Growth Potential

According to a Gallup report from 2019, Millennials main focus in an employer is the opportunity to grow and develop skills within their field. This highly-motivating factor is present in all their employer requirements; e.g. thinking of their manager as more of a coach.

With Gallup reporting only ⅓ of all employees surveyed worldwide think their company and position are important, it’s vital you create a robust development program. If you don’t know where to start in this effort, include your employees in the process! Millennials will feel empowered if given the opportunity to speak.

Great Management

It should come as no surprise that a growth-centric generation also seeks exceptional management. In fact, millennials cite the quality of management as a main factor in their workplace happiness. Gallup’s study concludes, poor management and management decisions cost U.S. businesses between $960 billion and $1.2 trillion dollars in productivity losses alone. Because millennials account for half of the entire American workforce (and will increase exponentially in the coming years), this workplace demand needs to be met.

What does it mean to have a quality management team? Millennials are not big fans of the traditional legal industry hierarchy and prefer a much more hands-on, level approach to management. Given the prerequisite ability to listen actively, they prefer a collaborative setup with less emphasis on rank and more emphasis on the greater goals in play. In short, millennials want a manager who takes the time to inspire, direct and celebrate their progress.

Engaging Work

Millennials want their work to be meaningful. A fair salary, on its own, is not enough to keep them interested in their position. The opportunity to do great, purposeful work is vital to their loyalty. Helping to keep the focus on the greater good of their effort is its own reward.

How do you do this? Long-term engagement means getting to know what makes them fulfilled in their roles. Work with them in building this into their daily mindset at work. 

These three requirements show millennials are looking for a firm that focuses on the meaning behind their work and executes leadership with a collaborative mindset. As the legal world shifts slowly into a modern workforce, keep ahead of the curve when seeking (and keeping!) the best legal talent.