Essay: Review of Millennials Through the Looking Glass: Workplace Motivating Factors

INTRODUCTION
They’re more educated, practical and younger and they’re ready to take on the workforce. The article “Millennials Through the Looking Glass: Workplace Motivating Factors” by Russell Calk and Angela Patrick, claim that millennials are individuals born after the year 1982. Millennials are now the largest and latest generation of employees to enter the workplace, in United States alone “38.8 million [millennials] and compromise half of all employees in the world” were expected to enter the workforce in 2018 (Calk and Patrick, 2017), but with it raises concerns for recruiters who questions their willingness to commit and react to job opportunities. The article also shares that millennials are more likely to switch jobs to focus on their “individual needs rather than on organizational ones” (Calk & Patrick, 2017, p. 131), threatening organizations with potential turnovers and leadership voids, prompting them to quickly comply and make amends in their recruiting and retaining tactics. By understanding what elements and factors influence millennials motivational needs, it’ll allow organizations to take advantage of it and will assist in the preparation of millennials in the work place, as well as preventing high turnovers and further problems.
Summary and analysis
The most effective way of ensuring that millennials remain loyal, committed, and productive is by keeping them engaged through their motivational needs. Motivation, according to the “Management” textbook, is “the process by which a person’s efforts are energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal.” Unlike other generations who searched for a secured and sufficient paying job, millennials acquire their drive differently and in order for an organization to remain effective it must “be able to identify with a multigenerational workforce with varying beliefs, work ethics, lifestyles, values, attitudes and expectation.” (Calk & Patrick, 2017, p. 132)
Technologies Influence
The generation theory states that individuals born in a specific era are influenced by significant revolutionary innovations that occurred in their generation which can “affect their generational world views and development” (Calk and Patrick, 2017, p.132). For millennials, the rise of technology seems to be the generation’s most defining moment. Technology plays such an integral part in modern society that many rely on it to live, play and work. Similar to a library, devices today provide anyone with almost every information they need in the palms of their hand. If an individual is unhappy with their current profession, access to the internet makes it easier to search for better job opportunities and relocate in order to pursue it. Modern equipment and devices also grant us the flexibility to work everywhere we go; therefore, employees don’t mind having to frequently travel (Calk and Patrick, 2017). It may seem like a step closer to what we can expect in the future, but for now, it takes away valuable time for employees and their employers to bond and build stronger and committed relationship. Despite its many benefits in today’s workplace and society, technology opens up many opportunities that can make it difficult for recruiters and organizations to prevent unsatisfied employees from abandoning them, thus creating the constant apprehension of the future.
Social Influence
With the aid of technology bringing people around the world virtually closer, we feel less divided as cohorts and communities can freely share and express their opinions, emotions and ideas to one another in a matter of weeks, days and even minutes. According to Calk and Patrick (2017), vital historic and social events are components that can mould one’s attitudes and beliefs. Modern society and events in the recent years has encouraged millennials to value “positive reinforcement, diversity and autonomy” (Calk and Patrick, 2017). Events such as economic downfalls and empowering movements have provoked millennials into starting a conversation that would eventually encourage them to be more collaborative and practical. They also understand the significance of self-development for future benefits, which is why strong enforcement of “teamwork, personal productivity, self-management, personally fulfilling work, and social consciousness” (Meister & Willyerd, 2010) come across as appealing characteristics in an organization. Recognizing millennials motivational values, attitudes and expectations can give organizations competitive advantage by developing stronger commitment.
Motivational Needs
The Work Motivation Inventory (WMI), a combination of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” and Herzberg’s “Hygiene-Motivator Model of Satisfaction”, is a credible measurement of millennials workplace motivational needs (Calk and Patrick, 2017). WMI recognizes basic, safety, belonging, ego-status and actualization as five motivational needs of every employee, more specifically millennials. To understand millennials and their beacon of motivation, a study was performed at an arts university in the Southwestern United States, where 81% of students were under the age of 25. 121 surveys, of the 341 distributed, were deemed adequate (Calk & Patrick, 2017). After reviewing the data analysis and results, basic and belonging needs scored the highest. This indicates that millennials prefer a working environment that helps evolve professional and personal relationships while satisfying their lavish needs. Safety scored the lowest as predictable salary and benefits aren’t enough to captivate and persuade millennials.
CONCLUSION
Millennials not only differ from previous generations because of their age gaps, but components such as values, attitudes, and needs in the workplace as well. Organizations must now learn to adapt and understand their sources of motivation to stay ahead of competition, this includes investigating recent social events, elements of influence and their perceptions. As we’re aware, the use of technology and its easy access makes it easier for anyone to accomplish the unexpected. Technology has made newer generations more aware of their environment and virtually bring people together. Modern societies’ impact on millennials has forced them to take a step back and re-evaluate their goals and values. As communities battle certain political issues it has become clear that laying a great foundation for the future is much more important than a pay cheque. The most effective solution to fulfilling the motivational needs of millennials is by being inclusive and challenging their creativity and expectations (Calk and Patrick, 2017, p. 157). Not only can you expect positive responses but also build a more meaning relationship which will encourage millennials to remain loyal.