Even despite a poor economy, millennials strive to give back to society. 81 percent have donated money, good or services, reports a study by Walden University and Harriss Interactive. They strive to support causes that align with their values and personal belief system. When Pew Research asked a sample of millennials what their priorities were, they said being a good parent, having a successful marriage and helping others in need. These were far more important to them than becoming famous, which only 1% chose as the most important thing in their life. Social networking has had a major influence on how millennials operate and assimilate. They use social networking sites in order to report crimes, raise money for non-profits and share insights and experiences.
Companies have also felt the pressure by millennials to evolve, especially because about one in every three employees in the U.S. will be a millennial by next year, and by 2025 they will become 75 percent of the global workforce. At some companies, such as EY, millennials already make up 60% of their workforce. Technology has ended the nine to five workday, crushed global communication barriers and create transparent offices. They have forced companies to rethink flexibility, meetings and cubicles. They also believe that business should focus on a societal purpose, not just be in business to make a profit. This is why you see so many millennial become social entrepreneurs or support their local non-profit - they always need to feel like they are touching someone and making an impact, regardless of their job title.
They are the reason why President Obama was elected for both terms. In a study I did in partnership with Internships.com for the 2012 elections, we found that 75 percent were interested in voting, which is 15 percent more than in 2008. 64 percent intended to vote for Obama and over half were interested in volunteering for a local campaign. Both candidates spent a lot of time and money trying to appeal to millennials and back in 2008, Obama worked with Chris Hughes, a millennial and a Facebook co-founder, in order to leverage social networking to reach them. They are also very defensive against internet freedom and protested the SOPA and PIPA acts, led by Alexis Ohanian, a Reddit.com co-founder, which turned out to be a success. As millennials start to take more government positions, we will finally see transparency, ethics and gain more freedoms than ever before.
Millennials require your help and support in order to make the world a better place. Mentor them, give them loans, hire them and most of all, treat them with respect. You were their age once and you know how complicated and tough life can be. Show them the way and who knows, you might just benefit as a result!
Dan Schawbel is the author of the new book, Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success (St. Martin's Press). Register for the free webinar of his book launch event for more advice.
