White Papers
Kenexa White Papers are reports that are based on research and are used to educate HR professionals and business executives on specific areas in the Human Capital Management (HCM) space. These papers address relevant, widespread organizational concerns and guide readers in organizational decision making. The overall purpose of each Kenexa White Paper is to focus on the current needs of companies by educating and advocating for a specific position that will help drive high performance in the organization.
Attitude? What Attitude? The Evidence Behind the Work Attitudes of Millennials
By Brenda Kowske, Ph.D., Bersin & Associates, and Rena Rasch, Ph.D., Kenexa High Performance Institute
Are the millennials responsible, dedicated and loyal enough to help your business thrive? As they move up through the ranks, will they be prepared to manage and lead as your business grows? If you listen to the media and a long line of authors, experts and business consultants, you certainly might not think so. The standard rub against the millennials—or Generation Y as they are also known—is that they lack street-savvy, they need to be coddled, they’re naïve and have a profound sense of entitlement. We worry that their college educations did almost nothing to prepare them for life in the real world. Born between 1982 and 2003, there are more than 80 million millennials in the U.S. alone. Many of them are already in the workforce, and the rest are on the verge of entering it. If this new tide of employees and their different ways of looking at the world weren’t enough to contend with, they’re arriving just as the baby boomers are getting ready to retire. No wonder so many managers, HR professionals and executives are nervous.
While it makes for a good news story, it turns out much of the fear about the millennials is misplaced. In this paper we’ll examine the anxiety around the millennials, we’ll look at the research behind it, and finally, we’ll explore the exhaustive Kenexa High Performance Institute WorkTrends survey for some real answers about what employers can expect when it comes to managing the millennials.