The Millennial Compass

Truths about the 30-and-Under Millennial Generation in the Workplace

Foreword 4
Chapter 1: Millennials 5
Who Are They and What Matters to Them? 6
Chapter 2: Five Truths About Millennials and Work 7
Truth #1: Millennials are Ambitious and Believe Their Work Ethic is Strong 8
Truth #2: Millennials Are On Their Way Up and Out 10
Truth #3: Millennials Consider International Experience a Low Priority 12
Truth #4: Millennials See the Boss as a Friend 15
Truth #5: Millennials with Younger Bosses Feel More Engaged 18
Chapter 3: Closing Thoughts 20
The MSLGROUP Perspective 21
Methodology 22
About This Report
In February 2014, MSLGROUP teamed with Dr. Carina Paine Schoeld,
Research Fellow, and Sue Honor, Research Consultant, of Ashridge
Business School* in the UK, to conduct global research on the Millennial
generations attitudes and expectations in the workplace.
The study, called The Millennial Compass, reveals workplace dynamics that
employers must be aware of as they build their teams, especially across
international borders. Some results including what is most important
to todays younger workers, what they want in their relationships with
managers and their expectations of career progression are startling.
Importantly, The Millennial Compass compares responses across
geographies to provide valuable insights to global organizations.
*Established in 1959, Ashridge is a leading business school for working professionals, with an international reputation for
leadership development. It is in the 1% of business schools globally to be accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the
European Foundation for Management Development Quality Improvement System(EQUIS) and the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) the UK, European and American accreditation bodies. www.ashridge.org.uk
Table of Contents
For nearly a quarter century, the Millennial generation has been written about
and discussed at length in management books, blogs, articles and conferences.
Much of the publicity focused on character traits that, frankly, tend to cast
themin a negative light. Consequently, organizations around the world are
keen to learn more about Millennials and understand their apparent high
expectations of work and low loyalty to their employers.
Although there are widely varying views on who actually belongs to the
Millennial generation (we dene themas people born between 1984 and
1996), one thing is clear: Millennials grew up in a world vastly different from
that of previous generations. Theirs is a global village where social media and
the Web erase geographic boundaries, resulting in a group of people who
undoubtedly share perceptions, attitudes and beliefs. Historically, younger
generations have always stirred new ideas into the corporate world, causing
some expected irritation for older generations, says Erica Dhawan, a writer,
speaker and consultant on next generation leadership. Yet this time its
not an attitude problem, its a transition in business where globalization and
technology have radically changed the game.
Now that Millennials have been working for 10 years or so, its interesting
to see the trends that have emerged. Among other things, The Millennial
Compass shows they are focused on achieving through personal networks
and technology, having a good work-life balance and getting high levels of
support fromtheir managers. They dont want to be tied to an organization,
a timetable or a hierarchy, and theyd rather avoid the stress they see their
senior leaders shouldering. They may lack some of their predecessors
relationship, communication and analysis skills, but theyre condent in their
abilities to run business in a new way.
The Millennial Compass also reveals howcommon these trends are or arent
around the world. Does a 25-year-old working for a company in Beijing feel
the same way about work as his or her counterpart in London, So Paulo or
Atlanta? The article identies which traits can indeed be considered universal
and which ones vary with geography, politics and economic factors.
I ThInk the BiggeSt chAllenGe faCing BusinEsses is tHe neeD
For oLder ManagErs tO accEpt nEw waYs of workiNg. ItS not
Just About techNology, ItS aboUt a HungeR to ChangE thinGs.
- JAMES, London, UK
Chapter 1:
Millennials
Foreword
5 4
BriaN BuRgess
Global Co-Director,
Employee Practice
JasoN FranK
Global Co-Director,
Employee Practice
As with other generation groups, Millennials are known by many different
names (Gen Y and Generation Next, for example). There is limited consensus
on who actually belongs to this generation, but for our research purposes, we
describe themas people aged 30 years and younger, born between 1984 and
1996.
Its not hard to imagine how the Millennial mindset would be dramatically
different fromthat of generations who came before them. They grew up amid
globalization, light-speed changes in technology and communication, and
unprecedented shifts in business, political and cultural norms. The Millennial
Compass study found whats important to themin their working lives varies
somewhat by country, but several key ndings emerged.
MiLlenniaLs: thE BiG PiCture
Theyre ambitious and not necessarily loyal to an organization. They want
to move on, up and out quickly.
They want managers who respect and trust them, provide coaching and
mentoring and are trusting and trustworthy.
They need lots of support and positive feedback.
They look to a manager who is a friend or a peer. They seek bosses who
share their knowledge and experience, and they respect experience over
job titles or positions.
They dont believe they need a good boss in order to be successful.
They admire managers with higher levels of social self-awareness, self-
condence, cultural alignment to the organization and feedback-giving
compared to their own personal capabilities.
Work-life balance is important to them, and they believe they have a strong
work ethic.
Millennials in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries see
international assignments and experience as far more important than
Millennials in the Western world.
Who Are They and
What Matters to Them?
WhAtS ImPortaNt in MiLlenniaLs WoRkIng liveS
1Sumof important and very important responses
Chapter 2:
Five Truths
about
Millennials
and Work
7
Sense of achievement in work 94 94 84 82 88 90
Good work-life balance 93 93 83 85 89 92
Feel valued/treated with
respect 90 94 87 86 90 93
Pleasant physical environment 92 92 82 76 86 92
Job security 95 87 83 87 84 89
Good manager/leaders 88 88 86 79 88 89
Career advancement 94 87 80 78 81 91
Opportunity to be
creative/innovative 91 88 71 54 76 90
Job status 89 81 74 73 77 91
Location 83 77 81 73 84 83
Independence in work 90 84 78 71 81 88
Inuence in organization 84 85 63 54 64 85
Have new ideas implemented 87 83 70 65 71 87
Working in a multi-cultural
environment 77 71 52 45 55 70
International experience 70 61 49 40 44 67
%IMPORTANT
1
INDIA CHINA UK FRANCE USA BRAZIL
6
thE amBitioN to MovE up
The Millennial generation is often cited as demanding work-life balance, which
for themmeans working to live versus living to work, as the previous two
generations were raised to do. Even so, the majority of Millennials surveyed in all
countries describe themselves as more ambitious than not.
Millennials in India are the most ambitious for promotion, with 37% believing
they should be in a management position within one year of graduating. The
highest proportion of Millennials in Brazil, the USA and the UK also believe
this, at 24%, 23% and 21% respectively. China peaks at two years and France
lags behind with only a cumulative total of 43% expecting to be managers
within three years. Overall, more than 40% of this generation expect to be in a
management position within two years.
Not only do Millennials fromIndia expect rapid promotion soon after
graduating, 25% of themexpect to be in a senior management position or
running their own business within two years. Those in other countries also
show leadership ambition, with 28% in Brazil and 22% in the USA expecting
a senior role in two years. In the UK and France, the horizon is closer to ve
years.
Truth #1
Millennials are Ambitious and Believe Their Work Ethic is Strong
reDeFinIng a stRong WorK ethIc
Contrary to what managers may think, Millennials say they have a strong work
ethic rather than a relaxed attitude toward work, especially in the USA (34%).
The reason for the disconnect? A 2009 Ashridge Business School study
showed the two groups see the world of work through very different lenses.
Millennials view themselves as working hard, doing their best to achieve
and, compared to their peers, doing more than their fair share. They also
believe they have the right to a good work-life balance and have no problem
demanding it.
IM a cLassiC PeoPle pLeaser. I Want To keEp geTtIng raisEs anD
Move Up anD It Will LikelY nevEr be fast enouGh.
- STEPH, Washington DC, USA
thEre aBsoluTely Has tO Be A cleAr-cuT linE BetWeen Work
And pErsonAl liFe. If therE Isnt, it hAmPerS youR creAtIvitY
Full stOP.
- RASHI, Mumbai, India
Managers, on the other hand, see Millennials expecting a lot of time and
attention, but vanishing when the pressure is on to achieve teamgoals that
conict with personal goals. Not surprisingly, managers think Millennials have
a very relaxed attitude about work, which echoes the earlier work-life balance
requirement. Its also no surprise that the Millennial generation admires
managers who have a similar work ethic to their own. Perhaps strong work ethic
is being redened for todays world.
trutH #1 headLines

More than 40% of Millennials
expect to be in a management
position within two years of
graduation.



Millennials view themselves as
working hard, doing their best to
achieve and, compared to their
peers, doing more than their fair
share.

Managers think Millennials have
a very relaxed attitude about
work, often vanishing when the
pressure is on.



Perhaps strong work ethic is
being redened for todays world.


ImPlIcaTions for OrganIzatioNs

Companies should clearly communicate
steps and requirements for career
advancement. They should provide
career development planning to help
Millennials move along their career paths
at a pace appropriate for themand the
organization.

Managers must set expectations early
and give Millennials continual feedback
on performance. They should visibly
encourage and reward Millennials who
champion organizational goals and
culture.

Open, honest and frequent communication
between managers and Millennials is key
to building relationships and abolishing
stereotypes. Companies should consider
multigenerational communication
training for work groups where
breakdowns are severe.

Work ethic cannot be mandated.
Organizations must create and/or
maintain a rich culture where values,
beliefs and expectations are reected in
every aspect of the work environment.
I ThInk the Most ImPorTant ThIng I BrIng to tHe coMpany is mY
Work Ethic itS BorN of PassiOn. ItS not just, yOuRe a Work
Horse and yOuLl geT the job Done No maTter The hOurs anD
Just Be miSerabLe. I ThInk ItS ImpOrtanT to Have A genUine
PassiOn foR WhaT youRe doiNg.
- PETE, Atlanta, USA
MiLlenniaLs atTitudEs abouT WorK (%)
Have a strong work ethic 21 17 22 11 34 24
Have a relaxed attitude to work 14 12 8 12 10 20
INDIA CHINA UK FRANCE USA BRAZIL
9 8
goOdBye, loYalty
Loyalty doesnt appear to be a particularly strong work value for the Millennial
generation. On average, 30% of those surveyed worldwide intend to leave their
organizations in the next year. Nearly half say they plan to depart after two
years, leaving only 57% still working for the organizations theyre with today.
The steepest drop in retention of Millennials is in the UK and Brazil, followed
by France, India and the USA. In fact, 19% of Millennials in France and 20% of
those in Brazil intend to leave their organizations as soon as possible. These
numbers indicate Millennials are anything but corporate minded and have
little loyalty to employers.
MiLlenniaLs InTentiOn to staY
With theiR emPloyeRs ovEr thE nexT 10 yearS
Surprisingly, Millennials are quite conservative in estimating the number of
elds they will work in over their lifetime. An average of 55% worldwide say
they will work in only two or three different elds, and 27% predict four to six.
The numbers are consistent across countries, so this is a global view.
Truth #2
Millennials Are On Their Way Up and Out
I ExPecT to Be a SenioR conSultaNt soOn anD hopE to ContiNue tO
ProgrEss rEgulaRly aNd maNage A smaLl teAm latEr. BuT I Need
To woRk on my rElatiOnshiPs wiTh coLleagUes aNd knOwledgE
ShariNg atTitude.
- ISOBELLE, Paris, France
11
trutH #2 headLines

Thirty percent of Millennials
worldwide intend to leave their
organizations in the next year.




Millennials are anything but
corporate minded and have little
loyalty to employers.

An average of 55% of Millennials
say they will work in only two
or three different elds in their
lifetime.
ImPlIcaTions for OrganIzatioNs

Organizations must have robust human
resources strategies to retain key
personnel, develop bench strength and
recruit new talent, especially in business-
critical areas. Managers at all levels must
be prepared to minimize vulnerabilities
created by turnover.

All companies should have a strong
employee brand and ongoing employee
engagement programs highlighting
benets important to Millennials.

Working in a small number of elds
allows Millennials to develop deep
expertise in specic areas, which can
benet organizations who tap those
resources.
MiLlenniaLs InTentioN to LeaVe TheIr EmpLoyer (%)
To Leave Their Employer
in the Next Two Years 43 28 51 44 40 51
INDIA CHINA UK FRANCE USA BRAZIL
Now
YEARS
%
1
& under
2
& under
3
& under
4
& under
5
& under
5 to 9
& under
10
& under
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
India China UK France USA Brazil
10
Millennials worldwide say they expect to be in senior management positions
and/or running their own companies within a few years of graduating.
Having grown up in a global economy, they must know the importance of
international business experience and mobility to reach these goals. And
yet, out of 15 work-life factors ranked by The Millennial Compass survey
respondents, international experience was the least important and working in
a multi-cultural environment was second least important.
a clOser loOk by coUntry
Although 60% of Chinese Millennials surveyed have lived/worked abroad,
only 34% fromIndia had, and all other countries had even lower international
experience (UK 30%, USA 18%, France 18% and Brazil 10%).
Sixty-ve percent of Millennials in India, 47% in China and 37% in Brazil plan
to get international work experience in the next ve years. Those in the USA
and the UK appear more insular. Only 18% of respondents in the USA have
foreign work in their plans, and 55% of USA and 42% of UK respondents have
no plans to work abroad in the next ve years. For Millennials in India, the lure
of foreign work is career progression (33%) and money (28%); in China, it is
personal development (45%). Millennials fromother countries who intend
to take foreign assignments say they would do it for cultural experience (USA
41%, UK 37%) or personal development (Brazil 35%, France 28%).
WherE thEylL WoRk
When questioned about where they would consider working, those from
China, the UK, France and Brazil said North America was their rst choice
(Brazil 65%, others 51-55%). Americans (62%) and those fromIndia (55%)
selected the UK as the top destination. Australia and continental Europe also
scored high. The Middle East, India, Africa, China and Central/South America
were universally unpopular, all scoring below 30%. All in all, Millennials are
prepared to move to the Western world for work, but show little interest in
other destinations.
thE ImPact oN InTernaTionaL BuSiness
Research clearly shows Millennials have a strong desire for work-life balance,
and they seemto be closer to their immediate families and friends than ever
before. Even though they travel virtually in and out of their comfort zones
all the time, theyre less eager to make a physical move. These trends could
impact the future of international business as well as the Millennial generation
themselves who may miss key career opportunities.
Truth #3
Millennials Consider International Experience a Low Priority
do I ThInk ItS IncReasiNgly ImPorTant To haVe ovErseaS
ExPerIence? yeS and No. I ThInk the Place I Get hUng uP on Is thE
Actual, physIcal OversEas pArt of It. In such an iNtercOnnecteD
World, I dOnT necEssarIly tHink You nEed tO litErallY traveL
AcrosS the oceaN to Get oVerseAs exPerienCe.
- PETE, Atlanta, USA
I Guess I WouldnT MinD WorKing OversEas iF It diDnT lasT too
loNg. thRee yEars Would be bEst fOr me but I Guess I Could stay
Longer.
- JEAN, Paris, France
13
InTernaTionaL and MuLtI-cUlturaL exPerieNces arE leasT
ImPortaNt to RfcMiLlennIal Eccp_rgm (%)
70 6 77 6
61 13 71 6
49 20 52 14
40 29 45 17
44 20 55 12
67 9 70 8
IMPORTANT
2
UNIMPORTANT
3
IMPORTANT UNIMPORTANT
International experience
Working in a
multi-cultural environment
INDIA
CHINA
UK
FRANCE
USA
BRAZIL
2 Sumof important and very important responses
3 Sumof fairly unimportant and completely unimportant responses
MiLlenniaLs InTentiOns tO WorK abroAd, and WhY (%)
Planning to work abroad
in next 5 years (%) 65 47 29 28 18 37
Main reason(s)
INDIA CHINA UK FRANCE USA BRAZIL
Career
Money
Personal
develop-
ment
and Ex-
perience
culture
Expe-
rience
culture
Personal
develop-
ment
and Ex-
perience
culture
Expe-
rience
culture
Personal
develop-
ment
12
trutH #3 headLines

Millennials rank international
experience and working in a
multi-cultural environment as the
least important work-life factors.





Millennials are prepared to move
to the Western world for work,
but show little interest in other
destinations.






Even though Millennials travel
virtually in and out of their
comfort zones all the time,
theyre less eager to make a
physical move.

Sixty-ve percent of Millennials
in India, 47% in China and 37%
in Brazil plan to get international
work experience in the next ve
years; those in the USA and the
UK are more insular.
ImPlIcaTions for OrganIzatioNs

Organizations should promote
international rotations and long-term
assignments in external recruiting
and career development planning.
They should emphasize personal and
professional rewards and benets that
appeal to Millennials, such as rapid
advancement and the opportunity to
change the world of work.

Companies with facilities in unpopular
locations should assess how vital it is to
have Millennials on those teams. If they
are essential to the business, barriers
and negative perceptions can be offset
with extra incentives; positive information
about the destination, lifestyle and
work opportunities; and the companys
commitment to help employees deal with
undesirable conditions.

To attract Millennials to international
assignments, organizations must
offer support such as home leave, job
assistance for spouses/partners and
cultural assimilation.

Global companies can prioritize recruiting
efforts in countries where Millennials are
more open to working abroad.


Millennials perceptions of their relationship with the boss are fascinating.
When asked about the role their manager currently plays, most survey
respondents chose, friend. This answer ranked rst in the USA, the UK and
Brazil; second in China and third in India. In France, Millennials see their boss
as a peer.
Whether they think of the boss as a friend, peer, coach or mentor, its obvious
Millennials do not want a hierarchical relationship with them. The role
of director/allocator of work appears only in Chinas description of what
Millennials ideally want fromtheir manager, and then in third place.
Overall, less than a third (31%) of Millennials feel the role their manager
currently plays ts their image of an ideal manager. Similar to the mismatch
in denitions of a strong work ethic, there are obvious differences between
Millennials and managers perceptions of the role the manager plays or
should play.
Truth #4
Millennials See the Boss as a Friend
thE cloSenesS I Have With My boSs is not ExactlY FrIenDship.
ItS MorE likE relYing On her. shE getS Me A lot oF jObs aNd shE
Gets Me inVolveD In The joB I Do.
- RAIN, Beijing, China
MiLlenniaLs cuRrent and IdeaL reLatioNshipS WitH theiR BosS
Coach/mentor
Knowledge source/expert
Friend
Director/allocator of work
Friend
Coach/Mentor
Friend
Coach/Mentor
Director/allocator of work
Peer
Director/allocator of work
Knowledge source/expert
Friend
Knowledge source/expert
Coach/Mentor
Friend
Peer
Coach/Mentor
Coach/mentor and Friend
Knowledge source/
expert
Friend
Coach/Mentor
Director/allocator of work
Coach/Mentor
Friend
Knowledge source/expert
Coach/Mentor
Knowledge source/expert
Peer
Coach/Mentor
Knowledge source/expert
Friend
Friend
Coach/Mentor
Knowledge source/expert
EXISTING IDEAL
INDIA
CHINA
UK
FRANCE
USA
BRAZIL
15 14
PoweR coMes froM knOwledGe, noT titlEs
The Millennial generation is not concerned with titles. They strongly admire those
with experience, at any level, over position or power. This generation wants
managers and senior colleagues to be experts willing to share their
knowledge with younger employees.
More than half (51%) of Millennials in India, and 40% in the USA, see their
manager as a knowledge expert, in both cases ranking it second in the way
they describe their relationship with them. However, when looking at the ideal
relationship with their manager, all countries see this factor as one of the top
three characteristics they desire.
I See iN the markEt thEre aRe maNy boSses And fEw leAders. We
Must Have LeadeRs beCause they make the Team CoMe TogetheR
And mOtIvaTe thEm to reacH the goal. It is iMportAnt foR
CoMpaNies To inVest In leAders and EmPowEr thEm to managE
People. thAt maKes tHe diFfereNce bEtWeeN staYing With anD
LeaviNg a CoMpaNy.
- BRUNO, So Paulo, Brazil
WhaT MiLlennIals reSpect (%)
Title 8 14 3 7 4 7
Experience 25 18 25 26 37 32
INDIA CHINA UK FRANCE USA BRAZIL
trutH #4 headLines

When asked about the role their
manager currently plays, most
survey respondents chose,
friend.



Millennials do not want a
hierarchical relationship with their
boss.







Less than a third of Millennials
feel the role their manager
currently plays ts their image of
an ideal manager.




Millennials want managers and
senior colleagues to be experts
willing to share their knowledge
with younger employees.



ImPlIcaTions for OrganIzatioNs

Managers must learn to relate to
multigenerational teammembers.
This doesnt mean yielding to whatever
employees want; it means understanding
their views of the work world and nding
common ground that benets everyone.
This may require special training.

A command and control management
style isnt necessary if expectations are
clear, feedback is frequent and rewards
are consistent. To optimize Millennials
contributions, older managers may have
to temper their top-down mentality.
Younger managers may have to assume
more of a coach or mentor role to
establish authority and balance the
friend dynamic.

Managers should strive to understand
what motivates Millennial teammembers
not to accommodate them, but to
strengthen relationships and drive better
results. Since every employee-boss
relationship is different, this should be
done in one-on-one conversations and
performance reviews.

Managers should share their knowledge
and bring younger colleagues along,
regardless of generational issues.
Companies that want to create a
Millennial-friendly culture should build
internal knowledge sharing programs and
platforms and include participation on
managers performance reviews.
17 16
Does youth motivate youth? Our research says yes. Millennials with Generation X
and Millennial managers believe their skills are better utilized than those whose
managers are fromthe Baby Boomgeneration.
To demonstrate this point, Millennials in India are way ahead of other
countries in believing their organization harnesses their talents (75% agree).
China is second at 63%. Correspondingly, Millennials in these countries have
the highest percentage of young managers. In China, 78% of managers are
Late Gen X (31-40 years old) or Millennials (under 30), and this gure is 75%
for India. Conversely, Frances managers are 47% Early Gen X (41-50 years
old) or Baby Boomers (over 50). Millennials in France had the lowest score
(42%) when asked if they believe their organization harnesses their talents.
thE storY BeHind thE stAtIstiCs
Generational labels aside, whats really important to Millennials is what they
get fromtheir manager. Millennials want a manager who is very supportive,
on their side and has their best interests at heart. They want their ideas
pushed forward to leaders with whomthey dont have direct contact or
inuence. For the Millennial, its all about me and feeling valued.
Truth #5
Millennials with Younger Bosses Feel More Engaged
InHerenTly iT Is EasieR to RelatE to SoMeoNe clOser tO
Your Own aGe. WiTh biGger Age dIsParItIes, it tUrns Into A
Mother/DaughtEr, fathEr/sOn, fathEr/DaughtEr, mothEr/soN
RelatIonshIP. IVe founD I Do noT PerForm Well In thAt scEnario.
- STEPH, Washington DC, USA
19
There is a twist, however, to the relationship between Millennials and younger
managers. Previous research has detected a bit of a love-hate dynamic
caused by the closeness in age, and this is backed up by our ndings. Younger
managers are seen as friends, which Millennials like, but they may feel let
down by the manager as he/she moves up in the organization.
I Have A gooD relAtIonShIp With My maNager, but They Have tO
UnderStand deleGatioN Is NeedeD to ImProVe thE orgAnIzatiOn. BuT
With PeoplE oveR 50 yearS old, you Can fEel tHe cuLturaL gap.
- ISOBELLE, Paris, France
I Have Two bOsses, one My age, one 15 yearS oldEr. alThougH
I Have A verY FriEndly relaTionsHiP wIth tHe yoUnger boss, I
ThInk on bAlancE she needS to Focus more on dEveloPing thE
teAM, rathEr thAn deVelopIng hErself.
- GEMMA, London, UK
MiLlennIals BeLieve theiR skIlls arE BeTter utIlIzed
bY yoUnger MaNagerS
57 62 59 44
Generation of Millennial Late Gen X Early Gen X Baby Boomers
Manager (Gen Y)
Age (years) of 30 & under 31-40 41-50 Over 50
Manager
%Agree
trutH #5 headLines

Millennials with Generation X and
Millennial managers believe their
skills are better utilized than
those whose managers are from
the Baby Boomgeneration.



Whats really important to
Millennials is what they get from
their manager. For them, its all
about me and feeling valued.





ImPlIcaTions for OrganIzatioNs

Companies must recognize the potential
disconnect between older managers and
younger employees, and help each party
appreciate the others value. This can be
accomplished through communication
training, engagement programs and
mentoring programs designed to bridge
the generational divide.

Companies that want to maximize
Millennials contributions and potentially
gain their longer-termloyalty should
devise employee engagement and other
programs targeting Millennials specic
needs. These can include personal
recognition, exible work arrangements,
a great work environment and other
amenities Millennials identify as
important in their working life.
18
Chapter 3:
Closing
Thoughts
21
Millennials, like every generation, present unique challenges and
opportunities to organizations striving to succeed in a global economy. Many
of their characteristics have been well documented, but the subtleties warrant
further exploration.
We at MSLGROUP believe there are many things that can be done to close
the gap between what companies need and what Millennials want. The rst
is to better understand how Millennials view the world and work in particular,
which was the purpose of The Millennial Compass study. As we dug deeper
into the results, we discovered new insights, such as the rather complex
dynamics driving the Millennial-manager relationship, the impact of manager
age in motivating Millennial employees and Millennials lack of enthusiasm
for international work experience. Geographical comparisons also proved
enlightening. As the study shows, differences in attitudes and perceptions
fromone country or culture to another can be dramatic, reminding us to never
make generalizations, even in a world where the boundaries that dene us
become more blurred each day.
At age 30 or younger, Millennials are the future of business the world over.
Companies and Millennials will do well to listen to each others expectations
and nd the common ground on which to build mutual success.
The MSLGROUP
Perspective
20
MSLGROUP partnered with Ashridge Business School in the UK to conduct
a quantitative research project to explore Millennials attitudes and beliefs
about work. In February 2014, an email invitation with a link to an anonymous
questionnaire was sent to an online research panel of Millennial employees
aged 18 to 30 years.
The survey used closed-ended questions (multiple choice, rating scale and
ranking scale) to explore topics based on relevant existing literature.
These included:
Working life: what is important
Managers behaviors: what is important and expectations
Relationships between Millennials and their managers
Workplace behaviors of Millennials and senior colleagues they admire
Progression in the workplace and working life
Work-life balance
Employment engagement and intention to stay
International work plans
A total of 1,293 Millennial employees fromBrazil, China, France, India, the UK
and the USA responded to the survey. The number of respondents was about
equal for each country (215 or 216) and each group was made up of equal
numbers of males and females.
Research Notes:
These ndings describe individual attitudes and perceptions of Millennials
invited to complete the survey. Interpretation of results represents the
opinions of those who participated, not the entire Millennial population. Text
or table percentages that do not add up to 100% are due to multiple answers,
computer rounding and/or the exclusion of neutral, dont know or not stated
responses.
Methodology
22
Brian has more than 18 years experience in developing programs and
communications that engage internal audiences with a companys
business strategy, develop internal brand advocates and that build
awareness, understanding and acceptance of change initiatives. Based in
New York, Brian led the operational transformation of AstraZenecas sales
force, the integration of Bayer HealthCare and Berlex, the development
and launch of the employer brand for Ahold USA family of brands
(Stop & Shop and Giant Supermarkets), the worldwide roll out of operating
principles for Marsh, and the internal introduction and socialization of the
Lilly Diabetes global brand narrative.
Carina joined Ashridge in 2007 as a researcher in the Public Leadership
Centre, and is now a Research Fellow working on a number of applied
research projects. Carina has a rst degree in Applied Psychology
and Computing, a post graduate diploma in Psychology and a PhD in
Psychology. Prior to joining Ashridge Carina worked as a research fellow
and a consultant for The Open University. Most recently she worked
as a researcher at Ipsos MORI. She recently authored Culture Shock:
Generation Y and their managers in the work place, a 2013 Ashridge
research report.
Sue is an independent learning consultant and project manager. She has
held international managerial, strategy and consultancy roles in companies
including Peugeot and Intel. Her interest lie in human behaviour and adult
learning. Sues recent research and publications include best practice in
European Management Development, and whilst at Ashridge, on human
interaction in an MBA programme, innovation in executive education and in
2009, on Generation Y.
Based in London, Jason has over 16 years blue chip experience in
branding, marketing and employee communications and engagement.
He is fascinated by the role employees can play in driving business
performance and reputation, and believes brand and business success
start fromthe inside out. His experience encompasses research, strategy
and implementation much of it on large, complex, international projects.
He has extensive experience in employer branding, EVP development,
employee engagement and recruitment and student marketing. He brings
insight, multi-channel expertise and an understanding of HR, brand,
marketing and internal communications functions.
BriaN BuRgess
Global Co-Director,
Employee Practice
caRina PainE scHoFielD
Research Fellow, Ashridge Business School
suE honOr
Consultant
JasoN FranK
Global Co-Director,
Employee Practice
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MSLGROUP.COM
About the MSLGROUP Employee Practice
The MSLGROUP Employee Practice helps companies attract the right talent,
engage employees and maximize their performance. Our services span the
employee lifecycle from employer branding and recruitment, to internal
communications and social engagement, to the departure experience and
alumni relations. We engage employees hearts, hands and minds to strengthen
loyalty and drive behaviors that benet our clients businesses.
To learn more, please contact:
Brian Burgess
Global Co-Director, Employee Practice
MSLGROUP
+1 646 500 7635
brian.burgess@mslgroup.com
Jason Frank
Global Co-Director, Employee Practice
MSLGROUP
+44 (0)20 3219 8700
jfrank@saslondon.com