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Keith Helms
Professor Dorhout
English 1001-28
November 11, 2015
Solving Millennials in the Workplace
For the last ten years the baby boomer generation (ages fifty to sixty-nine) and generation
X (ages thirty-four to fifty-four) have struggled to understand and have quality employees, as the
millennials (ages twenty to thirty-two) enter the work force to secure the global economic growth
and succession from the older generations. Frustration is high because the core issues with the
millennials are speculated as being lazy, not loyal, and non-sacrificial. In addition, these young
adults look down on long-term employment, while the older generations they have to work with
believe these young adults have a poor work ethic and lack in leadership. Tardiness is also
contagious to the millennials with the plague of having attitude issues, and repeatedly being
absent without notifying their employer. Lack of respect from these youngsters has caused major
turmoil with global companies. They are concerned with millennials because they have been
unreliable and very costly in employee retention, training, and profitability (King 2). Digging
deeper into these issues, employers are also facing leadership gaps due to baby boomers retiring.
So, where are the new leaders going to come from? The millennials.
Considering all the issues listed above, older generations have created a dark cloud over
the perception of these young adults. Baby boomers are disgruntled about their millennial
experience so far, causing trust factors and fairness issues between them. These are crucial in a
work environment (Jorgensen 3). Studies have shown that there has always been a gap in
culture between each generation in preparing the next in succession (Alwin 49). However, this
gap between the baby boomers and generation Xers as they acquire the millennial culture into

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the work-force, is larger and more complex than previous gaps in generation morals, values,
beliefs, and ethics.
Before a solution can be presented, it is best to understand each generations values and
implement a plan to close the gaps and create a better work atmosphere for all three generations.
The baby boomers grew up with several core values of sacrifice, hard work, and doing the job
right. Long-term commitment has also been important to this generation that helps them to
believe that achievement comes after paying your dues. Jorgensen also mentioned, Loyalty is
a must amongst the baby boomers, along with teamwork, and group discussions (4). Generation
Xers core values from autonomy, independence, and open communication. Xers believe in
action oriented perspective on work. They seek to challenge by asking why in issues, but
paying dues is not in their beliefs. They seek to acquire skills and expertise without any longterm loyalty, sticking to balancing work and home life that makes them reluctant to take a
leadership role (Jorgensen 3). On the other hand, millennials core values are a strong work
ethic when work has innovation and purpose with a sense of responsibility. These young adults
are very comfortable with change, which allows them to believe in a more open and tolerant
society. Collaboration, networking and independence are important for them to achieve goals:
Millennials also thrive on mentoring/coaching, and continuing education (Jorgensen 3).
Other concerns with the generation gap have to do with issues related to population
growth, wars conducted during that particular generation to cause a population decrease, a stable
economy, a change in political and technological advances, and ethnic diversity in the global
workforce (Jorgensen 4). These studies conducted prove that there is a major shift in culture as
the millennials become eighty-eight percent of the global work force by 2025 (Brack 2).
Millennials rapidly entering the workforce prove that companies globally are struggling to find a

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solution to adjust to the millennial culture. Even economists around the world made this a
priority - to research the shift in culture that can have a negative effect on the global economy.
Technological advances are more frequent now and also play a role in a growing economy with
a higher demand for products and services as companies need more employees (Brack 7).
Looking into the future, millennials are projected to be the highest spending generation in
human history (Alwin 50). It is now a scramble to get these young adults up to speed and
focused on a better succession plan for the next generations to come.
So, why is there such a large gap in culture between the generations? Economists,
government population studies, and colleges around the world are trying to figure out how to get
the millennials better established in the workforce with employment. With the lack of a
leadership mentality to stimulate the global economy by these young adults, researchers and
companies had to figure out why they were struggling, why they felt a lost sense of purpose, and
direction when they entered the workforce. According to King, The studies found that these
young adults faced high divorce rates amongst their parents, and had to fend for themselves and
were not given the tools of higher self-esteem, morals, and values that a mother and father
relationship would give them(1). This statement points out the millennials attitude issues.
Additionally, the recession that plagued 2007-2009 caused most millennials that had a
job, and those who were the first to get hired out of high school or college, to lose their jobs.
They lost their jobs because they were new during those hard times. Then, if they retained their
employment, their hours were reduced, or they were forced to find two or possibly three jobs to
pay their college tuition and other living expenses. The young adults were bitter over working
multiple jobs, jobs that they did not want, and without any sense of purpose to satisfy their place
in the workforce.

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The millennials were also used to being taken everywhere by their parents at a younger
age (sports practices and activities), which gave them the sense that they needed mentoring and
coaching more than any other generation. It is also became clear that it is hard to keep the
young generation focused and attentive to detail on the job because of the lack of
mentoring/coaching by their managers (King 2). Their lack of focus is related to the fact that
these young adults grow up with instant gratification through video gaming, internet use, fast
food, cell phones, texting, higher caffeine drinks, and anything else that they can get quickly.
Another issue that no one was able to recognize was the ethnic diversity, especially in the United
States. These ethnic issues cause language barriers, along with these invading cultures from other
countries interfering in the workplace. These interferences eliminated jobs for a lot of millennials
in the United States that were caused by minority laws placed on businesses.
The baby boomers and the generation Xers were not exposed to invading cultures from
other countries that came with technological advances during their childhood years. Nor did the
past generations have instant gratification like the millennials experienced. The older generations
can be patient and are able to keep focus when performing certain job tasks. The younger adults,
as studies have shown, have a hard time focusing on tasks that they have to take their time on.
The millennials need the challenge of thinking at a faster rate to keep them engaged in their
work (Brack 4). Considering all the factors that can affect a generation, there is proof that these
issues have had a negative effect on the millennials. This causes conflict in the work
environment for all three generations when working together. The bottom line is, no one is able
to understand each other, thus creating confusion, lack of trust, and lack of accomplishment.

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Inevitably, the issues involving this large generation gap cause resentment. The problem
still exists when the finger is being pointed at the younger generation, trying to prove it is their
fault for the costly mistakes that occur in the daily operation of a business.
But for every problem there is a solution. The best solution for closing the generation gap
in the workforce is to develop a plan based on positive research conducted on the millennials.
However, the older generations that will be leading the way with this knowledge must provide
better solutions and realize that their attitude must change to guide and coach these young adults.
Someone in their organization must learn and understand the millennial workforce, and there
must always be a continuous improvement plan in place for their business to help educate these
youngsters. The organizational culture also has to change in their business to accommodate them.
They may need to change business training techniques to keep these youngsters for long-term
employment. Companies may also have to create expectations and job descriptions in a
collaborative way for them.
According to Brack, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Northrop Grumman, Proctor and Gamble,
Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Nike were willing to be proactive in a search for solving these
issues (6). These companies started to keep millennials successfully in the workforce, especially
by growing their business with innovation and planning for future business.
Research was attained from colleges like Yale, University of North Carolina, University of
Dayton, University of Nebraska, Bentley University and Swarthmore college asking millennials
how they describe themselves, and how companies can harness their strengths, assist in creating
a better work environment, and a better future for the global economy in a positive way. The
results were powerful when the research was released to companies that were looking for
possible solutions on what helps motivate the millennials.

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According to Graybill, Nelson, and Martin, innovation, collaboration, fast working, along
with being great problem solvers and tech savvy are a part of these young adults. The millennials
are continuous learners with a diverse, optimistic, and achievement oriented mentality. They are
highly educated and socially conscious, which allows them to want to make a positive difference
in their balance between work and family. Also, millennials need a sense of accomplishment with
open and honest communication. Having these great qualities, anyone would think the global
workforce would be much easier to transform into more positive business. But there are negative
perceptions on the millennials from all around the world. These walls must be broken down by
the leadership and guidance of the previous generations with a long-term plan to help the
millennials fill in the gaps for generation Z and generations to come. This plan is called Soft
Skills Plan (SSP).
What are soft skills and why are they so important? Soft skills are the practices of
intellectual virtues. These virtues consist of attitudes, social abilities, communication strengths,
and thinking competencies that help people work with others (Nelson 2). The global workforce
culture is changing, and society must adjust to those changes and give the next generation better
tools. Society today, for these young adults have a difficult time understanding and learning soft
skills in school. Why not start at a younger age and get them ready for success and to be able to
handle lifes challenges as they get older? The SSP can really grow and become part of the
global economy and lead a better way of life.
So, where does anyone start? First, start with phase one, by using concepts that are
already in place similar to a successful high school football sports organization. The secret is that
the high school coach will work with other coaches that are coaching pee wee to middle school
football teams in his district to scout out the players or potential players that will be coming up in

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age throughout the years to play for him. That high school coach will influence other coaches in
the same district to condition those players to be the best at their position every football season
until they reach varsity football in high school. By that time, those players are conditioned to be
the best and know how to excel in leading and performing in the development of a successful
football team. Over time, defying failure into success with consistent training, mentoring, and
teamwork, these young adults will have the confidence, drive, and experience to handle obstacles
that happen in real life and become better with their soft skills. Learning and experiencing a SSP
will give the younger generations the tools they need to be successful in the business world, and
actually make it a better place to work for years to come.
Not everyone is going to be involved with an athletic program in school to help him or
her gain the soft skills needed to succeed in life. However, the SSP will get developed into a
mandatory long-term program starting with kids in the seventh grade when they become
teenagers. There will be a co-op program for thirteen year olds to help them gain experience in a
work environment. The SSP plan for these teenagers will not only teach soft skills, but life skills
as well. These plans will start building the foundation for them as they enter high school. There
will be mandatory testing as part of the SSP for the freshman class, to hone in on students
strengths and weaknesses to help with their confidence and to help them find a career path in
which they can gain experience. This will help the young adults get a clearer direction as they
graduate from high school.
Additionally, they will also take more classes that involve real life with real experiences
such as work ethics, teamwork, and community service. For an example, participants will use
community service to gain experience in poverty, learn how to prevent it, and grow communities
out of it. Community service will also include serving the elderly, allowing our past generations

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to have the opportunity to mentor millennials or younger adults. Also, during the first phase of
the SSP, young adults will be learning decision making, understanding racism and diverse
cultures understanding bullying and the impact it has. They will also be acquiring social
networking skills, collaboration skills, how to budget money, time management skills, along with
communication skills in the workplace and in personal relationships. Millennials will also be
able to learn about military service and if it is an opportunity for them.
Secondly, as the students enter the college level and/or the age of eighteen to twenty-four
years old, if they decide not to go to college, there will be an influential program to help these
young adults in their final stages of school to be confident and have a clear direction as they
enter the work force. This final phase will consist of more in-depth classes and co-op programs
on the subjects listed in phase one. The young adults will have a full understanding of their
strengths and the direction where they need to go. Once they find their direction, they will have
the soft skills needed with confidence, experience and a clear direction to have the opportunity to
excel as employee, leader, and parent. The SSP is meant to have a positive impact where
attitudes, laws, programs, and a better way of life needs to change for the millennials and the
future generations in the global workforce.
In conclusion, the SSP will provide a detailed and realistic experience over a long period
of time to help the younger generations overcome any deficiency they have in the global workforce. For example, by 2025, India will be facing the largest generation gap in history because
their millennial population will be at ninety percent in their work-force (Jorgensen 1). For the
millennials that are currently working or still in college, they will be influenced to take a test to
find their strengths and be able to take classes or programs to educate them with understanding
and experience as they enter the global workforce. The proof is where some companies and

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colleges are already looking into or have started a plan to help the millennials. This is another
reason for the plan to get implemented immediately. It will guarantee many opportunities for the
millennials to secure a growing global economy and close all generation gaps that are hindering
the relationships between countries that face the same challenges as the United States. Also, this
plan is long-term, so it will help develop a strong foundation for these youngsters. With this kind
of momentum, the results will bring peace to many nations that struggle with religious views,
poverty, education, politics, health, their economy, military strategy, laziness, population
increases or decreases and many other issues that tie into the SSP. This type of plan needs to be
implemented immediately. The sooner it is implemented, the stronger the global economy will
be.

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Works Cited
Alwin, Duane F. Generations X, Y And Z: Are They Changing America? Kluwer
Academic/Plenum Publishers. September 2002.
Brack, Jessica. Maximizing Millennials In The Workplace University of North CarolinaBusiness School, January 2012.
Graybill, Jolie. Millennials Among The Professional Workforce: Their Perspective on
Leadership. Elsevier Inc. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 24 September 2013.
Jorgensen, Bradley. Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y?: Policy Implications in
Modern Era. Queensland, Australia Government, Vol. 5 Issue 4, April 2002.
King, Danae. Companies Change as Millennials Become Majority of Workforce. McClatchyTribune Business News Bowling Green News, 07 June 2015.
Martin, Carolyn. From High Maintenance to High Productivity: What managers need to know
about Generation Y. Industrial and Commerce Training, Vol. 37 Issue 1, January 2005.
Nelson, Christopher B. Why Millennials Will Improve Your Company. St. Johns CollegeBusiness Ethics- Huffington Post, 20 August 2015.