustralia
Hong KongCzech Republic
CanadaGeorgia
Lithuania Mauritania
PeruSlovakiaFinlandVietnam
Chile
# of responses
0 450 900 1350 1800133165168174177181210215237242254266269269275282
337371391395421434434436453
521530548
677738
918994
1,0031,0771,089
1,3941,4281,428
1,6151,690
*the YouthSpeak survey is on-‐going and will be completed by July 2015
Age of respondents
18-‐21
22-‐25
26-‐30
31 or Above
15 or under
% of respondents
0 15 30 45 60
1
1
7
32
53
Are you studying or working?
Studying
Working & Studying
Working
Unemployed
% of respondents
0 17.5 35 52.5 70
7
10
20
63
Gender
Female
Male
% of respondents
0 15 30 45 60
41
59
What is your main area of study?
Business Administra2on
Social Sciences
Engineering
Other
Humani2es
Natural Science
Computer Science
Environmental Studies
Medicine & Health
Law
Educa2on
Visual Arts and Design
Mathema2cs and Sta2s2cs
% of responses
0 3.75 7.5 11.25 15 18.75 22.5 26.25 30
2
3
3
4
4
6
6
6
6
8
12
14
27
Highest level of educa2on
Undergraduate/Bachelor's
Postgraduate/Master's
College/Technical Diploma
Secondary School
Other
Doctorate/Ph.D
% of responses
0 8.75 17.5 26.25 35 43.75 52.5 61.25 70
1
1
9
11
13
64
How long have you been in AIESEC? (AIESEC respondents only)
Under 1 ye
ar
1 -‐ 2 years
2 -‐ 3 years
3 -‐ 4 years
4 -‐5 years
5 -‐ 6 years
7 -‐ 8 years
8+
% of responses
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
2
3
12
25
71
15
36
46
YouthSpeak Survey Report Enabling the Best of Millennials
EDUCATIONEvolving educa9on to meet the needs of students and employers
Changing landscape on trust
Rebuilding trust and evolving the educa9on system
Young people around the world are not content with their educa2onal experiences in school. They are not sa2sfied with what they are geYng out of their university experiences in connec2on to their future goals. With university advisers ranking last in the list of influencers to support career decisions, there is a bigger story to be told surrounding the role of universi2es. We are looking at a world where young people can find more relevant and prac2cal informa2on online than at an university.
What is the evolving role of educators to bridge this gap of trust?
University advisors will need to improve their engagement with employers and students to boost credibility and their perceived value.
Employers who are focused on reaching out to university students will need to understand how to influence the people surrounding their talents and at the same 2me engage more meaningfully with students. For example, employers who only focus on online channels, are missing out on key opportuni2es to posi2on their employees as mentors and career advisors for students on campus.
The best way to engage millennials will be through more authen2c means such as
Who are the most influen2al individuals helping you make career decisions?
Friends
Parents / Rela2ves
Opinion Makers
Professors / Tutors
University advisors
% of respondents
0 12.5 25 37.5 50
3
11
14
30
42
+
using tools like social media, public speaking, workshops and even conferences to engage young people.
For educators, the opportunity to bridge this gap of trust is needed in order to ensure that students are receiving the right informa2on about their future careers.
Do you have plans to become an entrepreneur?
Within 5 years
No
Within 20 years
I already am
Within 10 years
0 10 20 30 40
7.9
8.7
22.5
26.9
31.3
+A generaAon of entrepreneurs
61.4% of millennials have plans to become an entrepreneur, and another 8.7% already are.
With a genera2on full of future entrepreneurs, the behaviours of young millennials will greatly impact their career choices and how they view the role of their employers.
With 31.3% of respondents sta2ng that they want to become an entrepreneur in 5 years, a significant por2on of millennial talents will enter the workplace knowing they will already be job-‐hopping and depar2ng within a 5 year window.
In the past decade, we have also see a great rise of internet and technology entrepreneurs who have paved the way for an en2re genera2on.
What are the implica2ons of an entrepreneurial genera2on for employers?
• How will you shiV the workplace to become more adap2ve to this trend?
• How will you retain entrepreneurial talents?
For educators — greater prac2cal knowledge will be needed to support an entrepreneurial genera2on
• How will the classroom transform to become more focused on building the capabili2es of future entrepreneurs and support them?
Students see the value of educaAon, but are not saAsfied with the experience and lack the career support
Disconnec9on of Educa9on to Employment
53% of millennials see a disconnec2on between what they are learning today versus what they will need tomorrow. For most millennials beyond technical backgrounds, their degrees have not given them the value they were looking for. It is good to note that 27% of YouthSpeak respondents study business, while another 14% study social sciences—this link between the 53% of detractors of the educa2onal e x p e r i e n ce may d emon s t r a t e t h e disconnec2on of prac2cal skills development in alignment with what they study.
For most millennials, they are certain about the relevance of an educa2onal experience
for their future, but is greatly disconnected from the sa2sfac2on and value they are geYng in return.
At the same 2me, students are not geYng the guidance and support to understand what they will need for their ideal post-‐gradua2on careers. Looking back at the previous slide on trust—there is a strong connec2on between the lack of support in university for career development and the the distrust in university advisors to support career related maGers.
How can we bridge this trust and support gap? With youth unemployment as high as 50% in Spain and Greece, and rapidly rising in many other economies, there is a significant challenge for government, youth,
employers and the third sector to bridge this gap.
Last year, the global youth popula2on reached 1.8 billion, and 89% of the world’s youth live in less developed countries. The need for cross-‐sector collabora2on and the inclusion of youth opinion is urgently needed to address this issue misalignment and disconnec2on of educa2on and employment.
To develop the next genera2on, young people and leaders must come together to iden2fy how we can bridge this gap of educa2on and employment. Including how we can beGer integrate the youth opinion into decision making processes and make it consistent.
Sa9sfaca9on with higher educa9on experience in connec9on with
future goals
Detractor
Passive
Promoter
0 15 30 45 60
10.5
36.6
53
+Does your educa9on feel relevant to what you want to do in the
future?
Yes
No
0 20 40 60 80
24.7
75.3
Do you feel like you have the guidance and support for your ideal
post-‐gradua9on career?
No
Yes
0 15 30 45 60
45.6
54.4
In your opinion, what is the most serious global issue?
BeGer Educa2onFood & Water Security
Basic Welfare & HealthcareLarge scale conflict / Wars
Economic Opportunity & EmploymentDestruc2on of Natural Resources
Equality and InclusionGovernment Accountability & Transparency
Freedom from Discrimina2on and Persecu2onClimate Change
OtherPoli2cal Freedoms
Loss of Privacy/Security due to Technology
% of responses
0 3.75 7.5 11.25 15 18.75 22.5 26.25 30
1.21.92.6
5.36.06.67.57.68.69.710.010.6
22.3
EducaAon is the most important global issue for young millennials
+
“I would like to see a more dynamic and fluid system that would interact be:er with the real world. In my business school, we are s<ll studying management concepts from the 90’s and this hasn’t been as progressive as the current trends that are shaping our economy.” -‐ Kar-‐men, 24, Singapore
Educa<on needs to be beyond books. Students are oEen stuck in classrooms learning things that are not relevant to their future careers. I want to see more prac<cal skills development that also enables young people to innovate and get more crea<ve.” -‐ Isha, 24, Mozambique
Youth opinion: How can we transform educa2on?
Universi2es, like the people within them, must embrace change, reimagine possibili2es, and revitalize con2nuously -‐ Drew Faust, President of Harvard
+
“The university experience needs to go beyond the books. It needs to tap into the development of life skills and developing our understanding of the world. I believe that universi<es need to evolve beyond the place as rewarding degrees, but as a place where young people can experiment, explore and learn.”-‐ Lisa, 21, United States
“Universi<es need to expand their method of defining success. Many successful people in the world aren’t great at taking exams, but they are great at solving life challenges, and that is what we should be learning. Exams should only one of the many ways to rate success.” -‐ Miranda, 19, Poland
Why we need to change educaAon +Educators and employers need to urgently work together to address the lack of trust in suppor2ng students with their career development within the university. Cross-‐sector collabora2on is necessary to address the significant challenges within the way the educa2on system prepares young people for their futures.
Greater trust needs to be fostered in the educa2onal system and this begins with a more frequent, consistent and aligned agendas of employers, government and educators. To avoid the crea2on of lost genera2ons—employers and educators will need to become more transparent with their needs, and more flexible with their approach to developing and educa2ng the future talents in their markets.
The inclusion of youth opinion is cri2cal to developing effec2ve programmes and strategies that are aligned with the needs of young people and enable them to have a voice in the decision margin process. Experien2al learning should be highly considered as an effec2ve l ea rn ing method fo r sk i l l s development.
Young people are unhappy and unsa2sfied with their educa2onal experiences, but yet they see hope and see the relevance of an educa2onal experience. Elements of integra2ng real-‐world experiences, greater support for studying and
working abroad programmes, and fostering a more entrepreneurial culture is necessary.
If we are to develop an effec2ve educa2on system that meets student needs, it will need greater integra2on of youth opinion and employer input. These inputs are cri2cal to ensuring that curriculums are aligned with external trends and u2lizing teaching methods like experien2al learning that can beGer engage young people.
In order for schools to beGer prepare young people, a greater mixture of both soV and hard skil ls development is needed. Further suppor2ng students in dynamic opportuni2es like working and studying abroad will further add their abili2es to succeed in through We urge leaders across sectors to become more transparent and inclusive with their ini2a2ves, and for young people to take a more ac2ve role in par2cipa2ng in the decision making process and ensure that we do not risk crea2ng a lost genera2on of unfulfilled poten2al.
BETTER EDUCATION
Universi-es will need to transform themselves into a place where young
people can not only study and take exams, but learn from doing. To
provide them with real-‐world experiences that are relevant.
Shi4 from papers and degrees to experiences and skills Young people have been frustrated about the amount of effort and investment a degree requires to only be leV with an
inability to get a good career. This challenge does not just fall on government and educators, but students and
employers alike will need to be more proac2ve in engaging with decision makers to influence decisions. At the same
2me, educators and the government need to open up spaces to involve the youth opinion and expand the relevance of
a degree for young people, and beGer support their learning experiences with greater guidance and engagement
Summary of learnings on educaAon +
Integra9ng prac9cal skills with theore9cal knowledge
Foster an entrepreneurial learning environment
Involve employers throughout the educa9onal
experience
TRANSITION the journey from educa9on to employment
Young Millennials are Global Ci9zens. They don’t just travel to relax, but they seek adventure a n d s e e i t a s a n opportunity to learn and grow.
What is most important to you in the first 5 years of your career?
Global Opportuni2esMeaningful WorkConstant LearningChallening work
Work-‐life balanceTraining Opportuni2esStrong Employer Brand
SalaryAlignment with study
0 7.5 15 22.5 30
4.34.74.8
8.111.211.4
13.315.2
24.8
A globally mobile workforce that values learning experiences over a high paid salary
Millennials are looking for opportuni9es to see the world, not just to travel, but to learn and grow. Younger millennials recognize the advantages of being abroad and the opportuni9es for accelerated career advancement in rapidly emerging markets. Combined with the fact that 64.1% of YouthSpeak respondents state that they aspire to hold a leadership or senior-‐decision maker posi9on in the future, it serves as a reminder of the ambi9ous nature of millennials and how they want to hold responsibility in their jobs.
With an emphasis on global opportuni2es, meaningful work and constant learning, employers will need to evaluate how they will adapt to such needs, while enabling millennials to get the most of out their experiences. millennials are seeking for employer who can provide them with the dynamic experiences that enable them to see the world, expand their horizons and contribute to a posi2ve impact on society.
1 in 4 millennials see global experiences as the most important in the first 5 years of their career
Learning is the new currency +
Cross-‐border assignments are showing no signs of a slowdown as stated in PwC’s Interna2onal Assignments Perspec2ve report —in fact, 59% of CEOs surveyed plan to send more staff on interna2onal assignments. At the same 2me, younger millennials are recognizing and taking advantage of the tremendous opportuni2es of being present in rapidly emerging markets in Asia Pacific and La2n America. PwC’s Talent Mobility 2020 report predicts a 50% growth in talent mobility. The data provides us with a deeper insight into the bigger story that is unfolding—young people are developing a more natural desire for being global ci2zens, resul2ng in a genera2on that is more comfortable with reloca2ng, experiencing new environments and are hungry to learn about the world.
Employers will need to focus on maximizing the depth of learning experiences millennials will acquire throughout their early career stage with global opportuni2es, meaning work and constant learning at the top of the agenda,
“Meaningful work for me is that whatever you do makes the world and humankind beCer, everyone clear of the impact the results bring, and not just taking decisions according to profit, without having in mind if this good for society at all” -‐ Kathy, 21, Colombia
“If you don’t see it as work anymore, but enjoyment” -‐ Mark, 18, Australia
“Is when I live to work, not work to live! Passion for what I put into, crea-ng change, learning day by day, and sparking someone else's fire!”-‐ Valerie, 24, Bahrain
“For me it will be really meaningful when you believe on what you doing and geUng apprecia-on even by saying a simple "thank you”. -‐ Mint, 20, Korea
What does meaningful work mean to millennials?
For me, work is more than just to earn a salary. It should be about learning and having fun, and about doing a greater good. -‐ Zenas, 24, Canada
“Work is meaningful if i'm s-ll learning new things whether it's about my self, surroundings or some technicali-es . If that is missing , I won’t consider it meaningful any more”-‐ Batool, 21, Egypt
+
Youth opinion: define meaningful work
How would you prefer to learn these new skillsExperen9al learning
Volunteering experiences
On the job training
At College / University
Conferences / Events
Coaching / Mentoring
Self-‐taught books/knowledge online
Informal network learning with peers
Online classes & e-‐learning
Other
0 18 35 53 70
0.8
19.3
29.9
31
43.6
44.3
44.3
47.3
48.5
67.6
What top 5 skills do you need to develop to help you get ahead?
New LanguagesPublic Speaking
Leadership & ManagementCri2cal Thinking & Problem Sovling
Judgement & Decision MakingFinance & Budgets
Marke2ng and SalesData Analysis & Analy2cs
Comfortability with Rapid ChangeDigital Skills
Digital & Technical AwarenessCultural Awareness & Sensi2vity
Ac2ve ListeningOther
0 12.5 25 37.5 50
1.112.8
14.415.5
24.324.124.7
28.330.4
39.844.7
47.647.8
49
Preferences in skills development +
If you followed your passions, where would you find yourself 5 years from now?
Working for a mul9na9onal company
Running my own business / start-‐up
In an NGO/IGO Organisa9on
I am not sure yet
Studying for an advanced degree
Freelancing / Self-‐employed
Working in Large Na9onal Business
Other
Working in Poli9cs / Government
Pursuing Academic Career
Working in an established SME
Joining a start-‐up
% of respondents 0 5 10 15 20
2.333.3
44
5.35.8
8.212.8
13.518.7
19.2
Where millennials want to work +
An urgency to rapidly transform to a more entrepreneurial workplace
The talent landscape is quickly shiVing and the rise for entrepreneurship is signalling a major change in how millennials may see the role of an employer in the first few years of their careers. Running my own business or start-‐up leads in second ranking with 18.7% of par2cipants, showcasing a genera2on of entrepreneurs and individuals who are willing to take the risks, pursue their dreams and build it themselves. At the same 2me, there is a significant difference between those who have a desire to start their own business versus joining another start-‐up. A major challenge for new startups will be their ability to aGract great talent.
Mul2na2onals are faced not only with compe22on with other major brands, but in their ability to aGract future entrepreneurs. MNC’s will need to rapidly create a more entrepreneurial and dynamic workplace to aGract top talent and demonstrate to millennials that their workplace is a place where they can thrive.YouthSpeak data has shown that young millennials have a strong desire for global experiences, meaningful work and constant learning. Whether you are a mul2na2onal or a NGO/IGO, the fight for talent isn’t just between other organisa2ons, but your own ability to transform your workplace to meet the needs of a genera2on that demands for rapid personal and professional development, an entrepreneurial work culture and greater transparency between an employers ac2ons and their values.
Great employers will foster an entrepreneurial workplace that enables
millennials’ talents to constantly learn, grow and explore new opportuni-es.
Millennials view the purpose of the workplace as going beyond tradi9onal benefits — focusing more on their own individual
development. How will you transform your workplace to meet these needs of young millennials?
Shi4 from tradiEonal benefits to learning benefits Millennial desire for learning experiences represent a shiVing change in what aGracts them to a job. Earning a high
salary may not be a major aGrac2on point for millennials as their appe2te for global experiences, meaningful work and
constant learning rises. They expect to start their careers with dynamic global experiences that enable them constantly
learn and be challenged with new and exci2ng opportuni2es.
How will employers focus and invest more on the learning journey of their talents and showcase it in an engaging way?
Summary of learnings on career trends +
Ability to gain access to dynamic and global
experiences
Ability for constant learning and growth
Develop an entrepreneurial work culture
Millennials want to become beaer for themselves and for society
They want to find fulfillment in both life and work, and at the same Ame contribute to the beaerment of society.
+
EMPLOYMENT developing the best in millennials
The purpose of your organisaAon is important to millennials. They want to know if you are making the world a beaer place, and if your values are shown
through your acAons.
Beyond business as usual
The triple boiom line is a standard
Your organisa2on’s ability to not only demonstrate a posi2ve impact on society, but communicate the purpose is cri2cal for millennial talent. People, planet and profit are cri2cal factors to millennial evalua2ons of employer aGrac2veness.
No longer is it about winning the minds of people through hard benefits like salary and pres2ge, but how will you win the hearts of people.
Social media has brought word-‐of-‐mouth online and has enabled conversa2ons to spread like wildfire — what your company
does in one region of the world needs to be aligned with its greater purpose.
For leaders at the top of organisa2ons, a key ques2on is how are you opening up yourself and your organisa2on in demonstra2ng purpose in the world and to inspire greater trust amongst employees and future talents.
Alignment between words and ac9ons Employers will need to ensure that everything they do is communica2ng a common purpose that includes the message of their role in society to make it a beGer place.
Beyond communica2ons, employers will need to evaluate their business opera2ons and ensure clear alignment between internal and external ac2ons.
Millennials value less on how much money you actually make or if you increase your performance, but the demonstra2on of your organisa2on's values. Decisions like where you are inves2ng and how you are trea2ng your employees, stakeholders and partners are important factors to pay aGen2on to. Millennials greatly value this alignment of people, planet and profit, and the employer’s ability to be truly authen2c and transparent.
+How important is it for the company you work for to have a posi2ve impact on society?
Very Important
Somewhat important
Not important
% of respondents
0 20 40 60 80
It’s beyond business as usual. It’s more related to what a business can do to contribute towards the the world we live in. It’s a shared responsibility as a business has the power to influence things. This is a minimum for any company I work for.” -‐ Helene, 27, Belgium
“Millennials are quick to react negaAvely to any perceived disconnect between the firm’s words and its acAons. If they don’t believe us, they leave.”-‐ Bob Moritz, U.S. chairman and senior partner of PwC, HBR arAcle “Keeping millennials engaged”
“Currently, only one in four U.S. workers are in op2mal workplace environments. The rest are struggling to work effec2vely, resul2ng in lost produc2vity, innova2on, and worker engagement.”
WORKPLACE DESIGN MATTERS.
-‐ Gentler Workplace Research 2013
CREATIVE, CHALLENGING, FUN. The ideal workplace for young millennials
+What keywords describe your ideal workplace?
Crea2ve
Challenging
Fun
Dynamic
Global
Purposeful
Suppor2ve
Diverse
Flexible
Rewarding
Democra2c
Prac2cal
Entrepreneurial
Local
Serious
Large
Informal
Analy2c
Busy
Inclusive
Na2onal
Other
Theore2cal
Small
Rigid
% of respondents
0 12.5 25 37.5 50
11.41.82.6
55.4
7.79.19.59.810.511.2
17.317.518.4
2323.924.1
25.630.1
31.331.8
34.638.6
45.6
Bring the best of your millennials by creaAng an environment where the office becomes a hub of creaAvity, where the environment sAmulates their growth.For millennials, workplaces are more than just a place to work. It is a place where great things can happen if you create the experiences and spaces than enable it.
“One size does not fit all” millennials
64% of respondents state that they aspire to hold leadership or senior-‐decision making posi<ons.
A growing appe9te for leadership
Though the aspira2ons and ambi2ons of leadership are there, employers are not adap2ng fast enough to keep up. In the Forbes ar2cle “The #1 reason leadership development fails” a top 50 leadership thinker Mike MyaG argues that you don’t train leaders, but develop them.
Our survey found that experien2al learning—the act of learning by doing and trying is the #1 (67.6%) preferred method of learning for mil lennials, followed by volunteering experiences (48.5%) and on the job training (47.3%). Employers must learn to shiV their mindsets from trying to hold millennial talents down and viewing them as a threat, and instead harness their ambi2on for leadership. But the ques2on is how?
A gap between youth opinion and leader opinion While experien2al learning may be the #1
choice from survey respondents, the opinions of leaders reflect a different story. The 2013/14 report, Global Leadership Project by talent management company Chally Group Worldwide, surveyed 300 CEO’s and senior HR professionals and found that coaching/mentoring s2ll con2nues to be the most popular leadership development prac2ce for both small and large companies.
However at the end of the day it’s not about what’s out there, but what works for you and your employees.
It’s about finding the right people, puYng them in the right environment, and giving them the right tools to succeed. That begins with having a more open environment where employees, senior and young, are able to interact more casually and are given the chance to voice their opinions.
Changing your organisa2on to improve the the transi2on to a millennial workplace, will requi re a wi l l ingness to adapt and conversa2ons that fosters understanding.
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At the end of the day it’s not about what’s out there, but what works for you and your employees.
It’s about finding the right people, pukng them in the right environment, and giving them the right tools to succeed. That begins with having a more open environment where employees, senior and young, are able to interact more casually and are given the chance to voice their opinions.
The ability to change your organisa9on and make millennial transi9ons more effec9ve begins with the conversa9on and willingness to adapt.
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A “desire for learning” culture A focus on enabling the best out of your millennial talent
In previous genera2ons, a job was a means to an end. People valued stability and security in their lives. In the current cultural context, a job has evolved to become an even more important part of their lifestyle. The major trend is linked with the reducing barriers between their professional versus personal lives. Millennials are far more individualis2c than previous genera2ons and hold much higher standards for employers to enable them to grow and succeed.
What is a culture of learning?
A culture of learning will be defined by a workplace that empowers their people to always seek for con2nuous improvement and learnings — it is a culture that learns from mistakes and seeks to always grow from it. It is a departure from an execu2on culture that was heavily focused on following rules and procedures. Millennials are looking for workplaces that enable them to solve tough challenges and apply a more entrepreneurial approach to work. Millennial demands for a challenging workplace will push employers to reconsider job descrip2ons and
responsibili2es that go beyond just administra2ve work, but further tap into roles that enable them to think cri2cally and solve complex problems.
An entrepreneurial approach to both work and life Millennials are more comfortable with improvisa2on and experimenta2on. They are born in a 2me where the internet and search engines enabled them to discover answers on their own. In the workplace, millennials will empowered by improvising and finding innova2ons as opposed to simply following the rules and execu2ng more administra2ve tasks.
Millennials who are digital na2ves and are more entrepreneurial than the last genera2on will look for employers who are more naturally aligned with their behaviours and working preferences. For employers, this presents an opportunity to transform your workplace to become a learning environment that empowers and embraces a more open minded concept of success. Innova2on has become a major buzzword, but we believe it is because young millennials want to innovate and experiment. Young millennials are great innovators, experimenters and complex problem solvers.
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Learning CultureExecu2on Culture• Focused on the plan • Executes to meet numbers • Eliminates low performers • Listen to the customer • Fix what is broken • Strong compliance and penal2es
• Focused on evolu2on and innova2on • Goes beyond the numbers • Improves low performers • Learns from the customer • Develops solu2ons proac2vely • Principles over rules
A focus on work-‐life ‘style’ over balance
A focus on trust -‐ a need for stronger communi9es and rela9onships.
For millennials, a work-‐life balance is not simply about the division of work and their personal lives, but the priori2sa2on of personal interests and being able to do what they love in and outside of work. While the last genera2on was focused on their ability to get a 9-‐5 job that was secure, paid well and had vaca2on 2me. Millennials are willing to trade off free days per year in return for greater flexibility at work and their ability to pursue personal interests and keep learning.
Employers can greatly benefit from these shiVing behaviours of millennial desires to be more engaged with work and life together, but will require a shiV in mindset of what work-‐life balance looks like. Execu2ves will need to redefine learning programmes and how they compensate employees for their work. Millennials care deeply about
How would you define work-‐life balance?
Opportunity to pursue personal interests
Flexibility at work
Fixed schedule (defined working hours)
Number of free days per year
% of respondents
0 12.5 25 37.5 50
3.9
16.3
28.6
48
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their own personal interests and the workplace will need to reward employees beyond tradi2onal benefits like a high salary or extensive vaca2on 2me, but to look at the ability of an employer to reward their talents on an more flexible and frequent basis.
These insights tell a story of a genera2on that does not seek to be completely disconnected from their work through 2me off and vaca2ons, but by being able to develop themselves and grow. They want to see their employers as a posi2ve support system, as a learning environment where the learning con2nues even outside the workplace.
“The noAon of working 9-‐5, earning a high salary, and having extensive vacaAon Ame is outdated. Millennials want to be inspired, to learn and to grow in and outside of the workplace. How they contribute to society in all aspects of their lives is important to them.
A new defini-on of work-‐life balance
Employers who aCract and retain top millennial talent will need to live
by their ac-ons and values, and foster a working environment that
rapidly develops their people, and contributes to their life ambi-ons.
Millennials demand employers to not only post their values on their website, but have their leaders and employees
exercise what they say. They see the workplace as more than just work—but a place to enjoy themselves.
It’s not a work-‐life balance, but a work-‐lifestyle Millennials do not see this great separa2on between the their professional versus personal lives. They want to be able
to bring their best to the workspace, and that means being able to be themselves. Their personal interests and life
passions are very important to them and they want their employers to recognise and support them. Long vaca2ons may
be a thing of the past, as they rather gain access to more dynamic opportuni2es and advance their own individual
growth.
Summary of learnings on employment +
Employers will need to match their ac9ons with their values
and purpose in society
The ideal workplace is crea9ve, challenging
and fun
Leaders need to shim the mindset from following rules to enabling experimenta9on
YouthSpeak key takeaways
INVEST in your employee’s learning and development, with significant considera2ons of the individual’s future career aspira2ons. Help them connect the dots on how their current experience with you fits with their wider career goals.
EMPOWERtheir desire for challenging experiences with greater responsibili2es and beGer support systems. Enable your employees to thrive in a more entrepreneurial and experimental learning environment.
LIVE by your values and show it through your ac2ons. Young people want to associate with organisa2ons who live by their words. Don’t just leave your values on the wall, but bring it to life.
INNOVATION is a big theme amongst millennials, who have a innate desire for crea2vity and a learning culture. Millennials work best in a seYng where they create and invent, this requires management to be less top-‐down, and more boGom-‐up.
OPEN the dialogue to enable young people to par2cipate int he decision making process. Inclusion of their youth opinions from the beginning is needed to ensure that they are “bought-‐in.”
REDUCE hierarchical barriers and power-‐distance between millennials, they trust their peers more than authority figures. To build strong rela2onships with millennials, this is a part where you can play a key role in becoming more of a role model and peer to youth.
Gordon Ching, Author and Global VP, Digital Marke2ng AIESEC InternaAonal [email protected]
YouthSpeak General Inquiries [email protected]
Karolina Piotrowska Global VP, Public RelaEons AIESEC InternaAonal [email protected]
Tala Mansi Global Partnerships Manager AIESEC InternaAonal [email protected]
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