According to Pew Research Centre (Pew), anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is considered a Millennial, and anyone born from 1997 onward is part of Generation Z. Pew measure public attitudes on key issues and document differences across demographic groups.

When you think about your workforce, that means the Millennials have started to turn 41 years of age, and the Gen Zers are turning 25.

If you’re of an older generation, as a lot of employers, senior managers and those making employment offers are, it is helpful to understand how this generation thinks and what they expect.

Background on Millennials

Millennials came of age and entered the workforce facing the height of an economic recession and a particularly challenging job market when unemployment was high. As is well documented, many Millennials’ life choices, future earnings and entrance into adulthood have been shaped by this recession in a way that may not be the case for their younger counterparts.

Technology, in particular the rapid evolution of how people communicate and interact, is another generation-shaping consideration in employment, communications and how to engage. Baby Boomers born before the Millennials grew up as television expanded dramatically, changing their lifestyles and connection to the world in fundamental ways. Generation X grew up as the computer revolution was taking hold, Millennials came of age during the internet explosion, and Generation Z adopted all of that as part of their lives from the start.

With Education and Work, Millennials are more educated than generations before them – a factor tied to employment and financial wellbeing. Approximately 39% of Millennials have a bachelor’s degree or higher and women are outpacing men in college completion. 72% of Millennial women are employed and 83% of Millennial men are employed.

Despite a reputation for job hopping, according to the research Millennial workers are just as likely to stick with their employees. Roughly 7 in 10 of Millennials reported working for their current employer at least 13 months, and about 3 in 10 said they’d been with their employer for at least five years.

For employers, this may feel short-term still, but with understanding this generation and updating your work culture, may help to improve your retention rates.

Retention and ROI with Millennials

For the older generation and a high-level investment in an employee, 13 months may not be the aim for employee retention. A recent survey by Adobe of 5,500 workers globally found that there was a voluntary exodus of workers that was driven mostly by Millennials and Gen Zers. It is being called The Great Reshuffle or The Great Resignation.

According to the study, 35% of employees in countries such as the United States, Japan, France, and Australia, said they planned to switch jobs in the next year. Those numbers were even higher for employees earlier in their careers. Among millennials, 49% planned to look for a new job; for Gen Z, it was 56% (in another study is also included Boomers, which was 10%).

Most people don’t land their dream job right when they start their careers, so it’s not surprising that young people are more dissatisfied. But there’s also something deeper going on: Younger workers are rejecting the current model of work, and this is challenging for an employer who invests in their employees, to ensure they have reasonable expectations of retention and a return on investment for their candidate placements.

It’s all about burnout

There are two simple reasons why younger workers are quitting their jobs: First, they’re experiencing pandemic burnout and, second, they want more work-life balance.

Since the pandemic started, people who work from home (of all ages) are logging an average of two more hours of work per day. That could mean Slack messages at 10 p.m. or emails on the weekend. According to a survey by, 83% of millennials reported that working overtime was the norm for them, and that nearly 70% regularly worked on the weekends.

This always-on culture is burning younger workers out. The Adobe survey points out that 57% of Gen Z and 54% of millennials feel the most pressured to be available at all times and are most likely to describe their job as repetitive and boring. Gen Z workers also feel the most pressure to work traditional 9-to-5 hours, even though a quarter of them say they do their best work outside that window.

The upheaval creates opportunities for companies

According to the Adobe survey, 39% of workers (of all ages) blame the work culture at their companies for their long workdays. This means that companies that want to retain workers — or snap up top talent have an opportunity to re-examine their culture and create one that works better. Here are a few ideas on how to do that.

1. Offer flexible schedules

Workers in the Adobe survey overwhelmingly wanted better work-life balance, more control over their schedules, and the ability to work remotely. Employees who are satisfied with their company’s flexibility on work schedules or location are 2.6 times more likely to report being happy working for their employer.

Though it’s important to offer competitive pay, offering better compensation is often not enough. Numerous surveys taken during the pandemic found that money alone isn’t enough to keep workers; professionals also want additional benefits including hybrid work options and flexibility.

2. Help employees set clear work-life boundaries

In the Adobe survey, 74% of Gen Z workers and 78% of millennials said they would switch jobs — even if the same salary were offered — for a better work-life balance.

In an always-on culture, the lines between work and life get blurred, which can leave employees vulnerable to burnout. But companies can set explicit boundaries that prevent emails or messages after a specific time at night or on the weekends. For example, Volkswagen set it up so their servers won’t route emails to individual accounts between 6:15 p.m. and 7 a.m. That way, workers (and leaders) can recharge and return to work fresh. It’s a way to normalize, even celebrate, having a life outside of work.

3. Create connection and foster culture

Employees in general, but particularly Millennials and Gen Zers also need to feel connected to the company and their coworkers — especially if you want them to stay with the company. While it used to be easy to connect in the hallways or over lunch, teams now need to take a proactive approach to building social capital and creating a culture where team members can connect and support one another. This includes managers and leaders asking employees what they want and need to be successful. It also includes fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, where everyone feels like they belong.

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