The Millennial

Mind Goes to Work

How Millennial Preferences

will Shape the Future of the
Modern Workplace

A Bentley University-commissioned survey

October 2014

1995

2005

2015

2025

2035

Overview
By 2025, millennials will make up almost
75 percent of the global workforce. By
the end of 2014 alone, one of every three
employees in the U.S. will be a millennial.
While millennials are often stereotyped as lazy, entitled, or
having a poor work ethic, the fact remains that millennials are
tomorrows workforce and an increasingly important part of todays
workforce as well.
So what can we do to make sure millennials enter the workforce
with the skills necessary for success? In January 2014, Bentley
University created The PreparedU Project to spur a national
dialogue and uncover solutions to the skills gap.

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We partnered with KRC Research to conduct the

Millennial Preparedness Study, which looked at
what corporate recruiters, business executives, parents,
higher education leaders and millennials themselves think
about the preparedness gap that young people face in
todays workplace.
The findings were intriguing and made us want to dig
deeper into the millennial mind. We teamed up with Equation Research to ask 1,031 millennials, ages 18 to 34, what
they think about their own preparedness for professional
life and what they want out of their career.

Here is what we found.

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The 7 Big Takeaways

Idk about texting. 51%

of millennials say they would
rather communicate with a
colleague in person.

3
The typical 9 to 5 schedule
doesnt work for all millennials.

77% say flexible hours would

make the workplace more

productive for people their age.

Millennials are mixed on doing well by doing

good. While saying its important to work for
a company they deem ethical, particularly in
the clients it takes on, they still have a strong
desire for regular salary increases. 79%
expect a pay raise every year.

Millennials may be more responsible than we think. When choosing between two otherwise equal
jobs, 96% say great healthcare
benefits would be the most
important factor in their decision.

Millennials view career success differently

than their parents do. Rather than striving for
the CEO spot, 66% of millennials would like
to start their own business and 37% want to
work on their own.

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Some corporations hesitate to

invest in employee development
because they think millennials
lack loyalty and wont stay long.
But 80% of millennials believe
theyll work for four or fewer
companies in their career.

Millennials are reinforcing their own

stereotype. 50% of millennials say
the main reason people their age are
unprepared for their first job is a poor
work ethic.

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LETs TALK...
IN PERSON

Millennial Communication
Preferences at work

51% Talk in person

Older generations think

millennials favor text, IM and social media, but more than half
of millennials say they prefer to communicate with colleagues
by talking in person.

MEN & WOMEN

Its no secret that men and women communicate differently. But
how each gender prefers to communicate at work may surprise
you. Men are more likely to prefer speaking to a colleague in person
(56%) than women (48%), while women tend to rely more on email
for communication (23%) than men do (13%).

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7%

9%

Gchat or Phone
other
call

14%
Text

19%
Email

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WHAT IT MEANS
Ian Cross, director of Bentleys Center for Marketing Technolo-

find millennials communicating with friends by text, which is still

gy, says that while overall millennials prefer to communicate in

their primary vehicle for social interacting.

person in the workplace, it depends on what the conversation

is about. Particularly at the beginning of their career, millenni-

Aaron Nurick, a professor of management and psychology at

als need more validation than previous generations. They like

Bentley, says millennials yearn for more personal communica-

praise, and they want clear direction as to what a manager may

tion and real relationships, in part because these opportunities

be asking of them, which explains their desire to speak to a

have become so rare for their generation.

colleague in person. Even so, says Cross, dont be surprised to

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THE END OF

9 to 5

Millennials prefer a more

flexible work schedule,
with 77% saying flexible work hours would make the workplace

Which Would Increase

Productivity?

more productive for people their age. Some companies are already
doing this well. Still, 31% percent of millennials do worry that their
desire for workplace flexibility is often mistaken for a poor work ethic.

Flexible work hours

More remote working

More breaks during

the work day

Fewer meetings

The Always-on Generation

Millennials flexibility routinely finds them checking email after
5:00 p.m. With 80% of millennials owning a smartphone, the
great majority (89%) of this always-on generation admits to
regularly checking work email after work hours, while 37% say
they always do. So who has a poor work ethic now?

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WHAT IT MEANS
While its no surprise that millennials want more flexible work
schedules, could this be part of a greater cultural shift toward
better work-life balance? According to Aaron Nurick, a professor of management and psychology at Bentley, people have
been pushing for workplace flexibility since the 1970s and modern companies like Google have been moving in this
direction for quite some time. Its typical that any younger
generation is on the edge of cultural trends, Nurick says. But
with millennials now entering the workforce in greater numbers,

that ultimately determine whether flexible work schedules

become a reality.
Of course, new mobile communication technologies enable us
to work from anywhere at any time of day. People worry that
if they dont check email outside of work, they will miss something, says Nurick. But this leads to a bigger question about our
society: Are we creating a culture of workaholics? And is this the
standard we are using to define work ethic?

more companies are moving these trends forward. However, a

companys client base always comes first. It will be client needs

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Millennial
Must-Haves:
A Good Salary,
Flexible SchedulE
and...
gREAT
healthcare
benefits?
Todays millennials are
a practical bunch.

Important Factors If
Choosing between Two
Equal Jobs

Flexible work
hours

Great healthcare
benefits

Frequent salary
increases

A fun and social

office environment

Rapid
promotions

Ability to work
from home

In addition to flexible work hours and frequent salary

increases, a huge majority of millennials (96%) cite
healthcare benefits as a key factor in deciding between
two otherwise equal jobs.

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My own office

Free gym
membership /
on-site gym

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WHAT IT MEANS
With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, young adults

wherever they can, Adams says. In this respect, having great

are able to stay on their parents insurance until the age of 26. So

health benefits is appealing to them.

why do so many millennials rank healthcare benefits among their

most important job requirements?

Len Morrison, director of undergraduate career services at

Bentley, said the healthcare crisis has been in the news for as long

Susan Adams, a management professor at Bentley, points out

as millennials can remember. Healthcare costs are escalating na-

that millennials grew up in tumultuous times. They were children

tionally it is in the news every day and this generation is at an

during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the time of war that

age where they are beginning to see how these costs are affecting

ensued and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a group of

their parents and grandparents, says Morrison. This is likely an

survivors and they are looking for security in this insecure world

important influence on how they weigh their own job benefits.

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Are Millennials
the Job-Hopping
Generation?
Millennials are thought to be job hoppers

but they may be more loyal than we think. When asked how many companies they expect to work for in their career, 80% of millennials
believe theyll work for four or fewer companies in their lifetime.
When it comes to their current job, 36% of millennials expect to stay 3 to 5 years. And a surprisingly high number 16% think
theyll stay in their current job for the rest of their career. (Females and older millennials aged 26 to 34 expect to stay longer in their current
job than males and younger millennials aged 18 to 25, our research found.)

Expected Tenure in Current Job

Less than
a year

Between
1-2 years

3-5 years

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6-10 years

11-20 years

For my career

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WHAT IT MEANS
The employment landscape is much different from 20 or 30

mately looking out for themselves, says Brennan. They are

years ago and loyalty has changed among employees and em-

seeking companies where they can learn and grow, move up

ployers alike, says Susan Brennan, executive director of Bent-

the ladder and increase their compensation. Growing up in a

leys University Career Services and Corporate Relations. Since

world of technology and instant gratification, they are inter-

companies dont offer the kind of incentives they once did and

ested in putting in extra effort, but only if they can clearly see

pensions are all but unheard of, the financial benefits of moving

the benefits. If they do not see these benefits in their current

to a different company are greater today. So while millennials

company, they will look elsewhere.

dont intend to jump from job to job, changing companies often

benefits their career in todays marketplace.
Millennials intend to be loyal to employers but they are ulti-

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10

Money

ARE YOU ENTITLED

TO A YEARLY
SALARY INCREASE?

79%

vs.

YES

Morals
Millennials have mixed desires
when it comes to what they
expect from a job. While 95% say a

21

NO

VALUE SALARY
INCREASE OR
PROMOTION MORE?

77%

companys ethics are very important, they also have big

expectations for financial compensation. In fact, 79%

expect a salary increase every year. And 77% value a

pay raise over a promotion. They want to do well while

SALARY INCREASE

23%

doing good.
PROMOTION

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11

WHAT IT MEANS
Susan Adams, a management professor at Bentley, says

Jessica Sackett, a senior at Bentley, said companies are starting

millennials dont view these desires as conflicting. Millenni-

to realize this. As she and her peers have looked for jobs, theyve

als see an ethical company as one that will take care of the

noticed many companies touting their ethical practices to

environment, its community and its employees. Millennials

compete for millennials who care about more than a paycheck.

want to work somewhere where they feel valued and they

After learning about cases like Enron and the fall of many of the

believe this recognition of value should come through pay

big financial institutions, Sackett says, millennials are looking for

raises. While millennials do prefer to work for a company

employers that not only do good for the company and the bottom

that represents a product or customer base they believe in,

line, but also do good for their clients and their employees.

Adams says, many millennials are entering the workforce

with a lot of debt, so their ultimate goal is to survive and
thrive within the system while still making a difference.

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For Todays Millennial,

Ambition doesnt Lead
to the Corner Office
Are millennials ambitious? You bet.
But success doesnt always mean climbing the corporate ladder.
Two-thirds (66%) of millennials are interested in starting their
own business and 37% would like to work on their own. A much
smaller number only 13% said theyd like to be a CEO or
company president.

CAREER GOALS

66%
37%

Men & Women

Compared with their female peers, men reported

more interest in starting their own business (71%
vs. 62% women) and were more likely to want to
be a chief executive or company president (17%
vs. 9% women).

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25%
13%

START MY OWN

BUSINESS
WORK ON MY OWN

OWN MY OWN

COMPANY
BE A CHIEF EXECUTIVE

OR COMPANY PRESIDENT

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WHAT IT MEANS
Why are millennials so interested in striking out on their own?

consequences of failure are less significant. Millennials are realizing

Fred Tuffile, Bentleys director of Entrepreneurial Studies,

that starting a company, even if it crashes and burns, teaches them

says the answers simple: Just look at corporate America.

more in two years than sitting in a cubicle for 20 years, Tuffile says.

Millennials see chaos, distrust of management, breaking of

contracts and bad news associated with business, Tuffile
says. Theyve watched their relatives get fired and their peers
sit in cubicles and they think, There has to be a better way.

Krassi Popov, a senior at Bentley who founded a mobile phone

charger startup called Veloxity, says being able to live with their
parents longer and stay on their parents health plans until age 26
gives young people today a safety net that makes them comfort-

From Facebook to Tesla, millennials have plenty of positive

able taking risks. Millennials have a certain level of confidence that

entrepreneurial role models to look up to. While they know

enables them to take these risks, says Popov, a native of Bulgaria.

their chances of creating another Facebook are low, said

This is especially true in the United States, where young people

Tuffile, they do think its fairly easy to create a cool startup.

think they are special because they are told that they are. People

And easy it is. Today, the cost of starting a business is lower

who think they are special dont want to sit in front of a computer

than ever, private equity capital is readily available and the

from 9 to 5 doing cubicle work. That is not exciting.

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Who says
millennials
have a poor
work ethic?
THEY DO!
Older workers arent alone in faulting
the millennial work ethic. 35% of millennials say

Ways in Which Millennials are

Unprepared for Their First Job

50%

47%

38%

Poor work
ethic

Poor time
management skills

Not
well-organized

32%

30%

Not confident

Cant speak well

to a group

Not good
decision-makers

29%

28%

25%

Cant work well

on a team

Lack relevant
internship
experience

Dont write well

35%

people their age are unprepared for their first job; the main reason they cite is
a poor work ethic.
What would make millennials more productive? 66% of millennials think
employers should limit social media usage to make workers more productive.

What do corporate recruiters and

business executives say?
54% of corporate recruiters and 59% of business decision-makers
give recent college grads a C on preparedness for their first jobs.
(Source: KRC Research)

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19%

9%

Not risk takers

Not up to speed on the

latest technology

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WHAT IT MEANS
Where does this perception of a poor millennial work ethic come

everything, says Doolittle. In other words, work doesnt define

from? According to Leslie Doolittle, assistant dean and director

them. Family, friends and making a difference in their community

of academic support services at Bentley, it stems from a differ-

are much more central to them than previous generations. As a

ence in how millennials and older generations view work.

result, millennials seek to have more work-life balance. Frankly,

says Doolittle, I see this as a healthy adjustment to our world

While older generations think of their job as a large part of who

view of work.

they are, millennials see work as a piece of their life but not

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SO WHAT

After analyzing the views of more than 1,000 millennials in

this Bentley University survey, a clearer picture begins to emerge of
millennials views on work. Despite a supposed poor work ethic, millennials at
their core are a passionate, responsible group. They crave personal communication, believe in work-life balance and value praise. They are serious about
succeeding in their chosen career and loyal if rewarded fairly by their employers. Millennials are ambitious and entrepreneurial, our survey found, and believe in ethical business practices.

About Bentley University

All of these characteristics give reason for optimism about this highly scrutinized and much talked about generation.

Bentley is a dynamic community of leaders, scholars and

This is a group that really believes in community and really wants to make
a difference in the world, says Leslie Doolittle, Bentleys assistant dean and
director of academic support services. I dont believe there has been a generation that is so committed to making an impact since World War II.
So while millennials may bring different work styles and skills to the office, they
represent a pivotal shift in culture and behavior that holds great promise for
society as a whole. As the millennial generation continues to join the nations
working ranks and soon comes to dominate them, it is critical for leaders in
higher education and business to work together in creating an environment
where millennials can thrive and ultimately succeed. The future of our economy
depends on it.

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Bentley University is one of the nations leading business

schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business

leader one with the deep technical skills, broad global

perspective, and high ethical standards required to make

a difference in an ever-changing world. Our rich, diverse

arts and sciences program, combined with an advanced

business curriculum, prepares informed professionals

who make an impact in their chosen fields. Located on

a classic New England campus minutes from Boston,

creative thinkers. The Graduate School emphasizes the

impact of technology on business practice, in offerings

that include MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD

programs in accountancy and in business, and custom-

ized executive education programs. The university enrolls

approximately 4,100 full-time undergraduate, 140 adult
part-time undergraduate, 1,430 graduate, and 43 doc-

toral students. Bentley is accredited by the New England

Association of Schools and Colleges; AACSB Interna-

tional The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools

of Business; and the European Quality Improvement

System, which benchmarks quality in management and

business education. For more information, please visit
www.bentley.edu.

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