Figuring out what makes millennial employees tick

According to Gina Grover, who is a member of our Consulting Team here at Plus, the 2016 National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) recently published is annual survey, which charts the attitudes of millennials when it comes to employer preferences and career planning. 

The somewhat surprising results of the survey indicate that 3M is the most preferred employer in 2016, replacing Google for the top spot, according to 13,000 millennial employees surveyed.

U.S. census records show that there are 83 million millennials who are displacing Baby Boomers as the largest generation in the workforce in the U.S. Millennials' high engagement in community activities and their desire to make the world a better place leads to a company’s social responsibility being among the top factors they consider when choosing an employer. They aren’t just looking for a paycheck—they are looking for a career where they know they are making a difference. Companies like 3M have implemented programs that also appeal to a millennial’s desire to gain skills to advance their career, with mentoring programs and the flexibility to work on projects of their own choosing. 

One 3M millennial employee said, “We were all working toward one conclusion. Millennials are really wanting to change the world in a big way. … To come into work every day and have an opportunity to work on new product developments and innovations that have the ability to change the world is extremely rewarding.”

This article details how 3M and other companies are investing in programs designed to attract and retain millennial talent.