Survey Findings

Finding Six: Millennials Want A Social Workplace

Everybody knows that Millennials like to stay connected with a large network of friends 24/7. So it should come as no surprise that the social aspects of work are very important to them as well. On our survey, an overwhelming 68 percent of Millennials agreed that they like to socialize informally and make new friends while at work, about ten points higher than any other age group.

Social connectedness has always been particularly important to this generation. From youth soccer to social networking to collaborative learning, Millennials have developed strong team instincts and tight peer bonds. They have adapted instant messaging and digital-mobile technology to increase their level of interconnection to an unprecedented level. They put the “social” in social media. From one generation to the next, the youth catchphrase has changed from “just do it” to “let’s do it.”

Millennials are bringing this inclusive new style with them into the workplace. Not only do they expect constant collaboration with bosses and colleagues, they are also looking to connect informally and develop real friendships with their co-workers. Managers may be tempted to dismiss all this socializing as a useless distraction. But they should remember that all the top-rated employers among Millennials (Google, for instance) enable and encourage informal socializing. Not only can this be a key to retaining top young talent, it can even raise productivity by creating more bonded, engaged, and effective work teams.