Millennials, who comprise majority of the current workforce want flexible hours and health facilities to be more productive, a new study shows.
The Millennials and the Digital Marketplace report released yesterday shows that the generation aged between 18-35 are more culture-centred and need regular employer engagement to remain productive.
Releasing the report, online job search platform bureau BrighterMonday official Emmanuel Mutuma said millennials are looking for stability, good pay, job security, and a job that’s closer to their home.
More to that, their ideal workplace should have a well-defined work culture above pay, posses a sense of pride, be diverse and all-inclusive, and should offer training and development opportunities.
For instance 63.3 per cent want flexible working hours, 15.8 per cent- want fun activities, 17.1 per cent- Health and wellness facilities, 98.5 per cent want instant feedback and 22.2 per cent want rewards and recognition.
Others are family support- 53 per cent, and addressing gender gap at 79.2 per cent.
While formal job opportunities are diminishing, the findings show that outdated management styles have kept many millennials at home.
The study surveyed 8,429 candidates.
It revealed that 55 per cent of millennials are unemployed while the rest have jobs.
This probably explains why jobs recruitment portal BrighterMonday receives 2 million applications every month for every 3,000 jobs listed.
According to Mutuma 80 per cent of the applicants possess a university degree or diploma.
“Governments should shift our labor laws and put in place policies that are responsive to the youth,” Youth Enterprise and Development Fund chairman Ronnie Osumba said.
He called for policies that will prepare the youth to the future job market and redefine what jobs are.
Osumba said that firms which do not shift with or invest in millennials are likely to face a major impact in their bottom line and the earlier they realise this the better.
