CREJ

14 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / March 2018 Millennial Workplace Myths vs. Realities And What They Mean for the Work Environment O ver the past few years, we have seen a growing wave of negative stories about the millennial gen- eration. This includes criti- cisms such as “they need to be coddled” and “they expect things to always go their way.” Our experience studying and designing for professionals of multiple generations suggests a different narrative – one that is perhaps more positive and nu- anced. Let’s start with a few clips about 20-somethings I recently read that are worth sharing: “… wants to postpone growing up.” “… 75 percent of young males 18 to 24 years old are still living at home…” “… 65 percent of those surveyed agreed, it will be harder for their group to live as comfortably as previ- ous generations…” “… they can often end up sounding like whiners.” What’s interesting is that those quotes actually came from a 1990 article in TIME magazine about Gen X, though they echo criticism of today’s millennials. If criticisms about the younger generation are as com- monplace today as they were 25 years ago, it raises this question: Are millennials truly an ocean of uniquely difficult, unreliable, self-interested and professionally incompatible individualists? Or do some of their hur- dles simply stem from transitioning into the workforce just like the generations before them? Might many is- sues like these be more related to age than a specific quirk of their entire generation? As architects interested in learning about a compa- ny’s culture, we are on the front lines of, among oth- er things, understanding and addressing generational differences in the work environment. It’s essential to knowprecisely howpeoplework and interact in a com- pany or organization before we can design spaces that successfully support them. By examining some myths and realities of the millennial generation, we can offer some suggestions for creating a stronger, more cohe- sive culture through design. Myth: Millennials are arrogant. They expect to advance without sacrifice. Reality: If we’re being honest, didn’t many of us have some mix of both youthful overconfidence and fear entering and navigating the workforce? Boomers who lament the arrogance of millenni- als might also recall they were the ones declaring “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” Most of us have memories from our 20s of a mean- ingful professional misstep. I know I had a few. It usu- ally took someone (ideally a great mentor) sitting us down and showing us how to navigate the workplace more effectively. Specifically, learning the tact needed to speak up and affect a positive change within any organization. The point is, it took some growing up, and it did not happen overnight. Perhaps these times in a young professional’s life should forever be called the “Transitional 20s.” What it means for the work environment: In our experience, despite needing some professional devel- opment and training, millennials’ workplace strug- gles stem more from finding their voice, and under- standing the best way to ensure they are heard and respected. Such desires aren’t unique to their gener- ation. When it comes to design, architects need to hear input across demographics on space-related topics. Hearing from senior leadership (generally more sea- soned professionals) alone often is a recipe for dis- cord down the road. Soliciting and respecting the in- put of all staff, including the millennial generation, can pay off in spades. Beyond getting a better under- standing of how the people who work for a company do their job and what motivates them day in and day out, hearing the fresh perspective of the newest gen- eration to the workforce can often yield new ideas. In the case of a new office, that input can lead to a better layout that might improve the team and their work product. Additionally, we have seen conversations about a new space actually help improve trust, loyalty and commitment from millennials. One client com- mented that their younger staff dresses more profes- Martin Goldstein Principal Architect, Venture Architecture Michael Schopen Summit Materials: Teaming, collaboration space Bridging the Gap