Whenever I see these articles pop up, my first thought is always this:
With a headline like "Millennials Want Companies That Work On Innovative Ways To Fix The World," I knew this article wasn't going to be any different.
In spite of all the economic, societal, and environmental obstacles thrown their way, millennials the world over still believe that things can change–and that business in particular can move the world into a better place.
Deloitte's 2013 Global Millennial Survey asked millennials who were born after January 1982 about how business can innovate and impact society. These are some of the highlights of their answers.
Oh yawn, you call these highlights? That's being generous.
It ends with an obvious conclusion:
The message is clear: Businesses that want to attract millennials need to emphasize their innovative ways and positive societal impacts. There are some regional differences in what millennials want, sure, but for the most part, people just want to feel like they are working towards something that makes a difference.
Uh, guys, I'm pretty sure most people throughout all of time want to feel like they are working "towards something that makes a difference" rather than just punching a time clock until they die. That's why people go into areas like social service and education instead of becoming professional hitmen.
There's no way you can tell me the next crop of 20-somethings starting at the Big 4 this year chose their firm because they think they will be making a difference. If you convince me they actually believe that hokey HR nonsense, I think the profession is far more screwed than I previously suspected.
